Retired Lansing-area Priest charged with Embezzling nearly a Million dollars

A retired Catholic priest, the former director of the Lansing Catholic Diocese’s St. Francis Retreat Center, is facing serious felony charges for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from three fellow priests.

Father David Rosenberg, 70, of Dewitt, was arraigned yesterday in a Clinton County district court on the following charges:

• Three counts of Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult $100,000 or more, a 20-year felony;

• One count of Uttering and Publishing, a 14-year felony;

• One count of Larceny over $20,000, a 10-year-felony;

• One count of Perjury, a 15-year-felony, and;

• One count of False Pretenses over $100,000, a 20-year felony.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel alleges Rosenberg took approximately $830,000 from the three priests and used the money to fund his charitable foundation, FaithFirst.

“David Rosenberg was rather evasive, to say the least. I just knew something certainly wasn’t right and he would tell me don’t get your brother agitated,” said Joanne McCartin, the sister of an alleged victim.

Officials with the Diocese of Lansing say they just learned of the embezzlement charges on Thursday and offered prayers to the victims.

A probable cause hearing for Rosenberg is scheduled for Dec. 15th.

Graphic courtesy WLNS-TV/Google Images