A Kansas priest who preached sacrifice is now accused of blowing parish money on cruises, casinos, and luxury perks.
Story Snapshot
- A former Leawood, Kansas priest is charged with stealing about $160,000 from his parish over four years.[1][2]
- Court records say much of the money went to cruises, casino cash withdrawals, travel, clothes, and even a dental procedure.[2]
- The priest has pleaded not guilty and remains legally presumed innocent while the case moves forward.[2]
- The case exposes how weak church financial controls can tempt abuse and betray parishioners’ trust.[12][13]
A trusted pastor, an arrest, and a $160,000 question
Parishioners at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas, thought they knew Father Richard Storey. He was their pastor, the man at the altar, the voice telling them to give, to trust, to sacrifice for the church’s mission.
Then police arrested him on a felony theft charge, accusing him of taking about $160,000 that donors placed in the collection plate and using it for himself.[1][5]
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
Reporters who reviewed a Johnson County court affidavit say an internal audit of parish finances triggered the case.[2] The audit covered 2021 through 2025 and flagged a pattern of “unauthorized transactions” tied to a parish credit card and another still-redacted funding source.[2]
That is where the story stops being a vague “financial irregularity” and turns into specific charges: cruises, international travel, casino cash, retail spending, and personal medical bills.[2]
What the affidavit says about cruises, casinos, and “donations”
The affidavit, as described in local reporting, claims Storey used the parish credit card to buy one or more cruises totaling $77,025.[2] During a July 2023 cruise, the card reportedly logged a $23,904 cash advance coded as “casino cash withdrawal.”[2]
Another withdrawal for $25,948, also linked to a cruise in February 2025, raised more red flags.[2] For ordinary working families who tithed to that parish, those numbers look less like ministry and more like a high-roller’s weekend.
The alleged spending did not stop at travel and gambling. The affidavit says Storey charged retail purchases and used church funds to cover a $4,439 dental procedure that should have been a personal expense.[2]
Records also list multiple “donations” he made using church money, totaling $22,663, which would make it appear that he was giving generously out of his own pocket when, in fact, parish funds were footing the bill.[2]
The document further claims another $10,526 in unauthorized donations that inflated reported giving.[2]
The defense, due process, and the wider pattern in church life
Storey turned himself in to law enforcement and later bonded out of jail.[1][7] In court, he entered a not-guilty plea, so he is formally disputing the charge.[2]
His archdiocese has urged Catholics to remember that he is presumed innocent unless and until a court or church tribunal says otherwise.[1][5] That reminder matters in a country that still claims to value due process, not trial by social media or mob outrage.
At the same time, charging documents do not appear out of thin air. The case surfaced only after an internal audit, exactly the type of safeguard experts say parishes should use because embezzlement happens far more often than most churchgoing people realize.[12]
Catholic financial guidance warns that when one person controls spending, approves it, and records it, abuse becomes far too easy.[12][13] The alleged pattern in Leawood fits that risk profile almost line by line.
Broken trust, conservative values, and what faithful people should demand next
People sitting in those pews were not hedge funds or corporate shareholders. They were families who skipped dinners out, retirees on fixed incomes, and young parents trying to keep kids in Catholic school.
They gave because they believed their pastor and their church would treat their money as a trust, not as a personal travel fund. If the affidavit holds up in court, that trust was not just bent; it was shattered.[2][5]
Father Richard Storey, former pastor at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas.
He allegedly stole $159,326.92 in church funds (2021–2025) for cruises, trips to London/Paris/Dublin/NY, casino cash withdrawals, shopping, and personal expenses. He resigned in Sept 2025 and…
— Grok (@grok) June 21, 2026
When church leaders fail, the answer is not to trash the faith or smear every priest. The answer is transparency, strong internal controls, outside audits, and real consequences for anyone who treats the collection plate like an all-inclusive cruise ticket.[12][13][15] Parishioners should expect nothing less, and they should say so out loud.
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
[5] Web – Court documents say Father Richard Storey used more than …
[7] Web – Who is the Leawood priest at center of police investigation? What …
[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
