A former Roman Catholic priest in Pennsylvania is facing a mountain of felony charges after prosecutors say he systematically stole nearly $750,000 from church organizations and his own elderly mother over a period spanning more than a decade.
The Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office announced the charges against Monsignor Joseph Kearney, 73, who allegedly used his trusted position to siphon funds from multiple parishes, a Catholic youth organization, and his mother's personal accounts. The alleged theft spree ran from roughly 2010 through 2023, touching several institutions across the Diocese of Scranton.
Kearney served as a monsignor in the Diocese of Scranton and held financial authority over several parish accounts during his tenure. Prosecutors allege he exploited that access repeatedly, directing church funds to his personal use through unauthorized transfers and check manipulations.
The charges span multiple parishes and organizations. Kearney allegedly stole from St. Patrick's Parish in Scranton, Nativity of Our Lord Parish in Duryea, and the Catholic Youth Center, among other entities. The total alleged theft across all victims approaches $750,000, as Fox News first detailed.
Lackawanna County District Attorney Mark Powell described the scope of the alleged scheme as extraordinary for a member of the clergy. Powell stated that the investigation revealed a long pattern of financial misconduct hidden behind Kearney's religious authority and the trust parishioners placed in him.
Perhaps the most striking allegation involves Kearney's own mother. Prosecutors say the former priest stole from her personal finances as well, folding her into the same pattern of theft that targeted the church institutions he served. Specific details about the amount allegedly taken from his mother or the methods used have not been publicly broken out from the broader total, but authorities included her among the named victims in the criminal complaint.
The inclusion of a family member as an alleged victim underscores what prosecutors have framed as a betrayal that extended well beyond the parish walls. Kearney held both spiritual and, in his mother's case, familial trust, and prosecutors allege he violated both.
The Diocese of Scranton said it cooperated with the investigation. Diocesan officials indicated that Kearney had been removed from ministry prior to the charges being filed. The diocese released a statement expressing concern for all those affected and reaffirming its commitment to financial accountability within its parishes.
The diocese did not specify exactly when it first became aware of the alleged financial irregularities or what internal steps preceded the criminal referral. Investigators will need to determine whether earlier red flags were missed or whether internal auditing procedures failed to catch the alleged misconduct sooner.
Kearney faces multiple felony counts, including theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, and receiving stolen property. The charges reflect the breadth of the alleged scheme, covering separate counts tied to different victim entities and different time periods within the 2010 to 2023 window.
Under Pennsylvania law, theft exceeding $500,000 in aggregate value can carry significant prison time upon conviction. Felony theft by unlawful taking in this range is graded as a first-degree felony, which means Kearney could face up to 20 years in state prison if convicted on the top charges.
Kearney has been charged but has not been convicted. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. No public statements from Kearney or a defense attorney on his behalf have been reported as of the announcement of charges.
Prosecutors described a pattern in which Kearney used his administrative control over parish bank accounts to pen checks and authorize transfers for personal expenses. His role as a monsignor gave him direct access to financial accounts that most parishioners and even some fellow clergy would never scrutinize closely.
Church financial structures often vest significant discretion in pastors and senior clergy. Parish priests typically oversee day-to-day spending, and in many dioceses, oversight mechanisms rely heavily on trust rather than independent auditing. Prosecutors allege Kearney took advantage of that structural reality.
Authorities have not publicly confirmed whether Kearney used the funds for any specific large purchases, gambling, or other identifiable spending patterns. The investigation focused on the movement of money out of institutional and family accounts and into Kearney's personal control.
Clergy theft cases, while not everyday occurrences, have surfaced across multiple American dioceses over the past two decades. The Catholic Church's decentralized parish financial structure has drawn criticism from auditors and law enforcement alike. Individual priests often hold sole or near-sole authority over parish bank accounts, creating opportunities for misuse that can go undetected for years.
The Scranton diocese, like many others, has moved toward stronger internal financial controls in recent years. Whether those controls were in place during the period of Kearney's alleged theft, and whether they functioned as intended, remains an open question that the legal proceedings may address.
District Attorney Powell emphasized that no one is above the law regardless of their position in the community. He stated that the office will pursue accountability for the full scope of the alleged theft.
Kearney's case will proceed through the Lackawanna County court system. A preliminary hearing will determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to hold the charges for trial. Given the volume of financial records involved and the number of alleged victim entities, the case could take considerable time to work through pretrial proceedings.
Investigators will also need to determine whether any additional individuals had knowledge of or involvement in the alleged scheme. Prosecutors have not indicated that anyone else faces charges at this time.
For parishioners at St. Patrick's, Nativity of Our Lord, and the Catholic Youth Center, the damage extends beyond dollars. Donations to a parish are acts of faith, and the charges against Kearney allege that faith was converted into personal gain for more than a decade.
When the people trusted to shepherd a congregation are instead alleged to have fleeced it, the institution owes more than a statement. It owes a full accounting.
