Celina Maldonado, 36, an office administrator at St. Cross Episcopal Church in Hermosa Beach since 2008, was arrested Monday by Hermosa Beach police. Maldonado was charged with embezzlement for allegedly depositing into her personal account checks written to the church. She also allegedly took checks intended for the Los Angeles Episcopal Diocese and Temple Shalom, which holds services at St. Cross. The checks totaled approximately $50,000, according to Hermosa Beach Police public information officer Sgt. Mick Gaglia.
In a letter to parishioners, St. Cross Reverend Rachel Nyback asked, “Please keep Celina, her family and all of our community in your prayers.”
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contract Hermosa Beach Police Detective Dean Garkow at (310) 318-0348 or DGarkow@hermosapolice.org. ER
