Pastor faces civil suit, criminal charges
Michael P. Mayko
Updated 11:19 pm, Monday, March 31, 2014
Page 1 of 1
MILFORD -- The Rev. Robert Genevicz's appearance in Bridgeport's Golden Hill Street courthouse took about a minute Monday.
There, Genevicz, known as "Pastor Bob" to his Stratford Baptist Church congregation, was told his felony case stemming from the alleged theft of $173,000 from an elderly parishioner was being transferred to the Main Street courthouse for an April 22 appearance.
Genevicz's April 14 appearance in Milford Superior Court might take much longer. That's when Joseph Mager Jr., the lawyer and conservator for Patricia A. Stosak, the elderly parishioner, will seek to freeze $500,000 of Genevicz's assets.
Mager is seeking a pre-judgment remedy as a result of a civil suit he filed March 11 against Genevicz. The suit alleges that Genevicz, while serving as Stosak's conservator, stole $173,729 from her. If the remedy is granted, the pastor will be unable to spend or transfer those assets.
Genevicz, a short man impeccably dressed in a gray suit, said nothing during his brief appearance before Superior Court Judge Earl Richards on Monday. Instead, he let Frederick Paoletti, his lawyer, do the talking.
Genevicz has been pastor of the Stratford Baptist Church across from Paradise Green for the past 16 years. He turned himself in at Stratford police headquarters on March 18, after learning they had a warrant for his arrest.
It was back on July 15, 2011, that Stratford Probate Court Judge F. Paul Kurmay issued an order allowing Genevicz to become the conservator of Stosak's estate, which was worth about $445,675. The retired teacher also received a monthly pension. However, because of disabilities, she was placed in Atria Assisted Living Center on Stratford's Main Street.
As conservator, Genevicz had "complete financial authority" over Stosak's finances and assets.
Just about two years later on April 10, 2013, Stratford Probate Judge Fred J. Anthony conducted a review after being advised that large amounts of Stosak's money were unaccounted for. He found "a variety of discrepancies and inaccuracies and issues of potential malfeasance and misfeasance."
Those discrepancies included stocks being sold, thousands of dollars written in checks to cash or Genevicz and withdrawals totaling about $35,000.
The judge replaced Genevicz with Mager as the executor. He ordered the minister to turn over all financial records to the Milford lawyer and to provide his own accounting of the estate funds.
Additionally, Anthony ordered J. Allen Kosowsky, a Shelton certified public accountant, to conduct a forensic audit of the estate.
That study determined that Stosak's monthly teacher's pension was no longer deposited in her account, that a People's United Bank account containing $1,941 was closed and that $35,700 and $4,824 were loaned to the estate of Arthur Devack, a deceased Trumbull man.
Those loans were to be repaid by Doraine Reed, who owed Devack's estate money. Reed, a Bridgeport woman, has prior larceny and forgery convictions. Her relationship to the pastor is unclear.
However, the pair used some of Devack's estate to purchase a Hummer for Reed and a Mercedes for Genevicz, according to court documents. That case is under investigation.
Reed has not been charged in the Stosak case.
Genevicz claimed that $9,600 taken from Stosak represented her 10 percent tithe to the Baptist church, that $8,075 was used for unspecified maintenance and repairs and that $12,600 was taken in four checks and $30,936 was taken in cash withdrawals.
There, Genevicz, known as "Pastor Bob" to his Stratford Baptist Church congregation, was told his felony case stemming from the alleged theft of $173,000 from an elderly parishioner was being transferred to the Main Street courthouse for an April 22 appearance.
Genevicz's April 14 appearance in Milford Superior Court might take much longer. That's when Joseph Mager Jr., the lawyer and conservator for Patricia A. Stosak, the elderly parishioner, will seek to freeze $500,000 of Genevicz's assets.
Mager is seeking a pre-judgment remedy as a result of a civil suit he filed March 11 against Genevicz. The suit alleges that Genevicz, while serving as Stosak's conservator, stole $173,729 from her. If the remedy is granted, the pastor will be unable to spend or transfer those assets.
Genevicz, a short man impeccably dressed in a gray suit, said nothing during his brief appearance before Superior Court Judge Earl Richards on Monday. Instead, he let Frederick Paoletti, his lawyer, do the talking.
Genevicz has been pastor of the Stratford Baptist Church across from Paradise Green for the past 16 years. He turned himself in at Stratford police headquarters on March 18, after learning they had a warrant for his arrest.
It was back on July 15, 2011, that Stratford Probate Court Judge F. Paul Kurmay issued an order allowing Genevicz to become the conservator of Stosak's estate, which was worth about $445,675. The retired teacher also received a monthly pension. However, because of disabilities, she was placed in Atria Assisted Living Center on Stratford's Main Street.
As conservator, Genevicz had "complete financial authority" over Stosak's finances and assets.
Just about two years later on April 10, 2013, Stratford Probate Judge Fred J. Anthony conducted a review after being advised that large amounts of Stosak's money were unaccounted for. He found "a variety of discrepancies and inaccuracies and issues of potential malfeasance and misfeasance."
Those discrepancies included stocks being sold, thousands of dollars written in checks to cash or Genevicz and withdrawals totaling about $35,000.
The judge replaced Genevicz with Mager as the executor. He ordered the minister to turn over all financial records to the Milford lawyer and to provide his own accounting of the estate funds.
Additionally, Anthony ordered J. Allen Kosowsky, a Shelton certified public accountant, to conduct a forensic audit of the estate.
That study determined that Stosak's monthly teacher's pension was no longer deposited in her account, that a People's United Bank account containing $1,941 was closed and that $35,700 and $4,824 were loaned to the estate of Arthur Devack, a deceased Trumbull man.
Those loans were to be repaid by Doraine Reed, who owed Devack's estate money. Reed, a Bridgeport woman, has prior larceny and forgery convictions. Her relationship to the pastor is unclear.
However, the pair used some of Devack's estate to purchase a Hummer for Reed and a Mercedes for Genevicz, according to court documents. That case is under investigation.
Reed has not been charged in the Stosak case.
Genevicz claimed that $9,600 taken from Stosak represented her 10 percent tithe to the Baptist church, that $8,075 was used for unspecified maintenance and repairs and that $12,600 was taken in four checks and $30,936 was taken in cash withdrawals.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for commenting.
Your comment will be held for approval by the blog owner.