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Church embezzlement hits fund to pay off mortgage

By LEE WILLIAMS
lwilliams@TheCitizenNews.com

Some members of Flat Creek Baptist Church said they were “hurt” when they learned that one of their own allegedly bilked the church out of $208,000.

The theft allegedly orchestrated by Cathy Trudewind, 50, of Twin Branch Walk, Fayetteville, authorities say, might have put a dent in the congregation’s plans to pay the church’s $1.7 million mortgage off early.

Despite the ordeal, Ken Chambers, the business administrator, said members have not given into defeat and are pressing forward with their goal.

Fayette County Sheriff’s officials who are investigating the case said that between July 5, 2002, and March 23, 2004, Trudewind stole $208,026.80 from the church located at 161 Flat Creek Trail in Fayetteville.

Trudewind forged the signatures of church Treasurer Andy Ferrill and Assistant Treasurer Bo Trammel on each of the fraudulent checks, deputies said. Most of the forged checks ranged from $4,500 to $10,867.50.

“We’ve paid it down from $1.7 million to at the time $220,000, and we are actually still paying it down,” Chambers said.

The theft has not affected their daily operations, nor their will to pay off the mortgage early, but still the members hope justice will be served. The mortgage would have been paid off by now, Chambers said.

“We just can’t forgive this because this money was actually stolen from our congregation: the people who gave the money,” Chambers said. “The church is a victim.”

Trudewind’s position helped her hide the thefts, Chambers said.

“She was the one who checked the bank statements and she was the one who reconciled the bank statements, so she was able to cover up her tracks.”

A check of the church’s financial books alerted officials to the problem.

“We had an audit and the audit showed the shortage and we investigated it and the theft was discovered,” Chambers said.

An initial criminal warrant for Trudewind’s arrest was filed on May 19. However, Trudewind was taken into custody on June 1 when she turned herself into the Fayette County Jail. The delay was caused for medical reasons.

Trudewind was charged with 10 counts of first-degree forgery and one count of theft by taking. She was released after posting a $23,000 bond and a $2,300 bond, according to jail officials.

Trudewind declined to talk about alleged check forgeries.

A woman who answered the phone at Trudewind’s address stated, “We don’t have a comment.”