Middletown church’s ex-finance director admits embezzling $1.2M

TRENTON — A former finance director for a Roman Catholic church in Middletown has admitted to using parish funds to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, including a Cadillac SUV, chartered fishing trips, and New York Yankees tickets.

Joseph A. Manzi, 78, of Atlantic Highlands, pleaded guilty Friday, May 15, before state Superior Court Judge Jill O’Malley to second-degree theft by unlawful taking and third-degree filing a fraudulent tax return, according to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, New Jersey prosecutors will recommend a five-year sentence in state prison. Manzi would also be required to pay $1.2 million in restitution to the church and $73,032 in unpaid taxes to the state of New Jersey.

Manzi served as the director of finance, operations and development for the Church of Saint Leo the Great in the Lincroft section of Middletown. According to authorities, he had sole control over the church’s credit cards.

After more than 11 years of employment at the parish, Manzi was fired on June 26, 2025. Following his departure, church staff reviewing credit card statements discovered a pattern of unauthorized personal charges stretching back more than six years.

A criminal investigation found that between January 2019 and May 2025, Manzi used his position to divert cash and run up massive credit card bills for his own benefit. The Attorney General’s Office initially calculated the embezzlement at $673,874, though a separate civil lawsuit filed by the church last year accused Manzi of stealing more than $1.5 million in operating funds.

“The defendant admitted in court that he used his position of trust to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from the church,” said Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. “He did so to fund a lavish lifestyle, and he is now facing the consequences of his greed.”

Funding a lavish lifestyle

According to court documents and statements made during the investigation, the stolen funds were used to finance an array of luxury goods and personal expenses, including:

• Luxury purchases: A Cadillac SUV and high-end clothing.
• Entertainment: Chartered fishing trips and tickets to sporting events, including New York Yankees games.
• Personal expenses: Home repairs and services, medical and dental bills, and personal insurance premiums, as well as payments to fraternal organizations and vehicle financing.

The civil lawsuit previously filed by the church also alleged that Manzi spent parish money on cigars and expenses related to his daughter’s wedding. While Manzi’s defense attorneys initially denied the allegations in the civil matter, Manzi has now formally admitted to the criminal charges.

“The defendant admitted that he enriched himself with church funds, and will be sentenced accordingly,” said Theresa L. Hilton, director of the state Division of Criminal Justice.

Manzi was originally charged by criminal complaint in October following a multi-agency probe. The case was investigated by Detective Troy Wilhelm, with the Division of Criminal Justice, and Special Investigator Paul Donahue, with assistance from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Middletown Police Department.

The state’s case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Conner Ouellette under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Aaron Witherspoon and Bureau Chief Cynthia Vazquez.

Contact Asbury Park Press reporter Erik Larsen at [email protected].