The former assistant administrator at St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Uptown Kingston has been accused of stealing almost $70,000 in church funds and a priest’s personal money over a 20-month period, the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday, Sept. 1.
According to the DA’s office, Amanda Weiss, 28, of Kingston is charged with taking a total of $68,675.80 from the accounts of St. Joseph’s Church and from the personal account of one of the church’s priests. Prosecutors allege Weiss falsified bank records, invoices and the church’s check register, and that she also possessed forged and stolen checks.
The investigation, prosecutors said, started back in June. Weiss was arrested on Thursday, Aug. 31.
In connection with the theft of the church funds, she is charged with second-degree grand larceny, a felony; four counts of first-degree falsifying business records, a felony; and 26 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a felony. In connection with the theft of the church’s funds, she was charged with third-degree grand larceny, a felony; six counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, a felony; and third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a felony. She was also charged with felony first-degree scheme to defraud.
Members of the District Attorney’s Office were assisted in their investigation by members of the Archdiocese of New York and a detective from the Kingston Police Department.
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