A church in New Jersey has accused its bookkeeper of stealing around $1.5 million to fund a personal spending spree that included a litany of purchases, including sports tickets and charges connected to his personal Cadillac.
The Church of Saint Leo the Great of Lincroft filed a complaint against Joseph A. Manzi last week in the Superior Court of New Jersey for Monmouth County law division, seeking damages. The church alleges that its former director of finance, operations, and development misappropriated over $1.5 million in operating funds over the course of at least six years.
According to the complaint, Manzi worked for Saint Leo the Great from March 2014 until June 2025. His obligations included overseeing the church’s operating account.
“Instead of managing and overseeing the administration of St. Leo’s financial dealings, including the managing of its business operating account in accordance with his fiduciary duty, Manzi systematically, secretly, and dishonestly utilized parish funds for his own personal benefit,” the complaint alleges.
Manzi allegedly used church credit cards to pay for charges related to a Cadillac and other vehicles, tickets to sports events, construction projects on his personal home, cigars, meals, expenses tied to his daughter’s wedding, and gift cards, among other things.
“Charges on those cards were paid directly out of St. Leo’s operating account. Pursuant to St. Leo’s policies, which Manzi was aware of, St. Leo’s business credit cards were to be used for business purposes only,” the complaint continued.
“While the investigation into Manzi’s misappropriations is continuing, the total amount of St. Leo’s business card abuse uncovered to date appears to exceed $1,500,000. … Manzi has not reimbursed St. Leo’s for any of these personal charges.”
St. Leo’s said Manzi engaged in “widespread fraud and theft” and “treated the St. Leo’s operating account as his personal piggy bank.”
The Catholic Diocese of Trenton released a statement Wednesday stating that a “preliminary investigation conducted by the parish and officials of the Diocese of Trenton confirmed a basis for these concerns.”
“These allegations were reported to both local and state law enforcement and civil remedies are being explored in connection with all misappropriated funds,” stated the diocese.
“The parish and Diocese are continuing to investigate this matter and have committed full cooperation with law enforcement efforts. As this is a subject of a law enforcement investigation and civil litigation, we are not able to comment further at this time.”
A spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office told The Monmouth Journal that the office is aware of the lawsuit but can’t confirm nor deny an investigation.
