A former officer of a Roman Catholic church in Monmouth County, New Jersey, has been charged with stealing more than $500,000 from the church, according to an announcement from Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Criminal Justice.
Joseph A. Manzi, 78, of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, faces a complaint for theft by unlawful taking in the second degree. Authorities allege that Manzi used church funds for personal expenses.
“The defendant is alleged to have used his position of trust to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the church,” Attorney General Platkin said. “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.”
“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,” said Division of Criminal Justice Director Theresa L. Hilton. “Instead, this defendant allegedly enriched himself with church funds. He now faces criminal charges for his actions.”
According to documents filed in the case, Manzi was the former director of finance, operations, and development for the Church of Saint Leo the Great in Lincroft, New Jersey. His employment ended on or about June 26, 2025. Afterward, church staff reviewed credit card statements and discovered numerous unauthorized charges that were allegedly for Manzi’s personal benefit.
Investigators found that between January 11, 2019, and May 7, 2025, Manzi allegedly used the church’s credit accounts to make more than $300,000 in unauthorized purchases and diverted over $200,000 in cash for his own use. Staff members reported that Manzi had sole control of the church’s credit cards, which were issued in his name.
The investigation revealed that Manzi allegedly used church credit cards for event vendors, vehicle repairs and purchases—including a Cadillac SUV—luxury clothing, personal home repairs and services, medical and dental payments, sports event tickets such as New York Yankees games, payments to fraternal organizations, chartered fishing trips, and personal insurance.
Deputy Attorney General Conner Ouellette is prosecuting the case.
Authorities emphasized that these charges are accusations and that Manzi is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
A conviction on second-degree charges could result in a prison sentence of five to ten years and a fine of up to $150,000.
