Former business manager at Catholic Charities of Cleveland sentenced to more than five years in prison for stealing $2 million from the organization

The former business manager and comptroller for Cleveland Catholic Charities was sentenced to more than five years in prison for embezzling $2 million from the organization, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland Office.

Michelle Medrick, 58, of North Royalton, previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud. U.S. District Judge Christopher Boyko sentenced Medrick to 62 months in federal prison and ordered her to pay $2.4 million in restitution.

Medrick embezzled $2 million from Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Cleveland beginning in at least 2008 through last year.

She was employed as the comptroller and the business manager for Catholic Charities at Parmadale, a facility that provides a variety of services. She was responsible for payroll, accounts payable, accounts receivable and other financial transcations.

Medrick converted proceeds of client-agency and donor checks to cash, which she then put in her own bank accounty, according to court documents.

She wrote more than 1,400 checks payable to cash and misrepresented herself as the agency’s chief financial officer so she could withdraw cash from Catholic Charities bank accounts, according to court documents and statements.

“This defendant stole millions of dollars from the vulnerable men, women and children who are supported by the good works of Catholic Charities,” Sierleja said. “The Diocese uncovered the fraud, came forward to federal authorities and cooperated fully,”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Hollingsworth and Alex Rokakis following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.