A Florida woman has been accused of embezzling more than $570,000 from Amelia Baptist Church, where she served as the financial secretary for 11 years. Melissa Ganey English, 44, was arrested by the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office and charged with grand theft exceeding $100,000, a first-degree felony.
The alleged misappropriation happened between January 2019 and October 2024. According to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, English used a church-issued credit card to pay for personal costs such as Amazon purchases, SeaWorld tickets, and a Grand Canyon helicopter excursion. She also allegedly issued herself unauthorized payroll funds.
The theft was detected after two new members of the church’s financial committee noted inconsistencies in the bank records. They discovered that funds were substantially lower than anticipated and submitted their findings to the church authorities. The church subsequently recruited a contractor to conduct an examination of all financial transactions, which revealed several bogus charges.
English’s embezzlement has escalated over time, beginning with over $40,000 in 2019 and reaching more than $123,000 in 2023. Before being apprehended in 2024, she is accused of embezzling more than $90,000. The Miami Herald reported that a warrant led to English’s arrest in Baker County.
Despite the financial setback, Amelia Baptist Church remains dedicated to its purpose and principles. The church’s leaders declared, “While the last few months have been incredibly hurtful and difficult , it would be easy to get distracted from our main mission as a church.”