For a decade, Father Richard Storey was a beloved pastor at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas.
Those struggling with grief felt peace when they confided in him as the funeral director turned holy man was well used to dealing with death.
But behind his friendly facade and sympathetic ear lies allegations that he stole $159,326.92 from the parish to fuel an extravagant lifestyle of jet-set travel full of cruises, according to court records viewed by the Daily Mail.
An audit by the diocese of Kansas City looking into church spending from 2021 to 2025 uncovered alleged unauthorized charges by Storey on a church credit card, along with additional payments from another source whose identity was redacted.
The priest allegedly spent $77,025.52 on cruises and during one of the trips at sea is alleged to have made a large cash withdrawal of $23,904.14 that was marked as 'casino cash withdraw' on the credit card statement.
He also allegedly used the church credit card for non-cruise related trips to London, Paris, Dublin and New York, clocking up a total of $27,079.09 in spending for those vacations.
'Church officials stated that this was a gross misuse of church funds, and Storey would have known that these expenses were not to be covered by church funds,' per the affidavit.
Records further noted that pastors receive a fixed salary, and personal expenses or vacations are not covered by church funds.
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Father Richard Storey is accused of stealing $159,326.92 from church funds using his parish's credit card
Father Richard Storey (pictured back in the white shirt) is pictured with his parents and six brothers
'The church did not receive reimbursement for the expenses related to cruise vacations taken by Father Storey,' the records stated.
Auditors also flagged $11,687 in unauthorized medical and wellness spending allegedly spent by the priest.
It covered everything from prescriptions and doctor appointments to eyewear and weight-loss expenses, the affidavit said. A further $4,438.90 was spent on dental expenses.
Storey, who had been at the church since 2015, is also accused of indulging in designer shopping - with investigators finding nearly $5,906.65 in retail purchases from stores including Nordstrom Rack.
The priest, who is pictured on social media with his parents and six brothers, also made multiple 'donations' to the church totaling $22,663.43 using the church credit card.
'Because these funds came from the church credit card instead of being made as a personal donation, the transaction did not result in any net financial benefit to the church,' the affidavit said.
'These transactions artificially inflated the reported fundraising totals without generating any new external funds,' it added.
Investigators said it was difficult to determine exactly how much the clergyman had spent, however it is estimated $159,326.92 was unauthorized.
Father Storey is pictured conducting a mass at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas
Storey had been a priest at Curé of Ars Catholic Church (pictured) since 2015
'In total, $312,566.46 was charged to the church credit card between 2021 to 2025,' the court records read.
'While many of the transactions were legitimate, it is unknown exactly how many charges were for personal matters due to the lack of documentation or memos turned into finance by Father Storey,' the documents continued.
The charging documents added: 'Also, a total of $590,428.83 was spent… between 2021-2025. It is unknown exactly how much of the total was for personal matters due to the lack of documentation or memos turned into finance by Father Storey.'
The Archdiocese of Kansas City released a statement on May 23 about the alleged theft.
'This news is deeply painful for all of us in the Catholic community, particularly given the nature of the allegations involving resources entrusted to the church through the sacrifice and generosity of the faithful,' Archbishop Shawn McKnight said.
'My primary concern at this time is for the people of Curé of Ars parish and all those directly affected.
'These allegations are serious, the legal processes must be allowed to proceed, and Father Storey is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law or internal canonical process.
'I recognize there will be differing emotions and perspectives within the community in the days ahead, and I ask parishioners to treat one another with greater sensitivity, patience, charity, and respect as we move through this together, trusting that with faith in Christ, our community can emerge stronger and more united,' McKnight said.
The clergyman is pictured in his mugshot. He resigned from the church in September 2025 after Prairie Village Police informed the Archdiocese about the criminal investigation into his spending
Storey is pictured during his first court appearance earlier this month. He is due back in court on July 15
Storey is accused of indulging in designer shopping - with investigators finding nearly $5,906.65 in retail purchases from stores including Nordstrom Rack. File photo of Nordstrom Rack
The priest allegedly spent $77,025.52 on cruises. File photo of a cruise liner
Storey took a number of vacations on the church's dime including a trip to Paris (pictured)
In September 2025, the Archdiocese was notified by the Prairie Village Police Department that it was investigating Storey and another adult regarding his spending.
Storey then advised the Archdiocese of his decision to resign and an internal financial review was initiated following Storey's resignation.
Father John Riley was appointed temporary administrator of the parish and then pastor in February 2026.
McKnight added: 'After the conclusion of the most recent financial review, Chancery officials met with the pastor and parish staff to ensure that proper protocols are now in place. During the course of the review, information was identified that warranted referral to law enforcement.'
The affidavit said Storey declined to provide a statement. The DailyMail.com has reached out to him for comment.
Storey is currently out on bail on a $25,000 bond. During as a court hearing on June 2 Storey’s attorney asked the judge to allow him to access computers and the internet. The judge granted the request.
His next court appearance is scheduled for July 15.