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A Danville resident and former employee of St. Isidore’s Church is may have a difficult time paying the bills. Virgilo Lukban, 47, pleaded no contest to one count of petty theft and now must repay part of the $68,0000 he stole from the church.
The former facilities manager was charged with five felony counts of embezzlement after stealing $68,802 from the church on La Gonda Way. In exchange for the no contest plea, the felony charges were dropped to a misdemeanor and Lukban will only be responsible for $35,000 in restitution.
“He will be on probation for three years and he will be working as will his family to raise money for restitution,” said Lukban’s lawyer, Bill Gagen. “He had already paid $15,000 into our trust account and that would be turned over to Diocese.”
Although Gagen did not specify how the Lukbans will raise money for restitution, he said it would be a difficult task.
“I thin they have the best of intentions,” he said, adding that Lukban is currently working odd jobs but is not employed full time. “Hopefully through friends and family they will develop a means of doing this but it’s going to be difficult for them.”
Lukban is one of three people charged after an investigation revealed approximately $360,000 in missing funds through the fraudulent use of credit cards. Former bookkeeper Kathleen Drake was recently sentenced to 300 days in jail and three years probation while Alamo resident Evelyn Peinado has yet to be sentenced. The three were arrested on May 2 about a year after church officials first noticed irregularities.
During the investigation, the Diocese of Oakland determined that St. Isidore did not have sufficient internal controls in place to detect and prevent such a high-level, sophisticated crime. The parish has since hired a bookkeeper and an accounting manager to “insure appropriate financial administration for cash receipts, disbursements, payroll and financial statement preparation.”
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Getthefacts, They may have the numbers right. What number(s) are off? I reread the total stolen “$360,000 in missing funds through the fraudulent use of credit cards”. That may be the number in credit cards ONLY. It is not the total stolen.
This church continues to be a financial problem. They still owe 2.3 million to the diocese for the school expansion, gym and parish center addition. That was over 15 years ago and not a penny of principal has been repaid. They remodel a library for 750k using funds from tuition and rewrite bylaws for a fund established for educating kids whose parents cannot afford St. Isidore.
This embezzlement went on for years and it was “sophisticated”? How complex could it be where three people were involved using church credit cards, checks and who knows what else?
The Diocese should take action and bring SI under control.
sprtndad – get YOUR facts right. The funds to pay for the library remodel were raised 100% from private individuals who VOLUNTARILY donated to the cause and tuition funds were NOT used.
Who cares how much the parish owes the diocese? How does that affect your life? Those who can afford to help knock down the debt will help and those that can’t are still welcome to participate in all of the parish activities at no cost.
Sounds like you are one of the drama-creators who need something else to occupy your time. May I suggest you read a book?
Looks like crime pays-no jail time for Lukban and he stole $68,802 which is NOT petty theft. I’d bet my life that he will never pay restitution. If he’d been a thug from the other side of the hill,rather than a Danville resident, he’d be spending the next ten years in prison. I wonder why Drake was sentenced to 300 days in prison and Lukban only has probation?
Sarah, jail is not synonymous with prison. Drake was sentenced to 300 days in jail. Big, big difference.
The difference in sentencing (restitution and probation vs. jail time and probayion) generally comes down to the plea deal and the individual’s involvement. My understanding was that Drake had direct access to the source of funds and was the tie between those accounts and the other two who were charged.
I could be wrong, but that is my recollection.
stisidad, thanks for the response. A little over the top nasty and what’s with the personal attack? My facts are completely accurate as I am and have been in a position to know. I care about a 2mm debt that is long overdue. Your name suggests you have a child (or more) at SI. Your kids are enjoying an expanded school for which you have not paid one cent. I’m simply suggesting that before we embarked on a library expansion we should pay off what we owe from our last expansion. More than that, the theft by Virgil et al coupled with the repayment of debt and other irregularities suggests we need outside help.
Why hasn’t Ms. Peinado been sentenced? Does anyone know? I doubt any of them will pay financially for their crimes, let alone pay the “jail” or prison piper! Yes, from what I have heard prison is much worse than jail! it appears crime “does” pay! So much for our justice or “injustice” system! I have no faith in it!
CW,
According to reports, all three people involved in the embezzlement acted independently. It would only follow that they would have separate court dates; I’m waiting to hear from the district attorney about Peinado.
Jessica Lipsky
Editor
I agree with Sarah, crime certainly pays. He admits he stole $68,000 but only has to repay $35,000? And to call this misdemeanor petty theft is outrageous.
No slap at Gagan but he will get paid before the church,if he hasn’t already. Typically legal fees for this deal will be six figures and if you don’t buy this number Gagans fees will be more than restitution.
At the end of the day you still get the cries from the pulpit for more money blah blah blah