LANSING ? Today, David Rosenberg, 72, of DeWitt, was sentenced by Judge Cori Barkman in the 29th Circuit Court to 4 to 20 years? incarceration and ordered to pay restitution to the victims? estates, announced Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Last month, a Clinton County jury found Rosenberg guilty of eight felonies, for embezzling or stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from retired, elderly priests.
Rosenberg, also a priest, was employed as Director of the Lansing Catholic Diocese?s St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt between 2015 and 2021. He embezzled or stole approximately $780,000 from three priests and gave the stolen funds to his charitable foundation, FaithFirst, formerly the Rosenberg Family Corporation. The 95-acre Retreat Center property includes apartments that house retired priests. The three victims resided at the Retreat Center apartments until their deaths.
The final amount of ordered restitution has not yet been set by the Court and may be further negotiated by the parties. ?
Rosenberg was found guilty of the following crimes: ?
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Three counts of Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult $100,000 or more; ?
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One count of False Pretenses $100,000 or more;
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One count of False Pretenses $20,000-$50,000; ?
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One count of Perjury;
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One count of Uttering and Publishing; and
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One count of Larceny $20,000 or more.
?Stealing from our elderly and vulnerable adults, especially from a position of authority, is a significant crime and this sentence reflects that? said Nessel. ?"My department will continue to prosecute these crimes, on behalf of victims living or deceased, and it is our hope that would-be thieves and scammers see this is a serious offense that can get them years behind bars.?? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
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