Heather Darrey, a former bookkeeper for Christ the King Catholic Church in Tampa, Florida, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to embezzling nearly $900,000 from the church. The shocking case, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida on November 14, has left the church community stunned.
A Trusted Employee Turned Embezzler
Darrey, 45, had worked for the church for 25 years and was well-known among parishioners. According to Father Len Plazewski, the news of her theft was met with disbelief.
“Shock was the biggest reaction,” Plazewski said. “It was a shock that it happened and who the perpetrator was.”Known for her kind demeanor, Darrey’s actions were unexpected, given her long history with the church.
As the record and finance manager, Darrey had full access to the church’s accounting software, which she exploited to carry out her scheme. Investigators revealed that she began her fraudulent activities in October 2023, generating legitimate checks for vendors but never mailing them. Instead, she destroyed the original checks and issued new ones, payable to herself for the same amounts.