$2 Million Embezzled from Cleveland Catholic Charities by North Royalton Woman

NORTH ROYALTON, OH - A North Royalton woman is accused of embezzling nearly $2 million from Cleveland Catholic Charities over the course of eight years. Carole S. Rendon, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced the charges on Dec. 28.

Cleveland Catholic Charities discovered the fraud and brought it to the attention of federal authorities.

The indictment alleges that Michelle Medrick, 58, converted donations and proceeds to the organization to cash and then used the money for herself. She allegedly embezzled the money from Catholic Charities by defrauding Fifth Third Bank, using fraudulent pretenses.

Medrick's scheme started in about 2008, the indictment says, and continued until March 2016. During that stretch, she was employed as the Comptroller and the Business Manager of Catholic Charities. As part of the scheme, Medrick converted proceeds of client-agency and donor checks to cash, which she used for her own benefit.

Medrick also allegedly altered copies of checks and placed them into Catholic Charities' records.

“The Diocese uncovered the fraud and came forward to federal authorities,” Rendon said. “They are cooperating fully. The defendant will now be held accountable for her criminal activity.”

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