Embezzlement Case Uncovered at a Parish of the Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju
Financial Manager Diverts Donations for Cryptocurrency Investment
Crime Revealed After Falling Victim to Investment Scam
A man in his 60s has been apprehended by police for embezzling approximately 480 million won in church donations and investing the funds in cryptocurrency.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Gwangju recently announced that police are currently investigating an embezzlement case involving Mr. A, a man in his 60s who served as the financial manager at a local church. Mr. A diverted the church's construction fund and invested it in cryptocurrency, but his crime was exposed after he became a victim of a so-called "investment leading scam."
It has been reported that Mr. A misappropriated the church construction fund by falsely claiming it was being spent on land purchase contracts and construction costs, then funneled the money through acquaintances' accounts before ultimately transferring it back to his own account.
Mr. A confessed to the embezzlement during a routine monthly accounting report. According to the Archdiocese of Gwangju, Mr. A requested a meeting with the parish priest and admitted to the embezzlement in the church office. The Archdiocese refuted claims that the crime was revealed through confession, stating, "Such claims seriously undermine the identity of the sacrament, which is central to Catholicism."
During the police investigation, Mr. A reportedly stated, "I intended to use the donations as investment capital and return them later."
The Archdiocese of Gwangju is currently conducting an accounting audit, while police have applied for an arrest warrant for Mr. A and are also investigating the investment scam organization.
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