A Catholic parish in Monmouth County has filed a civil lawsuit accusing its former finance director of stealing $1.5 million over six years.

The Church of Saint Leo the Great in Lincroft claims Joseph Manzi systematically misappropriated parish funds for personal use between 2014 and 2024. According to Yahoo News, the lawsuit was filed on Friday and details extensive personal expenses allegedly funded by church money.

Church attorneys allege Manzi spent the stolen funds on home construction projects, sporting event tickets, vehicle payments, his daughter's wedding expenses, personal taxes, meals, and cigars. The complaint describes how Manzi allegedly treated the church's operating account as his personal bank account.

Manzi's Role And Responsibilities

Joseph Manzi began working as the finance director for Saint Leo the Great on March 1, 2014. His responsibilities included overseeing payroll, expenses, bookkeeping, human resources, and overall parish operations.

The position gave Manzi significant control over the church's financial systems and mail distribution. This access allegedly allowed him to conceal his fraudulent activities for years while maintaining control over financial communications.

Manzi was fired from his position on June 26, according to the complaint. The lawsuit does not specify what led to his dismissal, which occurred approximately one month before church officials discovered the alleged financial fraud.

Discovery Of Financial Irregularities

Church officials first uncovered suspicious activity on July 31 while investigating a credit card charge. The parish's bursar and bookkeeper were examining charges on a credit card they wanted to close when they made the discovery.

Initial findings revealed that Manzi had incurred charges related to a Cadillac he owned, using one of the parish's credit cards. This discovery prompted church officials to conduct a deeper investigation into his financial activities.

Further investigation revealed that Manzi had allegedly used both American Express and Capital One business cards belonging to the church for personal expenses. The lawsuit claims he accumulated credit card points for personal use through these unauthorized transactions.

Scope Of Alleged Embezzlement

Credit card statements were sent directly to Manzi, who controlled mail distribution for the parish according to the lawsuit. This arrangement allegedly enabled him to conceal his fraudulent activities from other church officials for an extended period.

Church attorneys claim that reviewing the statements revealed Manzi had used various personal expenses including vehicle costs, home construction projects, landscaping, gift cards and wedding expenses. The complaint also alleges he used church funds to pay his personal taxes, meals and cigars.

Beyond credit card fraud, attorneys claim Manzi embezzled over $1 million by diverting business revenue to fraudulent accounts under his sole control. The lawsuit alleges he maintained automatic payments for personal expenses directly from the church's operating account.