The business manager of the Broad Street United Methodist Church in Cleveland has been charged with embezzling large sums from the church.
David Michael Apps has entered into an agreement to plead guilty in Federal Court to wire fraud.
The plea agreement said he had extensive oversight of church finances.
It says in early 2019 he represented to certain people at the church that he was being treated for prostrate and brain cancer.
At that time, the senior pastor authorized a payment to him of $3,500 toward his medical expenses, it was stated.
The plea agreement says Apps began issuing multiple checks using church funds payable to himself.
He used some of the funds for personal items, travel, automobiles, boats, firearms, and marina fees, the agreement says.
As a result of his actions, the church faced a tax debt of over $900,000, prosecutors said.
The agreement says he will get no more than 20 years in federal prison and will have to pay no more than a $250,000 fine.