A longtime church treasurer in South Carolina is accused of stealing more than $400,000 from her congregation over nearly seven years, according to state investigators.
Latrise Latrell Seward, 54, of Lee County, was charged Monday with breach of trust with fraudulent intent involving property valued at $10,000 or more, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED).
Authorities allege that while serving as treasurer of Mechanicsville United Methodist Church in Lee County, Seward used church funds to make hundreds of unauthorized personal purchases totaling $402,655.45.
According to the arrest warrant, the alleged thefts occurred between Jan. 1, 2018, and Aug. 29, 2025.
“During an interview with law enforcement, the defendant admitted to making the unauthorized personal purchases between January 2018 and August 2025,” the warrant continued. “Probable cause was obtained through statements from the defendant and a forensic audit of the church’s financial records. This being in violation of the South Carolina Code of Laws.”
According to a 2017 study by Lifeway Research, nearly one out of 10 surveyed Protestant pastors said their church had witnessed someone embezzle funds.
The study also found that churches with 250 or more members were slightly more likely to report witnessing embezzlement than smaller congregations.
“Churches run on trust — but they also know people are imperfect and can be tempted,” said Lifeway Executive Director Scott McConnell at the time. “That’s why safeguarding a church’s finances is an important part of ministry.”
In 2023, Patricia Ann Radich of Rochester, Minnesota, was sentenced to 89 days at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center and required to pay $251,167.47 in restitution to Trinity Lutheran Church after being found guilty of stealing approximately $183,000 from the church to feed a gambling addiction.
Trinity Lutheran Church of Rochester released a statement in 2021 saying that filing charges against Radich “was a difficult, but necessary, step as the congregation seeks to address the impact caused by the significant embezzlement of funds.”
“Though the situation is very troubling, God has carried Trinity Lutheran Church through various adversities during its 153 years of ministry, and we are united in our belief that He will remain faithful and show us the way through our current challenges,” the church stated at the time.
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