Paso Robles church staffer convicted of theft

September 19, 2019

Claire Eastin

A former office manager for the Life Community Church in Paso Robles pleaded no contest Wednesday to charges she embezzled more than $200,000 from the church. [Cal Coast Times]

Originally charged with three counts of embezzlement, 51-year-old Claire Easton plead no contest to two counts of grand theft through embezzlement as part of a plea agreement in which the third count was dropped. Easton is facing two years and eight months in state prison.

Easton allegedly stole the money while she served as the church’s primary bookkeeper from Jan. 2012 to April 2018. She then falsified records to conceal her theft.

In 2018, another employee discovered the alleged theft after she took over the accounting work while Easton was off on sick leave. When confronted by church staff, Easton admitted to taking the money.

Easton’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 18.


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The Lord helps those that help themselves. Churches are now such moneymaking, entrepreneurial, charismatic scams targeting the weak-minded, and not missing $200,000, so why shouldn’t she get a cut?


Again the question must be asked – what makes this so different than the Sherry Gong embezzlement; except the connections that Sherry (via husband) that Claire evidently did not have?


We shall see, but my bet is that Sherry will get a sentence of 2 years and 8 months less than Claire.


Those who know those that are in power will always be treated better than those who don’t.


Devilish plan to say the least.


Remember this person works with CMA, the organization trying to steal the church in Grover Beach and sell it to 5CHC, who still will not drop out of escrow on the attempted theft.


The church members need to go back to the Bible and truly understand the teachings of Jesus.