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Priests Accused Of Stealing Millions From Parish

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Sep 28, 2006 11:17 pm US/Eastern

Priests Accused Of Stealing Millions From Parish

DELRAY BEACH (CBS4/AP) ― Two Roman Catholic priests in Delray Beach are accused of stealing more than eight million dollars in offerings and gifts made to their parish in a span of over 40 years.

Investigators say Monsignor John Skehan and Reverend Francis Guinan skimmed cash from the offertory and used the money for personal profit.

Skehan was arrested Wednesday night at Palm Beach International Airport returning from Ireland on charges that he stole over eight million dollars from St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church. He had been a pastor there for four decades.

They say the 79-year-old priest used the money to buy property and other assets. He is being held on grand theft charges.

Federal authorities say the Reverend Francis Guinan is being sought. He is alleged to have stolen an unspecified amount of money to take gambling trips to Las Vegas and the Bahamas.

An anonymous tip in June 2005 led police and the church to launch the investigation.
''These guys lived the life they told everyone else not to live and they lived it on everyone else's dime,'' police spokesman officer Jeff Messer said. "And one of the seven deadly sins is greed.''

The Diocese of Palm Beach could not be reached for comment.

(© 2006 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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