A Montgomery County Catholic school principal has been charged with multiple felonies in connection with the alleged theft of more than $25,000 from Our Lady of Mercy Regional Catholic School in Maple Glen.
John McGrath, 56, of East Norriton, has been charged with dealing in proceeds of unlawful activity, theft by unlawful taking, theft by deception, receiving stolen property, access device fraud and unsworn falsification to authorities in connection with the investigation. He’s currently free on $50,000 unsecured bail.
Upper Dublin Police were contacted by an official from the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in November 2021 regarding an internal investigation that indicated McGrath had allegedly been stealing school funds over a period of time. The ensuing investigation revealed that McGrath had made $25,436.54 in unauthorized payments using school credit cards to pay for personal expenses, entertainment, and a vacation, according to a release from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.
Investigators allege that McGrath used a Venmo account tied to a school credit card to make 11 transactions totaling $12,777.15, including five rent payments for McGrath’s personal residence. The school credit card was used to make an additional 76 purchases totaling $7,905.29, which included purchases at restaurants, bars, DoorDash, Uber, hotel stays, and purchases on Amazon, according to the criminal complaint.
Additionally, McGrath is accused of charging $3,554.10 for a non-existent conference in Washington D.C., which turned out to be a vacation for McGrath, his brother and teacher, investigators said. McGrath also collected $1,200 via his personal Venmo account from school families to purchase “OLM Strong” t-shirts, however he never transferred those funds to the school, the report states.
McGrath’s next court appearance is a preliminary hearing on April 1 at 10:30 a.m. in front of District Judge Patricia Zaffarano. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Tanner Beck, who is captain of the Economic and Major Crimes Unit.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
See also:
Montco Sex Offender Arrested Again on Child Porn Charges
Man Charged with Attempted Murder After Wednesday Morning Shoot Out with Police in Montco
Montco Man Accused of Killing Infant Son, Charged with Third-Degree Murder
Former Philly Corrections Officer Charged with Straw Purchase of Firearms at Gun Show in Montco
Investigation Launched into Fatal Montco Vehicle Crash
