Former St. Leo The Great Finance Director, Charged With Theft, Currently Out Of Jail

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The former finance director at St. Leo the Great Roman Catholic church in Middletown — who was criminally charged last week with stealing more than $500,000 from the church — is not currently behind bars.

Joseph Manzi, 78, was served with a summons to appear in court on his criminal charge of theft, said a spokesman for the New Jersey Attorney General.

His first court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 25.

Manzi, 78 and who lives in the Atlantic Highlands section of Middletown, was charged last week with second-degree theft by unlawful taking. If found guilty, he's facing five to ten years in state prison.

St. Leo the Great first sued Manzi earlier this summer, on allegations he stole $1.6 million of the church's operating funds over the past six years. You can read a copy of the lawsuit against him here.

After news of the church's lawsuit was revealed, NJ Attorney General Matthew Platkin started investigating Manzi. The AG announced last week Manzi is charged with second-degree theft of more than $500,000 from the church.

Manzi is the former director of finance, operations and development for the Church of Saint Leo the Great, located in Middletown's Lincroft section. His employment there ended in June. Church staff later reviewed the church’s credit card statements and identified numerous unauthorized charges, which police say Manzi made for his own personal benefit.

The Attorney General said Manzi put $300,000 on St. Leo's credit cards to pay for the following:

• His daughter's wedding
• Landscaping on his home
• Car repairs on his personal cars
• The financing of a Cadillac SUV
• Luxury clothing
• Personal home repairs and services
• Personal medical and dental payments
• Sports event tickets including New York Yankees games
• Payments to fraternal organizations
• Chartered fishing trips
• To pay for his own personal insurance.

Church staff said Manzi had sole control of the church’s credit cards, which carried his name.

He is also accused of diverting $200,000 in cash from St. Leo from January 11, 2019, through May 7, 2025.

Last week: Former St. Leo The Great Finance Director Now Criminally Charged With Theft

Original article from when St. Leo the Great first sued Manzi in civil court (August 2025)