BUFFALO, N.Y. — A woman accused of stealing roughly $265,000 from St. Amelia’s Parish in the Town of Tonawanda was arraigned in Erie County Court on Wednesday morning.
Lisa A. Noble, 43, who used to live in Williamsville, faces five felony counts of grand larceny, three felony counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument, and three felony counts of falsifying business records.
Noble is also accused of stealing more than $500,000 over a five-year period while working as an office manager for an audiology medical practice in the City of Tonawanda. Prosecutors say that happened between 2016 and 2021.
“This defendant is accused of brazenly stealing a total of nearly a million dollars from two former employers to fund her extravagant lifestyle then allegedly fled the area in an attempt to evade prosecution, Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said in a statement Wednesday.
"Today my office successfully argued that the defendant is a willful and persistent flight risk, and I am pleased to announce that she is being held without bail at this time."
Noble had worked as the St. Amelia business manager. She was hired in March of 2023, and in September, she was relieved of her following an audit into funds that had gone missing.
St. Amelia Parish and the Diocese of Buffalo Internal Audit Department completed that audit.
"You feel betrayed. You get angry. You get very upset," the church’s pastor, Michael LaMarca, told 2 On Your Side in February. "I take the responsibility as pastor quite seriously, especially when it comes to trust."
A fugitive warrant was issued earlier this month, and Noble was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Office in the area of Raleigh, N.C. With extradition proceedings waived, she returned Tuesday night to Western New York to face prosecution.
Noble faces up to 15 years in prison, if convicted of the highest count.
St. Amelia’s Parish issued a statement Wednesday, following news of Noble's arraignment.
"The Diocese of Buffalo would like to thank the Erie County District Attorney’s office, as well as the United States Marshals Service, for their work in bringing the alleged St. Amelia parish thief to justice. It has been a long and arduous process, and we also would like to thank parish staff and the diocesan internal Audit Department for uncovering the crime last September. Policies and protocols put in place by the diocese have resulted in swift identification of financial irregularities in parishes," the statement read.
"In regard to the alleged theft from Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, we are actively cooperating with the District Attorney’s Office, and await an expeditious resolution. As this investigation is still in an early stage, we will defer to the District Attorney’s office."