Fired worker accused of stealing from Pender Co. church

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A former employee is accused of stealing from a Pender County church.

Investigators say Gloria Hardee took more than $100,000 from Riley Creek Baptist Church.

The Pender County Sheriff’s Office says officials at the church in Rocky Point noticed something was not right with the finances back in July. To confirm their suspicions a short audit was conducted in July. It showed that there were misused funds.

The church says it fired an employee at that time, but would not confirm if it was Hardee,the church’s secretary and treasurer. A source close to the situation tells WWAY it was Hardee.

The church then contacted Wilmington Baptist Association to do a second audit in November.

Pender County deputies charged Hardee, 58, with felony embezzlement Monday.

Church leaders would not answer our questions because this is an on-going investigation, but they did issue a statement that reads in part, “The pastoral staff and congregation of Riley Creek Baptist Church continue to pray for all involved.”

Attempts by WWAY to reach Hardee and her attorney have been unsuccessful so far.