FBI Investigates Mishandled Funds at Troy Catholic Church

An investigation into whether at Troy’s St. Thomas More Catholic Church is now being conducted by the FBI, The Oakland Press reports.

The Rev. Edward Belczak was asked to step aside in January as pastor at the St. Thomas More Catholic Church, located on North Adams Road, after an audit by the Archdiocese of Detroit revealed "questionable financial transactions and practices."

In total, according to a statement released by the archdiocese, Belczak may have misappropriated $429,000 over six years, funneling some of that money to pay his salary and some to a "ghost employee."

The Oakland Press reports that the FBI took over the investigation from Troy Police two weeks ago, although the local police continue to investigate whether healthcare fraud occurred.

According to the archdiocese's statement, Belczak's public ministry as a priest is not impacted at this time. Belczak has been with St. Thomas since 1984.

Msgr. John Zenz, head of Birmingham's Holy Name Catholic Church, has been named administrator of the parish during the investigation.

In total, the alleged mismanagement of funds includes:

• Taking excess compensation beyond the church's policies, resulting in an estimated loss of $92,000 to parish over six years.
• Accepting and directing about $16,000 in funds to himself that should have been poste to parish accounts.
• Paying a "ghost employee" $240,000, benefits included, over the past six years.
• Maintaining improper medical/dental insurance coverage for an individual, resulting in a $26,000 loss to the parish over six years.
• Authorizing a long-term disability policy for an employee while not providing a similar benefit to other parish staff members, a loss of $20,000.
• Allowing the St. Thomas More Travel Group to be a parish-related activity though none of the group's financial transactions were disclosed for financial reporting.
• Accepting residual commission checks to St. Thomas more Travel Group while not depositing them, a loss of $25,000.
• Failing to record and deposit money received through the Mother's Day and Father's Day special collections according to church policies.

According to a report in the Detroit Free Press, St. Thomas serves about 2,500 families in Oakland County.

Laura Houser contributed to this report.