TRENTON, N.J. — A former church official has been accused of embezzling over $500,000 from a Roman Catholic parish located in Monmouth County, New Jersey. State authorities claim this case involved years of extravagant personal expenditures at the church’s expense.
Joseph A. Manzi, 78, from Atlantic Highlands, is facing a charge of second-degree theft by unlawful taking. He allegedly misused church funds while he was the director of finance, operations, and development at St. Leo the Great Church in Lincroft, as stated in a Friday announcement by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ).
Manzi is said to have utilized church credit accounts for unauthorized purchases and payments exceeding $300,000, in addition to misappropriating another $200,000 in cash for personal use between January 2019 and May 2025. His tenure with the church concluded around June 26, 2025, after which the questionable transactions were uncovered during a routine financial audit conducted by church staff.
Luxury Spending with Parish Funds
Investigators claim that Manzi allegedly utilized credit cards issued by the church to cover expenses for a Cadillac SUV, high-end clothing, personal home renovations, medical and dental expenses, as well as tickets for sports events, including games for the New York Yankees. Additionally, he is said to have misused church funds for chartered fishing excursions, dues for fraternal organizations, vehicle-related costs, and personal insurance payments.
Authorities indicate that Manzi had sole control over the church’s credit cards, which were registered in his name. Reports suggest that church staff discovered the financial improprieties after examining credit card statements following his exit.
Attorney General: “Not for Necessity, But Luxury”
“The defendant is alleged to have used his position of trust to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the church,” said Attorney General Platkin. “As described in the complaint, this conduct was not to feed his family or for some kind of emergency, but to live a more lavish lifestyle. His alleged criminal acts will not be tolerated.”
DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton added, “Members of the church who donated their hard-earned funds for the good of their parish should know that their contributions will be used for their intended purposes. Instead, this defendant allegedly enriched himself with church funds.”
The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Conner Ouellette. Manzi has not yet entered a plea, and no trial date has been set. The charge remains a second-degree felony, which carries a potential sentence of five to ten years in state prison and fines of up to $150,000, if convicted.
Authorities emphasized that the charges are merely allegations and Manzi is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
