Wayward Catholic Nun, 62, Arrested After Stealing 1.2 Million Dollars

A Roman Catholic nun serving as the vice president of finance for the 4000 student New Rochelle-based Catholic school Iona College was arrested Thursday for allegedly embezzling more than $1.2 million from the school.

According to prosecutors, Sister Marie Thornton, 62, was charged with stealing for over a 10-year period beginning in 1999 by submitting false invoices and using a college-issued credit card. It took officials until May 2009 to notice that something was amiss with school finances, before alerting authorities.

In September, the school newspaper reported that the suspected swindling sister was taking a six-month leave of absence due to medical reasons and wasn't expected to return to the campus.

After pleading not guilty at a Manhattan Federal Court arraignment, the wayward nun was released without bail.