Catholic Priest Pleads Guilty to Fleecing the Flock to Fund Gambling Lifestyle. Posted on: May 6, 2017, 01:00h. Last updated on: May 8, 2017, 09:58h. Florida Catholic priest John Skehan pleaded guilty to taking the money placed every Sunday into the collection plates to use instead on buying luxury homes, gambling trips to Las Vegas and buying rare coins, Sydney's The Daily Telegraph reports. The former Catholic Priest who plead guilty to defrauding refugees and their families of nearly $1-million was sentenced to two years, in jail for one count of fraud over $5000.

IN what could be the biggest church fraud case ever, a priest has pleaded guilty to embezzling $1.21m of donations to fund a very unholy lifestyle.

Florida Catholic priest John Skehan pleaded guilty to taking the money placed every Sunday into the collection plates to use instead on buying luxury homes, gambling trips to Las Vegas and buying rare coins, Sydney's The Daily Telegraph reports.

His pleas came in a last minute twist as he and fellow priest Francis Guinan of the St Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach were about to go on trial. He now faces up to 31 years behind bars.

The priests allegedly used the money to open offshore accounts to fund their lavish, and not-so-saintly, lifestyles.

As parishioners tossed their dollars into the offering plate every Sunday morning, they had no idea their contributions were headed directly into the pockets of the priests who hid the cash in the church ceiling tiles.

According to the authorities, Guinan, 66, had an 'intimate' relationship with a former church book-keeper and much of the stolen cash was used to support his mistress and take her on luxury holidays.

Skehan's lawyer Scott Richardson said he and the state had reached an 'amicable resolution and that 'Father Skehan accepted responsibility for his actions by virtue of his guilty plea'.

Due to the statute of limitations the priests can only be charged with any thefts that occurred after 2001 though authorities speculate that close to $12.2m (Australian) may have been stolen over the last 20 years.

Guinan's lawyer, Richard Barlow, insists his client did nothing wrong and that the money Guinan is accused of stealing was used to make cash payments to church employees.

'Just because both priests worked at the same church and one pleads guilty it doesn't mean my guy is guilty,' Barlow said.

Guinan's trial has now been adjourned until February 18.

Skehan was arrested at Palm Beach International Airport in September 2006 after returning from Ireland.

He and Guinan had fled the country after the church began an investigation into 'alleged improprieties' at St Vincent's as well as an audit of the church books.

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His defence will be allowed to call more than 20 witnesses to speak at Skehan's sentencing hearing scheduled for March 20.

Though the guidelines require a minimum of 22 months and up to 31 years the judge will have sole discretion to impose the length of the sentence.

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Originally published asPriests 'blow $1.2m in Vegas'