Man pleads guilty to stealing $1M from church
Because of their church administrator’s actions in stealing more than $1 million, officials at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Upper St. Clair have been unable to fund the missions they traditionally would.
They were on the brink of losing their Early Childhood Education Programs.
And they lost trust and credibility among their own congregants as to how their donations were being spent.
For the last year, the officials said, they have worked hard to restore the things lost after David Reiter was charged with stealing from the church bank accounts over a period of more than seven years.
Now, they want Mr. Reiter to be punished.
“We are a Christian church believing in repentance and forgiveness,” said Associate Pastor Louise Rogers. “Dave and his family remain in the prayers of members at Westminster Presbyterian Church. With that said, we ask that justice be done as you deem appropriate.”
Mr. Reiter, 50, of South Park, will be sentenced on Jan. 14 by
Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning. Mr. Reiter pleaded guilty Wednesday to receiving stolen property, theft, forgery, access device fraud, tampering with records and unlawful use of a computer.
He also pleaded no contest to conspiring with his wife, Connie Reiter, in the crime. She is charged and is scheduled for trial on Jan. 23.
Assistant District Attorney Jon Pittman told Judge Manning that Mr. Reiter was hired as the church administrator in 2001 and was responsible for the finances at the church, including payroll and expenses.
The missing funds came to light in November 2018, when the treasurer of the church board of directors was checking on an audit.
The treasurer attempted to speak with the man he believed had conducted the audit, but, according to investigators, Mr. Reiter gave the treasurer the number of a prepaid cellphone that Mr. Reiter had purchased with church funds and then pretended to be the auditor.
The investigation revealed that Mr. Reiter had stolen more than $900,000 from the church account, another $100,000 from the Early Childhood Education Programs, and more than $200,000 from the church Bank of America credit card.
Much of that money was used on personal expenses, Mr. Pittman said, including trips to Disney World, Cedar Point and Hershey Park, as well as music lessons, sporting goods and baseball school.
Judge Manning signed a restitution order that requires Mr. Reiter to pay back a total of $1,227,423.
“That’s some restitution,” the judge said.
The church had no insurance to cover the theft, Mr. Pittman said, and Mr. Reiter was not bonded.
According to Pastor Rogers, the missing funds have greatly reduced funding for programs the church typically provides.
In 2018, the outreach and mission budget for the church was $334,000. In 2019, it is $100,000, and only $25,000 has been awarded, she said.
In addition to taking the money, Pastor Rogers said, Mr. Reiter failed to pay the church’s payroll taxes of more than $1 million, further putting the church in debt.
“Countless meetings, drastic budget cuts, staff reorganizations and lost faith in the church have become the dismal reality because of Dave’s crime,” she said.
The Westminster Early Childhood Education Programs would have been shut down were it not for a sizable loan they received after the theft was discovered, said Michele Charmello, the executive director.
Mr. Reiter would regularly tell teachers, who purchased items for their classrooms at their own expense, that the program could not afford “the extras,” while stealing from it himself, Ms. Charmello said.
When the crimes were discovered, she continued, the education program had 58 cents in its bank account.
“Mr. Reiter’s criminal conduct not only impacted our financial viability and our staff members, but he also targeted funds from donors who trusted their donations would enhance the programming and learning environment of our children,” Ms. Charmello said. “We must now rebuild our good name which was disparaged when his criminal activity became public.”
Mr. Reiter, who is currently residing in alternative housing away from the jail, will remain in that placement — where he is working — pending sentencing.
“He’s getting together as much money as he can,” said defense attorney David Obara.