California priest is busted for stealing more than $97,000 in parish donations after he got into a car crash and cops discovered security bags stuffed with money in his vehicle

A California priest's not-so-saintly secret of stealing thousands of dollars from his parishes was exposed when he got into a car crash and police officers found him with six security bags stuffed with nearly $20,000 in parish donations.

Father Oscar Diaz of Resurrection Parish in Santa Rosa got into a car accident on June 19 in which he suffered a hip injury. As cops came to his aid they discovered a dizzying $18,305 in stolen parish collections in his car.

Diaz served as a priest for the last 25 years and had connections to at least seven churches in California In a press release the diocese said that the amount Diaz stole was in excess of $95,000 and the diocese will repay the amount in full No criminal charges have been filed and Father Diaz has been suspended from priestly ministry

A California priest's not-so-saintly secret of stealing thousands of dollars from his parishes was exposed when he got into a car crash and police officers found him with six security bags stuffed with nearly $20,000 in parish donations.

Father Oscar Diaz of Resurrection Parish in Santa Rosa got into a car accident on June 19 in which he suffered a hip injury. As cops came to his aid they discovered a dizzying $18,305 in stolen parish collections in his car.

But that was just the tip of the iceberg.

A further investigation revealed he had a whopping stash of $77,000 in cash that he had allegedly took from the various parishes where he served, according to CBS.

When asked about the sum, Diaz claimed that it was his salary.

Diaz served as a priest for the last 25 years and had connections to at least seven churches in California including Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, Clearlake; Queen of the Rosary Mission, Lucerne; Saint Mary Immaculate Parish, Lakeport; Saint Peter Mission, Kelseyville; Saint Mary of the Angels Parish, Ukiah; Saint Elizabeth Seton Mission; and Philo and Saint Francis Mission, Hopland.

In a press release the diocese said that the amount Diaz stole was in excess of $95,000.

However it’s not clear if he’ll face any criminal charges.

'This money was associated with Resurrection Parish in Santa Rosa where Father Oscar was pastor,' Bishop Robert F. Vasa said in a diocese news release. 'After an initial investigation and several interviews, the police determined that the protocols surrounding collection accounting would make it difficult to arrive at sufficient proof of theft to pursue criminal prosecution,' he added.

'There is also evidence that money was stolen in a variety of ways from each of the Parishes where he had served as pastor.

'I am deeply grieved that this has happened and am deeply saddened that the parishes he was sent to serve have been harmed. The full extent of the theft is not known and may never be fully known but the Diocese is committed to determining as fully as possible the extent of the theft from each of these parishes.'

'It is now absolutely clear from solid evidence that he has been systematically stealing from parishes and parishioners for at least the past 15 years, included an indeterminable number of checks made out to parishes and deposited to Father Oscar's personal account,' Bishop Vasa said.

But that was just the tip of the iceberg.

A further investigation revealed he had a whopping stash of $77,000 in cash that he had allegedly took from the various parishes where he served, according to CBS.