A Kansas priest once trusted with souls now stands accused of funding cruises and casino cash with parish money.
Story Snapshot
- A court affidavit says Father Richard Storey ran up about $160,000 in unauthorized church spending on cruises, casinos, travel, and personal costs.[2]
- He has pleaded not guilty, and the case is still moving through the courts.[2]
- The parish and archdiocese launched audits and say they are working with law enforcement while reminding Catholics he is presumed innocent.[1]
- The case exposes how weak church financial controls let one person handle too much money with too little oversight.[12]
A popular pastor, a quiet resignation, and then a felony charge
Father Richard Storey did not fall from grace in one day. He had been the pastor of the Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas, a well-off parish in a wealthy suburb. Parishioners knew him as the face at the altar, the man who blessed their children and led big fundraising drives.
That image cracked in 2025 when he suddenly resigned after a separate police investigation involving another adult came to light.[1][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
Church leaders at first said little. The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas told parishioners that there was a criminal investigation involving him and that he was suspended from public ministry while police conducted their investigation.[6]
For many Catholics, that sounded familiar. They had heard similar statements before about other priests. Still, no one was prepared for what came next. In 2026, police arrested Storey on suspicion of stealing roughly $160,000 from his own parish over several years.[1]
What the affidavit says about cruises, casinos, and church credit cards
A later court affidavit painted a detailed picture of the alleged scheme. According to reporting on that document, an audit of parish finances from 2021 through 2025 flagged about $159,326.92 in suspected unauthorized spending tied to Storey.[2]
Much of that spending, the affidavit says, flowed through a parish credit card account and another redacted source. The charges allegedly included international travel, retail shopping, and high-end cruises, not food baskets or Bible study materials.[2]
The most shocking line items involve travel at sea. The affidavit states that Storey used the parish credit card to pay for one or more cruises totaling about $77,025.[2] On a July 2023 cruise, the card was used for a single cash withdrawal of $23,904 coded as “casino cash withdrawal.”[2]
A second large withdrawal of $25,948, also tied to a cruise in February 2025, raised even more questions about who was gambling with donated money.[2][3]
Donations with church money and a dental bill on the side
The affidavit does not stop at travel and casinos. It also says Storey used the card and other parish funds for personal and questionable expenses that would anger any donor.[2]
Records show multiple “donations” totaling about $22,663 made with church funds, but booked as personal gifts from him to the parish’s fundraising efforts.[2] That kind of move makes a priest look generous on paper while taxpayers and parishioners foot the actual bill.
Investigators also point to a $4,439 dental procedure paid for with church funds, which the affidavit says should have been a personal cost rather than a parish expense.[2]
Another block of spending, about $10,526 in unauthorized donations, allegedly inflated giving totals in a way that casts doubt on the honesty of reported stewardship.[2] For a community asked to sacrifice for capital campaigns and weekly collections, these numbers feel like a slap in the face.
Presumed innocent, but trust already took a hit
Defense in America does not happen in the court of social media. Storey has pleaded not guilty to the felony theft charge in Johnson County District Court.[2] That plea is a formal denial.
He remains free on bond, under conditions that include a global positioning system monitor, surrender of his passport, and no contact with alleged victims or witnesses.[2] The archdiocese stresses he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in civil court or through church law.[1]
The charge covers alleged theft of property or services worth more than $100,000 between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2025.[5]
The parish plans to file an insurance claim to recover the money, a reminder that innocent donors will still feel the impact through higher premiums and shaken trust.[5]
What this case reveals about church money, power, and common sense safeguards
This story fits a broader pattern of parish embezzlement across the United States. Catholic writers and church finance experts have warned for years that embezzlement happens at an “alarming” rate in parishes where one person controls check signing, credit cards, and reporting.[12]
Standard guidance now limits who can sign checks, requires more than one signature for large amounts, and demands receipts before anyone is reimbursed.[12][13]
From this view, the lesson is simple: do not hand absolute financial power to any one person, even a priest. Parishes that insist on clear records, regular audits, and open financial reports honor both donors and the Gospel call to honesty.[12]
When parishioners accept vague numbers and closed books because “Father is holy, he must be fine,” they ignore basic human nature. Temptation grows in the dark. Accountability, by contrast, protects everyone, including the many good priests who never touch a casino cash window.[15]
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
[3] Web – Affidavit details alleged embezzlement by Leawood priest
[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
[13] Web – How to stop embezzlement in your parish – U.S. Catholic
[15] Web – Catholic church faces financial consequences for abuse coverups
