Eau Claire woman guilty of bilking La Crosse diocesan priest of $317,884

Background: Well-known priest allegedly scammed out of more than $300K

An Eau Claire woman accused of preying on a former La Crosse Catholic priest’s compassionate nature by bilking him out of $317,883.60 faces a maximum of 60 years in prison after pleading guilty to six counts of theft by false representation.

Cheri M. Hofkes-Zerwas, 54, had wanted to plead no contest Friday to 23 identical counts of theft of more than $10,000 in the case, in which she was charged with stealing the money from the Rev. John Schultz on several occasions between June 2013 and June 2014.

Eau Claire County Assistant District Attorney Meri Larson spurned that possibility. After consulting with her attorney, Hofkes-Zerwas agreed to plead guilty.

She was found guilty of the six counts, with 17 others dismissed but read into the record for possible consideration at sentencing.

continue at La Crosse Tribune

The Diocese of La Crosse issued a statement:

On behalf of Father John Schultz, a well-respected Eau Claire priest, we are pleased to learn that late Friday afternoon, March 6, 2015, Cheri Hofkes Zerwas admitted her wrongdoing and pled guilty to the crime of theft by false representation. Although an arduous process thus far, we are relieved by Ms. Hofkes-Zerwas’ acceptance of responsibility for her victimization of Father Schultz. We thank all those involved in the investigation and prosecution of this matter, especially both Detective Michael Voelker and Assistant District Attorney Meri Larson. Until such time that the case is concluded, no further statement will be made.

WQOW: Well-known priest allegedly scammed out of more than $300K

via Terry @ Abbey-Roads(Good post!)

Eau Claire (WQOW) - An Eau Claire woman has been charged with scamming a well-known priest out of more than $300,000.

Cheri Hofkes-Zerwas is charged with taking the money from father John Schultz, he was the longtime priest at Saint James the Greater Catholic Church in Eau Claire.

According to court documents Hofkes-Zerwas told Father Schultz that she needed the money to keep her electricity from being shut off, she owed money to social security and she was being extorted by a number of people.

Police were tipped off by a branch manager at Associated Bank when Schultz began withdrawing large amounts of money.

Police found that over the course of a year Hofkes-Zerwas was given more $300,000. We spoke with the attorney for the Diocese of La Crosse who is representing Father Schultz.

He told us that Schultz was scammed and that all of the money he gave to Hofkes-Zerwas was his own, none of it belonged to the church.

The criminal complaint says that Father Schultz kept a detailed ledger of all the money he gave her and the reasons why.

Channel 18

Also note:

This is the full statement WQOW News 18 received from Father Schultz:

My name is Father John Schultz and in response to the page one article in the October 8, 2014 Leader Telegram regarding Cheri Hofkes-Zerwas, I am the unnamed victim who gave her the money arising out of her false pleas of desperate personal financial need. I was scammed.

All of the money was personal and was inherited from my family. None of it came from St. James Catholic Church, Eau Claire, the Diocese of La Crosse, or any other groups or organizations in which I was or am affiliated. I did not have any inappropriate relationship with Ms. Hofkes-Zerwas.