Cybercrime follow up

March 22, 2019

On Dec. 13, 2018, an unknown person or group impersonating a diocesan employee requested that approximately $45,000 be transferred to a third-party financial institution. Fortunately, more than $35,000 of those funds were recovered. The diocese is grateful to the financial institutions and investigators for their assistance in recovering much of the stolen funds.

In consultation with experts in the field, the diocese, under the direction of its Finance Council, is implementing new internal controls and reinforcing existing policies and procedures in order to prevent incidents like this from occurring in the future. No diocesan staff members are suspected of malfeasance.

        

The Diocese of Des Moines includes 80 parishes in 23 counties in central and southwest Iowa.