Bail set for former priest accused of stealing church funds
A judge ruled that Gregory Madeya cannot leave Pennsylvania if he is able to post the $25,000 bond.
By RENATTA SIGNORINI
TribLive
Bail was set at $25,000 Thursday for a former Ukrainian Catholic priest accused in a $740,000 theft from church funds and other sources.
District Judge Joseph De-Marchis ordered that Gregory Madeya, 69, cannot leave Pennsylvania if he posts bail and is released from the Westmoreland County Prison.
Attorney Patrick Thomassey said Madeya, if released, would live in Braddock Hills with a friend. Madeya had been living in Florida and was arrested there Aug. 14 on the police accusations. He waived extradition and has been at the jail without bail since Aug. 25.
“I don’t think there’s any chance whatsoever he would flee,” Thomassey told DeMarchis in requesting the judge set bail.
Madeya waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday on theft, financial exploitation and related charges filed by the state Attorney General’s Office.
Investigators said Madeya fraudulently misappropriated nearly $320,000 from multiple sources over several years, including three Western Pennsylvania churches, parishioners and donors, took more than $230,000 from his mother’s investment accounts and failed to pay more than $248,000 in taxes. Madeya’s actions resulted in the total misappropriation of $740,410, authorities said.
“This case involves a tremendous amount of paperwork,” Thomassey said outside of court. “I’m not going to comment on the truthfulness or accuracy of the case, but I think it’s one where we can have a trial. There’s a lot to be said about the whole situation involving how priests are paid in the Catholic church, and not paid, to tell you the truth.”
He previously worked at local churches, including St. John the Baptist in McKeesport, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Derry Township and St. Demetrius Church in Jeannette.
Witnesses from the church community told authorities about instances of missing collections money and fundraising proceeds, as well as missing donations, rent and church-related fees that were never deposited into church accounts, investigators said.
What Thomassey described as a lack of protocols from church officials as to how priests can spend money directed to a church will play a role in Madeya’s defense.
“There are no guidelines for what a priest can and cannot do in terms of the money that they’re responsible for,” he said. “Priests are paid very, very little money to be a priest and run the parish. So we’ll see down the road what happens.”
Chief Deputy Attorney General Patrick Schulte wasn’t opposed to the judge setting bail for Madeya, but requested he remain in Pennsylvania during the case. Thomassey agreed Madeya will surrender his passport within 10 days of release from jail, if he posts bond.
Madeya was suspended from his position in the Ukrainian Catholic Church in February 2024, according to the St. Josaphat Eparchy in Ohio.
