A small Kansas parish thought it was funding ministry, not a priest’s alleged cruise cash and casino withdrawals.
Story Snapshot
- A former Kansas priest is charged with stealing about $160,000 from his parish over four years.[1]
- Court records say church funds were used for cruises, international travel, casino cash, clothes, and even dental work.[2]
- The priest has pleaded not guilty and is legally presumed innocent as the case proceeds.[2]
- The case exposes how weak church financial controls can betray parishioners’ trust and basic common sense.[12]
A trusted priest, a quiet resignation, and a felony charge
Parishioners at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas, thought they knew their pastor, Father Richard Storey. They saw a man in the pulpit calling them to sacrifice, give, and trust the Church.
Then came a shock: police arrested him on a felony theft charge, accusing him of taking about $160,000 from the parish he led.[1] Many learned only the true scope of the claim after he had already resigned amid another criminal investigation.[6]
Former Leawood priest allegedly stole $160K from church for cruises, casino and clothes https://t.co/bZT0gq4dlQ
— The Kansas City Star (@KCStar) June 16, 2026
Charging documents in Johnson County say the suspected theft happened between early 2021 and the end of 2025.[5] The allegation is not that the money simply went missing in a fog of sloppy bookkeeping.
A later court affidavit, summarized in local reporting, describes detailed spending patterns that look less like ministry needs and more like a travel influencer’s highlight reel, funded not by sponsors but by pew-sitter envelopes and online tithes.[2]
What the affidavit says the money actually bought
The affidavit cites an audit of parish finances and a church credit card account. It reports about $159,326.92 in suspected unauthorized spending tied to Storey over those years.[2]
That sum allegedly includes one or more cruises totaling $77,025, with a July 2023 cruise showing a massive cash withdrawal of $23,904 coded as “casino cash withdrawal.”[2]
Another cruise in February 2025 reportedly included a separate cash pull of $25,948, again flagged in the records as casino-related.[2]
Investigators say the spending did not stop with sea views and casino pits. The document also describes retail purchases and international travel charges that did not line up with parish business.[2]
There is more: Storey is accused of using church funds to cover about $4,439 for a dental procedure that should have been a personal bill, not a parish expense.[2]
The picture that emerges, if the affidavit holds up, is not one or two sloppy receipts, but a pattern of personal living charged to a church account.
Donations made with other people’s donations
The affidavit also focuses on something that sounds generous at first glance and disturbing on closer look. Records show Storey used the church credit card to make multiple “donations” totaling $22,663 to church fundraising drives.[2]
On top of that, it says he used church money from another source to make $10,526 in additional unauthorized donations that boosted reported giving.[2]
The result, if proven, is fake generosity: reports that make both the priest and parish look more giving, using money parishioners already gave once.
From this view, that crosses more than a legal line. Donors think they are helping real needs, not cycling dollars in a way that inflates numbers and hides who is in control.
Honest charity depends on clear lines: your gift leaves your pocket, enters the church, and reaches real work. When the same person can move it in circles, sign the checks, and report the results, that is a recipe for abuse, not stewardship.[12]
Presumed innocent, but a system that begged for trouble
Through his lawyer and in court, Storey has pleaded not guilty to the felony theft charge and remains free on bond while the case proceeds.[2][1]
The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas has said it is cooperating with law enforcement and stresses that he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court or in an internal church process.[1][5]
Another police investigation involving him and an adult, unrelated to the money, remains open, adding to the tension in the pews.[6]
Father Richard Storey, former pastor at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas.
He allegedly stole $159,326.92 in church funds (2021–2025) for cruises, trips to London/Paris/Dublin/NY, casino cash withdrawals, shopping, and personal expenses. He resigned in Sept 2025 and…
— Grok (@grok) June 21, 2026
Even before any verdict is reached, the structure of this case looks familiar. Catholic financial experts have warned for years that parishes face steady risk of embezzlement when one person controls too many parts of the money flow.[12]
Surveys cited in those warnings found that many parishes allow only one person to sign checks, regardless of size, and often forgo strong documentation and random audits.[12] That setup would be unthinkable in a family business; it should be even less acceptable where people give in faith.
What this means for ordinary parishioners
Most priests do not steal. Scholars studying church finances point out that the vast majority of church leaders try to live modestly and serve well, often under heavy scrutiny and pressure.[15] But rare does not mean trivial when the stakes are trust.
Each case like this hits not just a balance sheet but the bond between pulpit and pew. Donors start to wonder who is watching the money, and whether church leaders value transparency as much as they ask laypeople to value obedience.
From a conservative, common-sense angle, the path forward is not complicated. Require more than one signer on large checks. Demand receipts for every expense. Publish clear parish financial reports.
Use audits, not as a sign of distrust, but as a basic duty to those who give.[12] If church leaders will not guard donations with the same care a careful parent uses with a household budget, they should not be shocked when believers close their wallets and look for better shepherds.
Sources:
[1] Web – He portrayed himself as holier-than-thou but priest allegedly stole …
[2] Web – Former Leawood, Kansas, priest arrested Saturday for theft of funds
[5] Web – Court documents say Father Richard Storey used more than …
[6] Web – Former priest at Curé of Ars Catholic Church accused of stealing …
[12] Web – Catholic Church sex abuse cases in the United States – Wikipedia
[15] Web – Catholic church faces financial consequences for abuse coverups
