Former Elmhurst church parish president accused of stealing from donations
ELMHURST, Ill. (CBS) -- A judge set bond for $100,000 Friday for a former parish president accused of stealing from the Elmhurst church where he used to work.
Peter Barkoulies, 68, of Addison, served as parish president of the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church from 2019 until 2021 – but his alleged crimes took place afterward.
Barkoulies is now charged with four counts of burglary to a place of worship on accusations of stealing about $700 from church donations. Judge Margaret O'Connell set his bond Friday in DuPage County Court in Wheaton.
The DuPage County State's Attorney's office explained parishioners insert money to donate to the church through a slot in memorial table. On four occasions between Dec. 8 of last year and Jan. 25 of this year, Barkoulies got into the memorial table using an old key he had received as parish president and had never returned, prosecutors said.
He stole about $700 from the church altogether, prosecutors said.
Church officials began noticing there was money missing from the memorial table, prosecutors said. After an Elmhurst police investigation, Barkoulies was arrested Thursday afternoon.
He is due back in court March 1.
