Former Ukrainian Catholic Priest in Westmoreland County Accused of Stealing Nearly $750K from Church Community, Mother
HARRISBURG – Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that a former Western Pennsylvania-based Ukrainian Catholic priest is charged with theft and financial exploitation regarding more than $740,000 stolen from three churches, church affiliates, and the priest’s own mother.
Gregory Allen Madeya, 69, is charged with felony dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities, theft by unlawful taking, theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, financial exploitation of an older adult or care-dependent person, and access device fraud.
Madeya, now residing in Florida, was arrested Friday in Vero Beach, and is awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania.
According to the investigation, Madeya is charged with thefts dating back to 2018. He stole from churches and the Knights of Columbus, and nearly $250,000 from his mother, who was of the age when she could not manage her own finances.
“It is unconscionable to see a supposed man of God exploiting not only the churches he served, but his own mother,” Attorney General Sunday said. “This defendant abused the trust of those around him, and left them to recover from mammoth financial losses.”
WATCH: Attorney General Sunday discuss charges against Gregory Madeya.
These charges stem from a multi-year, exhaustive investigation into Madeya’s conduct.
On Madeya’s electronic devices, investigators found messages and photos related to narcotics as well as photographs of debit cards and bank documents related to his church, St. John the Baptist. In Madeya’s trash, agents found several church-offering collection envelopes.
Over the course of the extensive investigation, witnesses from across the church community relayed instances of missing collections money and fundraising proceeds, donations, rent and church-related fees that were never deposited into church accounts.
Investigators spoke with a jeweler who was allegedly approached by Madeya, acting as a representative of the church, wanting to sell a gold chalice. This chalice was purchased for $19,440, under the belief that the money was going to help the church’s finances.
During the same period of time as the thefts, Madeya made a cash purchase of a 2018 Ford Mustang for $35,433.58, which was given to the man living with him.
In addition to the church-related thefts, investigators found that Madeya’s mother was evicted from multiple nursing home facilities because of a lack of payment. Investigators found that Madeya abused his position as his mother’s power of attorney to steal funds meant for her care.
In all, Madeya is accused of fraudulently misappropriating $319,997.03 from multiple church-related people and entities, and more than $230,000 from his mother’s investment accounts. He also failed to fulfill the resulting tax responsibility of $248,663.43.
This case was investigated by Agent Molly Galitzia of the Bureau of Narcotics Investigations and will be prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Patrick Schulte with the Financial Crime Section.
Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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