Donation checks meant for Manatee County churches never made it to the collection plate. The sheriff’s office says eight people have been arrested and seven more are wanted in a scheme that pulled checks out of church mailboxes and deposited them into the suspects’ own accounts, frequently using mobile banking. The case began in December 2025 when Harvest United Methodist Church in Lakewood Ranch noticed a drop in its mail, and detectives soon identified at least 17 victimized churches across the county with more than 20 suspects overall.
Detective Rachael Fossaceca said the suspects had no connection to the congregations. They weren’t parishioners and didn’t work for the churches. They simply targeted them. Some of the accounts tied to the case held checks from churches in Manatee County, Tampa, Michigan, and beyond, and investigators identified hundreds of stolen checks across multiple counties, with nearly $194,000 in losses outside Manatee County alone. The case is separate from other check washing investigations and remains active.
For anyone who mails donations, the practical takeaway is simple: hand your gift to someone at the church office or use a secure drop box when you can, and keep an eye on your mail. So we want to hear from you: have you changed how you give since hearing stories like this? Let us know in the comments.
