INDIANAPOLIS — A judge sentenced a 72-year-old woman from Indianapolis to two years in prison after she pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
According to court documents, Marie Carson illegally transferred $573,836.59 from the business accounts of a Catholic church and school in Indianapolis to her own personal bank accounts from 2008 to 2021.
Carson worked as the business manager at the parish for the 13 years where she committed the crimes. She was responsible for processing checks received from parishioners, conducting financial transactions on behalf of the church and school, and managing the parish's finances.
Court documents say Carson was caught in November 2021 while she was on leave from the position. Her temporary replacement noticed suspicious transfers from the parish's gaming account to an external bank account.
The United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Indiana said Carson maintained the scheme by making false entries into the database.
Carson and her husband used the stolen money to gamble at casinos and an annual, monthlong vacation to Florida.
And the total money stolen is likely higher, since Carson allegedly told church officials she started the embezzlement scheme in 2004.
"Her greed and desire for lavish vacations outweighed her interest in following the dictates of our criminal laws and the teachings of her church, 'thou shalt not steal,'" said Zachary A. Myers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
The FBI investigated the case, along with assistance from IMPD.
After her release, Carson will be on probation for two years and must pay $573,836.59 in restitution.
