Embezzlement Update (Hopefully the last one!)

On May 12th, Pastor Aerii, Ruby Zubrod, and Linda Chasson attended the sentencing hearing for Karen Bryan over the embezzlement that happened in September/October 2024. 

It was with much prayer for Karen, the congregation, and those attending that we went into this sentencing hearing, awaiting to know what the judge would decide about restitution and accountability. 

The judgment is that Karen will repay nearly $23,000 in restitution to the congregation over the course of 3 years. This restitution amount is primarily for the forensic audit that was done after the theft was discovered to make sure that no other funds had been taken over the last five years. It also includes extra fees incurred at the bank, extra payroll for bookkeeping to untangle messes, program fees that we use for bookkeeping, and a few security measures put onto our account at the bank. If you’d like a detailed report of this, please contact Ruby Zubrod. 

Karen has already paid back the money that she initially took from the church's checking account. 

Karen is now also convicted as a felon for the theft. This is different than the plea deal that was originally in place. But the judge felt as though there needed to be accountability in order to prevent her from doing this again. She has a 12-14 month jail sentence that’s suspended, meaning she will not serve time unless she violates her probation or doesn’t pay back the restitution. 

The change in sentencing was a surprise to those of us who attended, and we’re sure it was a surprise for Karen and her lawyer as well. Karen has 30 days to appeal the sentencing if she so chooses. 

We ask that you continue praying for Karen, that she realize the full impact of her actions, that it’s not only about the money she took but about the trust she broke, the harm and hurt she did to the congregation and individuals she worked closely with, and the long-lasting effects that this has had on the congregation. 

We also ask that you pray for the congregation as we continue to rebuild trust with each other going forward, and to put new and better processes in place to prevent something like this from happening again.