Crime & Safety
Weymouth Man Arrested For Allegedly Stealing From Church
Edward MacKenzie Jr., was arrested at his Weymouth home after being indicted on charges including racketeering and extortion from the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem Church.
A 54-year-old Boston church official from Weymouth was arrested Wednesday on charges of stealing money from the Boston Society of the New Jerusalem Church.
Edward MacKenzie Jr. was arrested at his Weymouth home after being indicted on charges of racketeering and extortion from the Boston church known to many as Church of the Hill, according to the US Department of Justice.
MacKenzie was the director of operations at the church since 2003 and federal authorities are accusing him of looting the church of its financial assets through fraud, deceit, extortion, theft and bribery.
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MacKenzie also allegedly intimidated and threatened individuals who were employed by and did work at the Church, DOJ spokeswoman Christina DiOrio-Sterling said in a written statement.
The Weymouth suspect along with his co- conspirators, began voting to provide themselves and associates financial benefits including four new vehicles, cash awards for family members and tuition grants to family members.
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In the past, MacKenzie had also claimed to be an associate of mobster James “Whitey” Bulger and has written a book about his criminal history.
He faces the maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in prison on each of the charges.
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