Southbury Synagogue’s President Sentenced in Embezzlement Case

Jodi Churchill, 45, of Orange, was sentenced Thursday, Dec. 19, by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to two-and-a-half years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling more than $600,000 from a Southbury synagogue, according to Deirdre M. Daly, U.S. attorney for the District of Connecticut.

Ms. Churchill was also ordered to serve six months of home confinement and perform 120 hours of community service while on supervised release, the U.S. attorney’s statement said.

According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in November 2010, while serving as the vice president of the Beth El Synagogue in Southbury, Ms. Churchill began embezzling funds.

In June 2011, Ms. Churchill became the president of the synagogue and used her new position to open a checking account and a money market account in the name of the synagogue. She was the only signatory on the accounts, the press release said.

Initially, Ms. Churchill opened the accounts using the synagogue’s business address in Southbury, but in 2011 she directed the bank to change the mailing address on the accounts to her residence in Orange. Thereafter, all bank statements for the accounts were mailed to Ms. Churchill’s home address.

Between June 2011 and December 2011, Ms. Churchill deposited bank checks totaling more than $300,000 into the accounts. The checks reflected the proceeds of certificates of deposit held by the synagogue that had matured at other financial institutions.

The investigation revealed that Ms. Churchill made more than 60 unauthorized ATM and over-the-counter withdrawals of synagogue funds in amounts ranging from $200 to $5,000.

Ms. Churchill used the embezzled funds to pay school-related expenses for her children, expenses for leasing a horse used by one of her children, vehicle expenses, airline tickets and hotel expenses for personal travel. She also provided stolen funds to a relative, according the U.S. attorney’s press release.

During the course of this scheme, Ms. Churchill embezzled a total of more than $661,000 in synagogue funds, the press release states.

After the embezzlement scheme was uncovered, the government seized approximately $104,000 from Ms. Churchill’s bank accounts, and seized and sold, for approximately $22,000, an automobile she had purchased with synagogue funds. The funds have been returned to the synagogue.

Judge Chatigny ordered Ms. Churchill to pay restitution in the amount of $531,985 to the synagogue and its insurer.

On May 31, Ms. Churchill waived her right to indictment and pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.