Clinton priest guilty of stealing from retired church leaders

A jury in Clinton County late Friday returned guilty verdicts on eight felony charges against David Rosenberg, 72, of Dewitt, for embezzling or stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from retired priests, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced.

The trial was held over nine days before Judge Cori Barkman in the 29th Circuit Court in Clinton County.

Rosenberg was employed as director of the Lansing Catholic Diocese’s St. Francis Retreat Center in Dewitt between 2015 and 2021. He embezzled or stole approximately $780,000 from three priests and gave the stolen funds to his charitable foundation, Faithfirst, formerly the Rosenberg Family Corporation.

The 95-acre Retreat Center property includes apartments that house retired priests.

The three victims resided at the Retreat Center apartments until their deaths.

Rosenberg was found guilty of the following crimes:

• Three counts of Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult $100,000 or more, a 20-year felony;

• One count of False Pretenses $100,000 or more, a 20-year-felony;

• One count of False Pretenses $20,000-$50,000, a 15-year felony;

• One count of Perjury, a 15-year-felony;

• One count of Uttering and Publishing, a 14-year felony; and

• One count of Larceny $20,000 or more, a 10-year-felony.

“Mr. Rosenberg stole massive sums of money from these elderly and vulnerable men living in the Retreat Center apartments while he was the director, and I’m appreciative to the jury for holding him accountable,” said Nessel.

“My department will continue to seek justice for our seniors when they are taken advantage of by people in positions of authority.”

Sentencing has been set for 1 p.m. on March 18, 2024.