In the conclusion to a story broken by Talk of the Sound in 2010, Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Marie E. Thornton, the former Vice President of Finance for Iona College, was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to time served and three years of supervised release with 2,000 hours of community service for embezzling more than $850,000 from the college. Thornton pled guilty to one count of embezzlement on March 9, 2011.
U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood imposed today’s sentence.
Wood was nominated for U.S. Attorney General by President Bill Clinton in 1993. During the nominating process it came to light that Judge Wood had a five-day training stint at the London Playboy Club.
Talk of the Sound was first to report that Andrea Fuller, a researcher for the Chronicle of Higher Education had obtained records showing that Iona College had reported an embezzlement of $800,000. Fuller broke the story after obtaining tax records as part of regular process of reviewing financial documents from colleges and universities around the country. Talk of the Sound was the first to report that the culprit was a nun, Marie E. Thornton, known on campus as “Sister Susie”.
The sentencing appearance cleared up one mystery as to how much money Iona College actually lost. At the time of her arrest in December 2010, Iona College stated that “we have recovered the majority of the missing funds; and, from the College’s perspective, the matter is considered closed.” In sentencing Thornton, Judge Wood ordered Thornton to pay back $350,000 of the missing $850,000 noting that Iona College had been reimbursed for $500,000 by their insurance company. With no visible means of support, sentenced to 2,000 hours of community service and living in isolation with her order, the Sisters of St. Joseph in Philadelphia, it appears unlikely she will repay any of the money in the foreseeable future.
According to the Information and statements made in Manhattan federal court:
From 1999 up to May 2009, Thornton caused more than $850,000 belonging to Iona College to be diverted to her personal use by, among other things, submitting false vendor invoices for reimbursement to Iona College and submitting credit card bills for personal expenses to be paid by Iona College.
Thornton, 63, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was also ordered to pay $350,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment fee.
Reuters has the complete story of the sentencing in Manhattan.
An attorney for Sister Marie Thornton, better known as Sister Susie, blamed “childhood demons” for the addiction that prompted her to send phony invoices to the Westchester County college to cover up for gambling sprees in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
The teary nun, who pleaded guilty to embezzlement, apologized in U.S. District Court in Manhattan for the crime she committed.
“I’m sorry I hurt so many people I genuinely loved,” said Thornton. “I’m sorry for embarrassing my religious community, my family and my friends.”
Iona College issued a statement after the sentencing: “Today’s court decision concludes a very unfortunate matter for all involved.”