Former Church Finance Director Charged with Stealing Over $500K from NJ Parish

State prosecutors allege that a former official at the Church of Saint Leo the Great used parish funds for personal expenses including luxury items and event payments.

A former church official in Monmouth County has been charged with second-degree theft after allegedly embezzling more than $500,000 from the Church of Saint Leo the Great in Lincroft, according to an announcement made October 20, 2025, by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice.

Joseph A. Manzi, 78, of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, is accused of using church credit accounts and cash funds for his own personal benefit while serving as director of finance, operations, and development at St. Leo. His employment with the church ended around June 26, 2025, and an internal financial review reportedly uncovered irregularities that triggered the investigation.

“The defendant is alleged to have used his position of trust to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the church,” Attorney General Platkin said. “As described in the complaint, this conduct was not to feed his family or for some kind of emergency, but to live a more lavish lifestyle. His alleged criminal acts will not be tolerated.”

Allegations of Misuse and Unauthorized Spending

According to case documents, Manzi is alleged to have fraudulently spent over $300,000 using church credit cards and diverted an additional $200,000 in cash, with unauthorized transactions occurring between January 11, 2019, and May 7, 2025.

The alleged expenditures include:

• Purchase and financing of a Cadillac SUV

• Luxury clothing and accessories

• Home repairs and services for personal property

• Medical and dental bills

• Chartered fishing trips

• Sports event tickets, including New York Yankees games

• Payments to fraternal organizations

• Insurance premiums for personal use

Investigators noted that the credit cards in question were issued in Manzi’s name, and staff confirmed that he maintained sole control over their use during his tenure.

“Members of the church who donated their hard-earned funds for the good of their parish should know that their contributions will be used for their intended purposes,” DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton said. “Instead, this defendant allegedly enriched himself with church funds. He now faces criminal charges for his actions.”

Legal Proceedings and Potential Penalties

Manzi has been charged by complaint with theft by unlawful taking, a second-degree crime in New Jersey. If convicted, the charge carries a potential penalty of five to ten years in state prison and a fine of up to $150,000.

The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Conner Ouellette of the Division of Criminal Justice.

Attorney General Platkin expressed appreciation for the support of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Middletown Township Police Department, both of which assisted in the investigation.

As with all criminal matters, charges are accusations only, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.