A former Catholic priest, Gregory Allen Madeya, 69, was arrested in Vero Beach, Florida, on August 14 and later extradited to Pennsylvania. He faces serious charges related to stealing approximately $740,000 from three churches, a fraternal organization called the Knights of Columbus, and his own mother. Madeya had previously served as a priest at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Derry Township until he was suspended in February 2024. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office says that after a three-year investigation led by Chief Deputy AG Patrick Schulte, Madeya has been charged with one first-degree felony and several other felony counts, including theft, fraud, and financial exploitation of an older adult. According to investigators, Madeya withdrew over $75,000 from his church’s general and savings accounts between 2021 and 2022. He is also accused of stealing from two other churches in nearby McKeesport and Jeannette, which are part of the St. Josaphat Eparchy, a group that oversees local Ukrainian Catholic churches. Among the alleged crimes, Madeya is said to have sold one of the churches’ gold chalices to a local jeweler for $19,440 and kept the money. He is further accused of stealing nearly $250,000 from his mother, who was unable to manage her own finances and over whom he had legal authority, known as power of attorney. Investigators claim that Madeya stole $740,409.96 from his victims since 2018, using evidence such as church collection envelopes found in his trash and photos of debit cards and bank documents on his personal devices. Madeya is alleged to have used the stolen money to pay for illegal drugs exchanged for sexual acts with a man he lived with in West Mifflin, as well as for vacations, cruise ship tours, and a $35,500 2018 Ford Mustang given to the same man. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday called the alleged actions "unconscionable," stating that Madeya abused the trust of those around him, leaving them to recover from significant financial losses. Robert G. Del Greco Jr., an attorney for Madeya’s former church, told Fox News Digital that the parishes have suffered a profound loss and are working to rebuild their finances, hoping for insurance compensation. Remedial steps include submitting quarterly financial statements for review by the finance officer and designated lay parishioners with financial expertise. Madeya’s defense attorney, Patrick Thomassey, declined to comment on the charges but stated that Madeya does not represent a flight risk and that there are no clear guidelines on how a priest should use collection money donated by churchgoers. Madeya waived a preliminary hearing, and his bail was set at $25,000 by Magisterial District Court Judge Joseph R. DeMarchis. He will next appear in Westmoreland County Courthouse on October 14 for a formal arraignment.