Complaint details charges against alleged Iowa monk

GALESBURG, Ill. --- Ryan St. Anne Scott used his influence as a spiritual adviser to steal from a former admirer, according to a criminal complaint filed in Knox County in Illinois.

Scott duped his alleged victim, Sheila Anderson, by "holding himself out to be an ordained priest and member of the Order of St. Benedict," Assistant State's Attorney Erik Gibson added.

According to the complaint, Scott "knowingly and by deception" gained control over Anderson's property, including bank accounts. He is facing three counts of financial exploitation of an elderly person, three counts of theft and one count of deceptive practices.

"The charges are not unusual. We see those all the time," Gibson said. "What makes this a little more interesting is the relationship between the parties."

Scott has presented himself for years as a Benedictine monk and priest and was head of a corporate entity he established called the Holy Rosary Abbey in Galesburg.

Read More: http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/complaint-details-charges-against-alleged-monk/article_7efced8f-7be7-5d71-ad9a-99fd09b9b2a0.html#ixzz1rkm4Y7n3