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Church treasurer subject of criminal theft investigation

By Amy Clancy
By Amy Clancy
Bill Fovargue is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department for stealing $217,933.36 from Gethsemane Lutheran Church while serving as the church’s elected treasurer.

SEATTLE — According to a search warrant filed in King County Superior Court last week, Fovargue began writing checks to himself one month after taking office in March of 2010.  The first unauthorized check, according to the police document, was written to “Payee Bill Fovargue” on April 6, 2010 for $525.  The five-page warrant lists more than 60 separate checks or wire transfers made payable to Fovargue or his roommate, ending on Sept. 3, 2013.  The largest check was written to Fovargue in November 2012 for $19,348.56.

According to court documents, Gethsemane began investigating Fovargue in January 2014 and sued him for breach of fiduciary duty and fraud in August of this year.  Last month, a King County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the church and ordered Fovargue to payback $217,853.

But so far he hasn't, and may not be able to.

Fovargue was evicted from his penthouse apartment on the 14th floor of the Olive Tower on Boren Avenue shortly after the church investigation began, according to a default judgment filed Jan. 17, 2014.  He is now living in Renton.  Today, no one answered the door at Fovargue's home, and when reached by phone, he wouldn't answer any questions about the now-criminal investigation.

The 63-year-old Fovargue has been in positions of financial trust for years.  From September 2008 to August of 2012, Fovargue worked as an internal auditor for the Port of Seattle, earning a yearly salary of $72,826.  For two of those years, he was skimming funds at the Lutheran church.  Today, Port of Seattle spokesman Peter McGraw told KIRO 7 that Fovargue did not approve expenses or receive payments of any kind while working for the Port.

Fovargue also worked as an accounting analyst at Washington Mutual for 17 years, and for the state of Washington auditing internal controls, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Gethsemane Lutheran Church pastor, the Rev. Joanne Engquist, was unavailable for comment on Tuesday.

Detective Patrick Michaud of the Seattle Police Department said its investigation is active and ongoing.  “We’re working with the church to bring anyone involved to justice,” Michaud said.

KIRO

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