Church Treasurer Sentenced For Stealing More Than $80,000 in Montco
By Brad Segall
HATFIELD, Pa. (CBS) -- The former treasurer of a Montgomery County, Pa. church will spend at least three months behind bars for embezzling more than $80,000 from the house of worship, nearly bankrupting it.
Leaders at Emmanuel Evangelical Congregational Church say treasurer Stephanie Kligge stole more than money: she stole their trust and the innocence of the children who looked at her as a role model.
Today, a judge sentenced the 35-year-old woman to 3-23 months, some of that in jail and some on house arrest, after she pleaded guilty to theft charges.
"You have to realize the church not only went down to almost zero money in their bank accounts, they couldn't fund their programs," says county prosecutor Jeremy Lupo. "They lost money from their food banks, a lot of people were affected."
Kligge told the court that she doesn't consciously remember committing the crimes and was later diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, ("DID").
She didn't offer that as an excuse but an explanation, and took full responsibility for her actions. And she started making restitution by turning over a check for $20,000.