
A popular Las Vegas Priest begins 3 year prison term for embezzlement. Monsignor Kevin McAuliffe , a Catholic priest from Las Vegas begins 3 year prison term for embezzlement. McAulifee pleaded guilty to embezzling $650,000 from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, his Las Vegas parish to support his gambling addiction.
Apparently the worldwide problem of gambling addiction is not limited to mere mortals. Men of the cloth can be afflicted too.
The popular priest pilfered over a half a million dollars to feed his addiction and committed other crimes to hide his tracks.
He pleaded guilty in October to federal mail fraud for falsifying financial documents sent to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in San Francisco.
McAuliffe, 59, was ordered Friday to stay out of casinos and to receive counseling for his addiction once freed.
Parishioners lined up in the courthouse lobby to wish McAuliffe well. He spoke softly to each of them, as they exchanged hugs.
“I have the deepest remorse and regret,” McAuliffe said just before he was sentenced. He said he betrayed and scandalized the Catholic Church and his congregation
At least he has admitted his problems.
Just how wide-ranging is gambling addiction. Most estimates will say that only a small percentage of people are afflicted with most placing the figure at between 3% and 5% of the population.
With more and more states now participating in gambling, the figure is likely much higher.
The National Council on Problem Gaming offer a wide variety of resources if you or are family member is afflicted with this disorder. These are questionnaires that you can take to gauge if you, or you loved one, do indeed have a problem.
For more information or help with a gambling addiction, please visit the National Council on Problem Gaming.