Pa. priest pleads guilty to stealing church donations
Harrisburg, Pa. — A Pennsylvania priest has pleaded guilty to theft for stealing hundreds of church donation checks.
George Athanasiou, 37, was a priest at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Canonsburg when he stole the checks, which he was not permitted to sign, endorse, or deposit.
At the time of his plea Wednesday in Washington County Court, Athanasiou had paid $155,000 in restitution.
He will be sentenced on February 18, court records show.
"Stealing money is theft, plain and simple, whether it is committed by a petty criminal or a trusted faith leader, which was the case here — this priest betrayed parishioners by stealing donations that otherwise would have benefited the church," Attorney General Henry said. "This plea to a felony charge holds the defendant accountable for his conduct, while also providing a significant restitution payment that will go to the church community."
The Office of Attorney General investigation uncovered more than 200 unauthorized ATM transactions, between 2022 and 2023, involving church donation checks.
The investigation, which included video evidence, showed Athanasiou endorsing and depositing checks using an ATM.
During a police interview, Athanasiou admitted to stealing the checks and endorsing them, knowing he was not permitted to do so.
