Aurora man sentenced to probation after embezzling from Rosary High School

AURORA – An Aurora man must repay $45,000 to Rosary High School for money he stole and then gambled away while he worked as the school’s business manager.

Kevin J. Carew, 36, of Aurora was sentenced late Friday by Circuit Judge John Barsanti to
four years' probation and ordered to repay $45,000 to Rosary.

In June 5, Carew entered a blind guilty plea to one count of theft from a school, a felony. During the plea and sentencing hearings, prosecutors presented evidence that between June 2010 and September 2012, Carew embezzled about $49,000 from Rosary’s operations account, according to a press release from the Kane County State's Attorney's Office.

Carew used the money for gambling purposes and for trips to Las Vegas, Nev., and Atlantic City, N.J., prosecutors said. Rosary’s operations account covered such as expenses as payroll and financial aid, according to the school.

In addition to the probation and restitution, Carew was ordered by the court to attend self-help classes to deal with gambling addiction, and to obtain counseling and follow all recommendations, the press release stated. He is also prohibited by the court from entering any gambling establishments.

After the sentencing hearing, Carew presented a check to the court in the amount of $48,000, which included $3,000 in court costs. The school’s insurance company covered the stolen money.

The $45,000 was restitution to the school for costs it incurred while investigating how the money disappeared.

Carew had been free on $4,000 bond.

“In stealing from a small, religiously affiliated school that seeks to teach its students to be responsible and ethical citizens, Mr. Carew’s selfish acts placed an unnecessary burden on Rosary High School,” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said in the press release. “This sort of theft is a major crime that inflicts significant financial and emotional costs on the community as a whole.