He portrayed himself as holier-than-thou but priest allegedly stole more than $150k to live a jet-set life on cruises and in casinos

For ten years, Father Richard Storey was a beloved pastor at the Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas.

Those struggling with grief felt at peace when they trusted the funeral director as he became a holy man well accustomed to dealing with death.

But behind his friendly exterior and sympathetic ear lie allegations that he stole $159,326.92 from the church to fuel an extravagant lifestyle of jet-setting travel filled with cruises, according to court records reviewed by the Daily Mail.

A Kansas City diocese audit of church spending from 2021 to 2025 revealed unauthorized charges Storey made to a church credit card, as well as additional charges from another source whose identity was altered.

The priest allegedly spent $77,025.52 on cruises and withdrew a large sum of $23,904.14 in cash, marked as ‘casino withdrawal’ on his credit card statement, during one of the trips at sea.

He also allegedly used his church credit card for non-cruise-related trips to London, Paris, Dublin and New York, spending a total of $27,079.09 on those vacations.

According to the affidavit, ‘Church officials stated this was a gross misuse of church funds and Storey knew these expenses would not be covered by church funds.’

Records also noted that pastors received a fixed salary and that no personal expenses or vacations were covered from church funds.

Father Richard Storey (pictured behind in white shirt) is pictured with his parents and six siblings.

‘The church did not receive reimbursement for expenses related to cruise holidays taken by Father Storey,’ the records said.

Auditors also found $11,687 in unauthorized medical and wellness expenses the priest allegedly spent.

Everything from prescriptions and doctor’s appointments to glasses and weight loss expenses are covered, the affidavit said. Another $4,438.90 was spent on dental expenses.

Storey, who has been at the church since 2015, has also been accused of being fond of designer shopping; researchers found approximately $5,906.65 in retail purchases from stores including Nordstrom Rack.

The priest, whose photo is on social media with his parents and six brothers, also made numerous ‘donations’ to the church, totaling $22,663.43, using his credit card.

“Because these funds came from a church credit card rather than a personal donation, the transaction did not provide any net financial benefit to the church,” the affidavit said.

“These transactions artificially inflated reported fundraising totals without generating any new external funds,” he added.

Investigators said it was difficult to determine exactly how much the cleric spent, but $159,326.92 was estimated to be unauthorized.

Father Storey photographed leading a mass at Curé of Ars Catholic Church in Leawood, Kansas

Storey had been a priest at the Curé of Ars Catholic Church (pictured) since 2015.

Court records state, ‘A total of $312,566.46 was charged to the church credit card between 2021 and 2025.’

“While most of the transactions were legitimate, it is unknown exactly how many charges related to personal matters due to lack of documentation or notes converted into financing by Father Storey,” the documents continued.

The charging documents read: ‘A total of $590,428.83 was also spent between 2021 and 2025. ‘It is not known exactly how much of the total was for personal matters due to the lack of documents or notes converted into funding by Father Storey.’

The Archdiocese of Kansas City released a statement regarding the alleged theft on May 23.

“This news is extremely painful for all of us as a Catholic community, especially given the nature of the allegations regarding resources entrusted to the church through the sacrifice and generosity of the faithful,” said Archbishop Shawn McKnight.

‘My primary concern at this time is for the people of the Curé of Ars neighborhood and anyone directly affected.

‘These allegations are serious, the legal processes must be allowed to proceed and Father Storey will be presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law or through internal canonical process.

“I recognize that there will be varying emotions and perspectives within the community in the days ahead, and I ask that parishioners treat each other with greater sensitivity, patience, charity, and respect as we move through this together, trusting that our community can emerge stronger and more united through our faith in Christ,” McKnight said.

His picture is in the clergyman’s mugshot. He resigned from the church in September 2025 after informing the Archdiocese about a criminal investigation into Prairie Village Police expenses.

Storey was spotted appearing in court for the first time earlier this month. He will appear in court again on July 15

Storey has been accused of indulging in designer shopping; researchers find about $5,906.65 in retail purchases from stores including Nordstrom Rack. File photo of Nordstrom Rack

The priest allegedly spent $77,025.52 on the trips. File photo of a cruise ship

Storey took a series of holidays with church money, including a trip to Paris (pictured)

In September 2025, the Prairie Village Police Department notified the Archdiocese that it was investigating the expenses of Storey and another adult.

Storey subsequently notified the Archdiocese of his decision to resign, and an internal financial review was initiated following Storey’s resignation.

Father John Riley was appointed interim administrator and then pastor of the congregation in February 2026.

McKnight added: ‘Following the conclusion of the latest financial review, Chancery officials met with the pastor and church staff to ensure appropriate protocols were in place. During the investigation, information that required referral to law enforcement was identified.’

Storey refused to make a statement, the affidavit said. DailyMail.com has reached out to him for comment.

Storey is currently out on bail on $25,000 bail. During a hearing on June 2, Storey’s attorney asked the judge to allow him access to computers and the internet. The judge accepted the request.

His next hearing will be held on July 15.