Former Catholic Educator Pleads Guilty to Swindling Money

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The former head of Philadelphia's largest Catholic high school has pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Rev. Charles Newman paid off a student he sexually abused and bought him drugs with some of the money he stole, said prosecutors. The male student he allegedly abused has since died of a drug overdose.

Newman pleaded guilty on Monday to forgery and theft for swindling money from Archbishop Ryan High School and the Franciscan Friars.

Newman was the school's president from 2002 to 2003.

He stole $900,000, according to prosecutors -- Newman's lawyers dispute that total.

Newman will face up to 24 years in prison when he is sentenced in May.

He now lives at a Franciscan retirement home in Wisconsin.

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