Former Greenwich Pastor to Serve 5 Months in Prison
Michael Moynihan resigned in 2007 as pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish.
Monday, Jul 23, 2012 | Updated 3:24 PM EDT
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Authorities said Michael Moynihan used about $300,000 of church funds to pay personal expenses including his credit card bills.
A former Greenwich priest will be sent to prison for five months for obstructing an investigation into his personal use of church money.
Michael Moynihan, 59, who resigned in 2007 as pastor of St. Michael the Archangel Parish, pleaded guilty last year to obstructing a federal investigation.
On Monday, he was sentenced to five months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release. He is scheduled to report to prison on Sept. 3.
He was also ordered to perform 120 hours of community service, and to pay $409,430 in restitution to the Diocese of Bridgeport, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
An investigation by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport found in 2008 that Moynihan could not account for church money he kept in secret accounts and engaged in a pattern of deception when confronted. The FBI had contacted church officials about the secret accounts.
Authorities said Moynihan used about $300,000 of church funds to pay personal expenses, including his credit card bills.
A message left with his attorney was not immediately returned.
