The priest stole about $117,000 from the parish to fund his gambling addiction
Father George Athanasiou, a Greek Orthodox priest from Pennsylvania, has been charged with embezzling more than $117,000 from the bank accounts of All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. According to the charges, he committed 223 thefts.
The priest and gambling
The investigation began after the church’s finance director discovered discrepancies in cash flow earlier this year. An internal investigation revealed that church funds had been embezzled over the past two years. According to investigators, Father George Athanasiou transferred money from church bank accounts to his personal account and used it for gambling. It is not yet known whether the priest played offline or in one of the online casinos. According to the twinspinCA website, many of the online sites give players no deposit free spins, so many inexperienced users start playing and do not realize the dangers.
It is assumed that the priest suffers from gambling addiction, which led him to such actions. This means that he experiences an irresistible urge to gamble despite the negative consequences. In this case, church funds intended for charity and support of the church were used by the priest to satisfy his gambling needs.
Father George Athanasiou was suspended from his priestly position after the theft scheme was uncovered. He also appeared in court and was charged with crimes. If he is found guilty of these crimes, he faces deprivation of his priesthood and imprisonment. In addition, he will be required to return the stolen funds to the church.
The incident caused shock and disappointment among the church community. The parishioners expressed their indignation and misunderstanding about the actions of the priest. Trust in him as a spiritual leader was undermined by his own actions. Such incidents raise questions about proper financial controls in churches and the need to address problem gambling among spiritual leaders.
It is important that church organizations take measures to prevent such occurrences. This may include the development of strict financial policies and controls, as well as educational programs to combat gambling addiction.
This scandalous incident reminds us that even people who seem to have dedicated their lives to faith and serving God can get into difficulties and do wrong things, and the gambling industry can “drag” anyone into its abyss.