Catholic faculty ex-staffer charged with stealing over $150K

A former worker of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas Metropolis-St. Joseph has been arrested for stealing greater than $150,000 from a diocesan scholarship fund and now faces as much as 20 years in jail. 

Bishop James Johnston Jr., who leads the Missouri-based diocese, wrote a letter to the trustworthy saying that “In current days, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace within the Western District of Missouri issued a sealed indictment and executed an arrest warrant for Jeremy Lillig, a former worker of the Diocese of Kansas Metropolis-St. Joseph, who left his place with the diocese in October 2023.”

“The costs declare Mr. Lillig engaged in wire fraud in extra of $150,000 in his capability as director of Vibrant Futures Fund,” Johnston wrote.

In accordance with the charity’s web site, the Vibrant Futures Fund helps offset the varsity charges at three diocesan faculties within the city core of Kansas Metropolis that aren’t affiliated with a parish. Johnston famous that the sum of money stolen by Lillig is throughout the vary coated by insurance coverage. 

“We turned conscious of Mr. Lillig’s probably legal monetary exercise shortly after his departure, which we promptly reported to native regulation enforcement and the FBI,” Johnston added. “Importantly, the FBI has assured us that their investigation didn’t discover any particular person donor funds which have been diverted previous to safe deposit into the Vibrant Futures Fund.” 

Johnston described Lillig’s alleged crimes as “a gross violation of the belief and integrity that’s important to any establishment, particularly one upheld by Catholic teachings.” 

Johnston outlined modifications the diocese has made to make sure the monetary safety of the Vibrant Futures Fund going ahead, particularly highlighting its integration of the beforehand separate 501(c)(3) group into the diocesan system in addition to the participation of the diocesan monetary officer in Vibrant Futures Fund board conferences and annual audits of the scholarship program. 

“I do know these revelations are understandably hurtful to the trustworthy in our diocesan group, simply as they’re to me,” Johnston concluded. “I thank regulation enforcement for his or her efforts, and I thanks to your dedication to our ministries.” 

Lillig’s arrest follows a “full monetary audit from an professional third-party agency.”

The Kansas Metropolis Star supplied further data concerning the allegations towards Lillig, reporting that his alleged unlawful actions came about between 2017 and 2021, after the Kauffman Basis made a donation to the Vibrant Futures Fund designated for “emergency bills and help.” After the diocese issued Lillig a bank card for the precise goal of shopping for presents utilizing the donation, he bought 436 Visa playing cards price $155,000 to financially profit himself and others whereas concealing the funds from fraudulent month-to-month stories he compiled. 

A grand jury indicted Lillig on Oct. 28. Showing in courtroom on Tuesday, Lillig pleaded not responsible to the cost towards him. A trial is anticipated to happen in March 2026. If convicted, Lillig faces a most penalty of 20 years in jail. 

A former worker of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas Metropolis-St. Joseph has been arrested for stealing greater than $150,000 from a diocesan scholarship fund and now faces as much as 20 years in jail. 

Bishop James Johnston Jr., who leads the Missouri-based diocese, wrote a letter to the trustworthy saying that “In current days, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace within the Western District of Missouri issued a sealed indictment and executed an arrest warrant for Jeremy Lillig, a former worker of the Diocese of Kansas Metropolis-St. Joseph, who left his place with the diocese in October 2023.”

“The costs declare Mr. Lillig engaged in wire fraud in extra of $150,000 in his capability as director of Vibrant Futures Fund,” Johnston wrote.

In accordance with the charity’s web site, the Vibrant Futures Fund helps offset the varsity charges at three diocesan faculties within the city core of Kansas Metropolis that aren’t affiliated with a parish. Johnston famous that the sum of money stolen by Lillig is throughout the vary coated by insurance coverage. 

“We turned conscious of Mr. Lillig’s probably legal monetary exercise shortly after his departure, which we promptly reported to native regulation enforcement and the FBI,” Johnston added. “Importantly, the FBI has assured us that their investigation didn’t discover any particular person donor funds which have been diverted previous to safe deposit into the Vibrant Futures Fund.” 

Johnston described Lillig’s alleged crimes as “a gross violation of the belief and integrity that’s important to any establishment, particularly one upheld by Catholic teachings.” 

Johnston outlined modifications the diocese has made to make sure the monetary safety of the Vibrant Futures Fund going ahead, particularly highlighting its integration of the beforehand separate 501(c)(3) group into the diocesan system in addition to the participation of the diocesan monetary officer in Vibrant Futures Fund board conferences and annual audits of the scholarship program. 

“I do know these revelations are understandably hurtful to the trustworthy in our diocesan group, simply as they’re to me,” Johnston concluded. “I thank regulation enforcement for his or her efforts, and I thanks to your dedication to our ministries.” 

Lillig’s arrest follows a “full monetary audit from an professional third-party agency.”

The Kansas Metropolis Star supplied further data concerning the allegations towards Lillig, reporting that his alleged unlawful actions came about between 2017 and 2021, after the Kauffman Basis made a donation to the Vibrant Futures Fund designated for “emergency bills and help.” After the diocese issued Lillig a bank card for the precise goal of shopping for presents utilizing the donation, he bought 436 Visa playing cards price $155,000 to financially profit himself and others whereas concealing the funds from fraudulent month-to-month stories he compiled. 

A grand jury indicted Lillig on Oct. 28. Showing in courtroom on Tuesday, Lillig pleaded not responsible to the cost towards him. A trial is anticipated to happen in March 2026. If convicted, Lillig faces a most penalty of 20 years in jail. 

A former worker of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas Metropolis-St. Joseph has been arrested for stealing greater than $150,000 from a diocesan scholarship fund and now faces as much as 20 years in jail. 

Bishop James Johnston Jr., who leads the Missouri-based diocese, wrote a letter to the trustworthy saying that “In current days, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace within the Western District of Missouri issued a sealed indictment and executed an arrest warrant for Jeremy Lillig, a former worker of the Diocese of Kansas Metropolis-St. Joseph, who left his place with the diocese in October 2023.”

“The costs declare Mr. Lillig engaged in wire fraud in extra of $150,000 in his capability as director of Vibrant Futures Fund,” Johnston wrote.

In accordance with the charity’s web site, the Vibrant Futures Fund helps offset the varsity charges at three diocesan faculties within the city core of Kansas Metropolis that aren’t affiliated with a parish. Johnston famous that the sum of money stolen by Lillig is throughout the vary coated by insurance coverage. 

“We turned conscious of Mr. Lillig’s probably legal monetary exercise shortly after his departure, which we promptly reported to native regulation enforcement and the FBI,” Johnston added. “Importantly, the FBI has assured us that their investigation didn’t discover any particular person donor funds which have been diverted previous to safe deposit into the Vibrant Futures Fund.” 

Johnston described Lillig’s alleged crimes as “a gross violation of the belief and integrity that’s important to any establishment, particularly one upheld by Catholic teachings.” 

Johnston outlined modifications the diocese has made to make sure the monetary safety of the Vibrant Futures Fund going ahead, particularly highlighting its integration of the beforehand separate 501(c)(3) group into the diocesan system in addition to the participation of the diocesan monetary officer in Vibrant Futures Fund board conferences and annual audits of the scholarship program. 

“I do know these revelations are understandably hurtful to the trustworthy in our diocesan group, simply as they’re to me,” Johnston concluded. “I thank regulation enforcement for his or her efforts, and I thanks to your dedication to our ministries.” 

Lillig’s arrest follows a “full monetary audit from an professional third-party agency.”

The Kansas Metropolis Star supplied further data concerning the allegations towards Lillig, reporting that his alleged unlawful actions came about between 2017 and 2021, after the Kauffman Basis made a donation to the Vibrant Futures Fund designated for “emergency bills and help.” After the diocese issued Lillig a bank card for the precise goal of shopping for presents utilizing the donation, he bought 436 Visa playing cards price $155,000 to financially profit himself and others whereas concealing the funds from fraudulent month-to-month stories he compiled. 

A grand jury indicted Lillig on Oct. 28. Showing in courtroom on Tuesday, Lillig pleaded not responsible to the cost towards him. A trial is anticipated to happen in March 2026. If convicted, Lillig faces a most penalty of 20 years in jail. 

A former worker of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas Metropolis-St. Joseph has been arrested for stealing greater than $150,000 from a diocesan scholarship fund and now faces as much as 20 years in jail. 

Bishop James Johnston Jr., who leads the Missouri-based diocese, wrote a letter to the trustworthy saying that “In current days, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace within the Western District of Missouri issued a sealed indictment and executed an arrest warrant for Jeremy Lillig, a former worker of the Diocese of Kansas Metropolis-St. Joseph, who left his place with the diocese in October 2023.”

“The costs declare Mr. Lillig engaged in wire fraud in extra of $150,000 in his capability as director of Vibrant Futures Fund,” Johnston wrote.

In accordance with the charity’s web site, the Vibrant Futures Fund helps offset the varsity charges at three diocesan faculties within the city core of Kansas Metropolis that aren’t affiliated with a parish. Johnston famous that the sum of money stolen by Lillig is throughout the vary coated by insurance coverage. 

“We turned conscious of Mr. Lillig’s probably legal monetary exercise shortly after his departure, which we promptly reported to native regulation enforcement and the FBI,” Johnston added. “Importantly, the FBI has assured us that their investigation didn’t discover any particular person donor funds which have been diverted previous to safe deposit into the Vibrant Futures Fund.” 

Johnston described Lillig’s alleged crimes as “a gross violation of the belief and integrity that’s important to any establishment, particularly one upheld by Catholic teachings.” 

Johnston outlined modifications the diocese has made to make sure the monetary safety of the Vibrant Futures Fund going ahead, particularly highlighting its integration of the beforehand separate 501(c)(3) group into the diocesan system in addition to the participation of the diocesan monetary officer in Vibrant Futures Fund board conferences and annual audits of the scholarship program. 

“I do know these revelations are understandably hurtful to the trustworthy in our diocesan group, simply as they’re to me,” Johnston concluded. “I thank regulation enforcement for his or her efforts, and I thanks to your dedication to our ministries.” 

Lillig’s arrest follows a “full monetary audit from an professional third-party agency.”

The Kansas Metropolis Star supplied further data concerning the allegations towards Lillig, reporting that his alleged unlawful actions came about between 2017 and 2021, after the Kauffman Basis made a donation to the Vibrant Futures Fund designated for “emergency bills and help.” After the diocese issued Lillig a bank card for the precise goal of shopping for presents utilizing the donation, he bought 436 Visa playing cards price $155,000 to financially profit himself and others whereas concealing the funds from fraudulent month-to-month stories he compiled. 

A grand jury indicted Lillig on Oct. 28. Showing in courtroom on Tuesday, Lillig pleaded not responsible to the cost towards him. A trial is anticipated to happen in March 2026. If convicted, Lillig faces a most penalty of 20 years in jail.