ELMHURST, Ill.— The former parish president of the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Elmhurst is charged with stealing $700 from church donations over a near two-month span.
Peter Barkoulies, 68, of Addison faces four counts of burglary to a place of worship after DuPage County prosecutors allege he stole church funds over four separate occasions from Dec. 8, 2022 through Jan. 25, 2023.
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According to prosecutors, Barkoulies accessed the money slot in the memorial table where churchgoers donated. It is alleged that Barkoulies had access to the money slot because he never returned the key at the end of his term as parish president in 2021.
Barkoulies’ alleged thefts were discovered when church officials grew suspicious of missing funds from the memorial table, prosecutors added.
Following an investigation by the Elmhurst Police Department, Barkoulies was taken into custody on Thursday.
He was issued a $100,000 bond. His next court appearance is set for March 1.
