SUMTER, SC (WIS) -
A Sumter man arrested late last week for allegedly
stealing more than $150,000 from an area church is out of jail and denies the
allegation.
"I didn't do anything wrong," said Richard Todd Newman,
49, of 420 Winter Creek Road.
Newman was arrested Thursday and charged with breach of
trust with fraudulent intent after he supposedly stole $155,869 from Plaza
Church of Christ in Sumter. He was given a $100,000 surety bond Friday and was
released from the Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center on Monday.
Newman, who said he was "shocked" Monday with the charge,
did not wish to comment further until he speaks with his attorney because the
investigation is ongoing.
According to a Sumter Police Department incident report,
the investigation into missing money started in 2008 when a senior elder of
Plaza Church of Christ said the church staff was contacted by a local bank
concerning a delinquent mortgage payment on the church building. Following a
church audit, it was discovered that about $400,000 was either misappropriated
or was missing during a seven-year period when Newman was a finance director at
the church.
"The investigation has been ongoing since 2008, and we
received additional information in the case," said Sumter Police Chief Russell
Roark. "The information we have is relevant to make a probable charge in the
case. We are still working the case and additional charges may be forth
coming."
The police report said unauthorized checks made payable
to Newman or business associated with him was discovered during the church's
audit.
WIS-TV found Monday that this is not Newman's first legal
encounter with Plaza Church of Christ.
Court documents show that Brotherhood Mutual Insurance
Co. paid the church $10,000 on Nov. 10, 2008, as the policy limit for employee
dishonesty. The plaintiff stated that Newman, on or near Dec. 21, 2007, took
funds from the church without permission. The civil lawsuit was later dismissed
after Newman said the statute of limitations passed since the action was filed
in court in December 2010.
At that same time, Newman said in his defense response,
"I had authority to conduct business for the church, including loans, mortgages
and any other accounts necessary. … This made it necessary at times to make
personal loans to the church."
Newman also blamed church leaders in the civil lawsuit
for negligence in overseeing church business, which he said was the reason for
the accounting issue in 2008.
Newman has not been a church member at Plaza Church of
Christ for about five years, according to the church's current preacher Stewart
Schnur. The recent arrest, Schnur said, has not affected church attendance.
"The contribution was normal, and our attendance was up
just a little bit (on Sunday)," Schnur said.
Police are also checking into Newman's involvement as a
volunteer firefighter and as a member on the Sumter Crimestoppers board since
he had access to fundraising money in both organizations.
Newman is listed as a petition candidate for Sumter
County Council District 5. According to his campaign finance report, he did not
list income and benefits; however, he listed himself as an owner of Mid-State
Prosthetics, a realtor with ERA-Wilder Realty and a partner with Triple N
Farms. To date, he loaned himself about $1,000 to his campaign and has received
$375 in contributions.
Newman's first court date is set for Nov. 9. If
convicted, he could serve up to 10 years in prison.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
Todd R. Newman (Source: Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center)
