Grosse Pointe Park Holy Cross CEO charged with using church money to fix cars, get new roof

GROSSE POINTE PARK, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Grosse Pointe Park man is facing federal charges of fraud, embezzlement, and more charges that he stole money from Holy Cross Catholic Church to fix his cars, buy a new roof, pay down his mortgage, and pay his personal American Express account.

John Lynch, 56, was arrested Tuesday on federal charges, according to Acting United States Attorney Saima S. Mohsin.

The complaint claims that Lynch was named CEO of Holy Cross in 2015 and while the executive leader of the church, he used funds to pay for his personal needs, including his cars, roof, mortgage, and credit card.

But the complaint also states that he used the funds to pay his own consulting company and a company hired to provide services at Samaritan Center, which the U.S. attorney said, on paper, was controlled by a relative but it was actually Lynch who controlled it.

Samaritan Center is part of the Holy Cross organization and provides healthcare, employment services, and other forms of support to Detroit residents on the east side.

Holy Cross receives federal funds from the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program and also receives money under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act, which pays for foster care and provides adoption assistance and guardianship assistance.

Lynch was charged with wire fraud, mail fraud, and embezzling and stealing funds under the care, custody, and control of an organization receiving federal funds.