Priest's Assistant Accused of Embezzling $117,000 from Church for Gambling

A priest's assistant in Washington, Pennsylvania, is facing accusations of embezzling over $117,000 from his parish. Father George Athanasiou, a minister at All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in North Strabane, was arrested in November and charged with 223 counts of theft, forgery, and grand larceny.

Law enforcement alleges that Athanasiou unlawfully cashed checks belonging to the church to obtain the money. During questioning, he reportedly confessed to having a gambling addiction and admitted to using all the funds for gambling purposes. The priest is now required to undergo a psychiatric examination.

Investigators claim that Athanasiou began pilfering money in April 2022. Despite having served in the church for nearly five years, he showed no intention of ceasing his thefts.

2 January 2024, 11:00

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