Unholy heist: new jersey church bookkeeper charged with stealing nearly $300k

Key Points:

Melissa Rivera allegedly stole nearly $293,000 from two Catholic churches between 2018 and 2024.
Rivera faces six charges including theft, computer criminal activity, and forgery.
She was released on summons and is awaiting future court proceedings.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — A former church bookkeeper has been charged with stealing nearly $300,000 from two Roman Catholic parishes in Morris County over a six-year period, authorities announced Wednesday.

Melissa Rivera, 60, of Haskell, is accused of embezzling $292,728 while employed at Our Lady of the Mountain in Washington Township and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Pompton Plains. Investigators say Rivera wrote numerous unauthorized checks from parish accounts and deposited them into her personal bank accounts.

The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Financial Crimes Unit began investigating after receiving a referral alleging theft from Our Lady of the Mountain parish. Officials say the thefts occurred from May 2018 through January 2024, with further findings indicating the misconduct extended through May 2024 and included both parishes.

Rivera is facing one count of second-degree theft, one count of third-degree theft, two counts of second-degree computer criminal activity, and two counts of fourth-degree forgery. Authorities say she was charged via summons and released pending court action.

“Between May 2018 and May 2024, Rivera was allegedly creating checks at Our Lady of the Mountain and Our Lady of Good Council parishes,” the Prosecutor’s Office stated in its announcement.

Prosecutor Robert Carroll and Chief of Detectives Robert McNally confirmed the charges and stated that the investigation remains ongoing.

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