A longtime former principal at St. Coleman Catholic School in Pompano Beach is accused of pocketing nearly a quarter-million dollars in unauthorized pay, sparking outrage among parents and parishioners already weary of past scandals.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, investigators say Lori Ann St. Thomas systematically took extra paychecks totaling $238,196 over the course of nine years. A conflicting court filing suggests the alleged fraud may have taken place over just four years, but either way, the police report leaves little room for doubt: “The extra pay was not authorized.”
Her attorney, however, is pushing back. In a statement, he said, “We have no official comment, but I would caution you not to rely on the erroneous probable causes affidavit as other news reports have done.”
Parents in the community say they feel betrayed. “I think you work hard to send your kids to a private school. I think you want your kids to be in religious education to learn values. I think stealing is definitely not one of the values you want modeled to your children,” said neighbor Jennifer Thomas.
St. Thomas once held a second job within the Archdiocese of Miami at Mary Help of Christians School in Parkland. That employment ended in October 2024, according to church officials.
The allegations reopen old wounds for the St. Coleman community, which was shaken in 2018 when pastor Fr. Henryk Pawelec was accused of misusing church funds. He later paid $236,000 in restitution.
One former parishioner said the repeated scandals pushed her family away for good. “We quit going when we found out the priest was stealing money. He was taking everyone’s money,” she recalled. “When I tell my husband he’s going to be really mad. We’ll never go back to that church ever again, we won’t, because we were thinking of going back.”
Guess she need it to buy stuff.Stupidity personified