Cleveland pastor pleads guilty to not paying over $90,000 in income taxes

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The pastor of a Cleveland church who was federally charged with not paying more than $90,000 in income taxes has pleaded guilty.
Charles Matthews of Solon entered the during plea during a hearing Friday morning in Cleveland. He was the senior pastor of Mount Sinai Baptist Church and Ministries in Cleveland.
He was facing six counts in the information that was filed earlier this week -- and pleaded guilty to all of those counts. He could face 18 to 24 months in prison when he's sentenced.
Matthews was in charge of two financial accounts at the church – one for the church itself and one for his own use, dubbed a pastor’s account.
The information alleged that while Mt. Sinai deducted and collected the required income tax and FICA withholdings from the total taxable wages of its employees, Matthews “willfully failed to report and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service those withheld taxes.”
Prosecutors alleged Matthews instead “caused those funds to be used for other purposed including transfers into the pastor’s account for his own personal use.”
According to the information, Matthews also failed to report and pay the employer’s share of FICA taxes.
The total amount prosecutors said Matthews failed to pay between October 2005 and January 2007 was $90,767.43.
According to the church's website, Dr. C. Jay Matthews was named pastor of the church in January 1988.

Former Church Worker in Springfield, Ohio Sentenced In Theft

Authorities said a worker from a Springfield church has admitted to stealing more than $300,000, and she was sentenced on Tuesday.

Anita Diane Maddy appeared in court and was very apologetic and remorseful for what she did.
The judge sentenced Maddy to 17 months in prison.
News Center 7 talked with the past of Christ Chapel Church of God when the theft was made known.
Pastor Bernard Cook said, “We’re all heart broken. We loved her.”
Cook said over the course of six years, Maddy stole credit cards, loan accounts and church ATM cards from the church.
The Clark County Prosecutor said he is pleaded with the outcome.
Cook said when he was made known of the theft, the church immediately put safe guards in place to make sure this type of theft does not happen again.

GREENFIELD, OHIO WOMAN ARRESTED ON THEFT CHARGES

A Greenfield resident was arrested just after noon Thursday on an indictment from a Highland County grand jury on charges of grand theft and tampering with records in connection with embezzlement from a Greenfield church.
Greenfield Police Chief Tim Hester said the charges against Nancy M. Williams, 55, come as the result of an investigation conducted by the Greenfield Police Department and Ohio Attorney General's Office. The investigation was looking into the alleged embezzlement of more than $40,000 from St. Benignus Catholic Church on South Second Street in Greenfield, where Williams worked as church secretary from 2004 through this year.
Williams was taken to the Highland County Justice Center in lieu of bond and will appear for arraignment in Highland County Common Pleas Court.