VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A former Virginia Beach Church accountant was sentenced Wednesday for embezzling and credit card fraud.
Andrew Patrick Landsperger, 46, will serve 5 years in prison and pay over $164,199 in restitution, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office says that if the case went to trial, its evidence would have proven that Landsperger stole money from Galilee Episcopal Church from January to August 2022.
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Landsperger had access to the payroll, the church's books and the church's credit card as part of his job, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. From April to July 2022, he paid $34,653.72 in unauthorized transactions on his Amazon account using the church card.
Landsperger also had access to payroll and altered his own salary, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. His total over payment using the church’s altered payroll system was $134,839.52.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office says that Landsperger had a third embezzlement scheme involving the church donation money.
Before he was in charge of donations, the weekly average of donated money was $450 a week, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. After he took control, the average dropped to under $200 a week.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office says that after Landsperger was fired, the donation levels immediately returned to what they were before he took charge. The estimated lost in donations was $7,000.
Landsperger was fired in August 2022 when his credit card fraud was discovered, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's office. The church's estimated total loss was $176,536.
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The church was able to recover $112,324 through its insurance coverage and reimbursement and Landsperger is to pay the remaining $64,199.
Landsperger also has to pay $100,000 in restitution to the credit card company, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
He pleaded guilty to embezzlement and credit card fraud in July 27, 2023, according the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. A Virginia Beach Circuit Court judge sentenced Landsperger to 10 years in prison with five suspended and five to be served.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office says that the sentence exceeds the high end of Virginia Beach guidelines which recommend a sentence no greater than four years and two months.
Landsperger's defense attorney declined to comment when News 3.
