Former Bookkeeper To Be Ordered To Pay Back $113,000 To Tustin Church

From California-

Attorneys agreed today on restitution in the amount of $113,000 in the case of a bookkeeper who embezzled money from the Episcopal church in Tustin where she worked, a prosecutor said.

Elyse Marie Kennedy, 37, pleaded guilty March 24 to two felony counts of forgery and admitted sentencing enhancements for taking more than $50,000.

At a restitution hearing today, Deputy District Attorney Sean O'Brien agreed with the woman's defense attorneys that she should pay back $113,000 of the $129,000 she stole from St. Paul's Episcopal Church between 2007 and 2009.

Church members were OK with the restitution amount, and an order from Orange County Superior Court Judge Erick Larsh will be forthcoming, O'Brien said.

It's not known if Kennedy can pay back the money, but the court order prevents her from using a bankruptcy declaration to free her from the debt, and her future wages could be garnished, O'Brien said.

Kennedy, who was sentenced March 24 to nearly three years in state prison, was solely responsible for overseeing the church's financial records and wrote 154 checks to herself from the church's bank accounts, O'Brien said.

More here-

http://www.bhcourier.com/article/Local/Local/Former_Bookkeeper_To_Be_Ordered_To_Pay_Back_113000_To_Tustin_Church/77087