Jeannette — A former Ukrainian Catholic priest accused of siphoning hundreds of thousands of dollars from churches, parishioners and his own mother appeared Thursday in magisterial court and waived a preliminary hearing, opting to take his case directly to trial.
Court appearance, bond and travel restrictions
Magisterial Judge [name not provided in court file] set a straight bond of $25,000 for Gregory Madeya and ordered that his passport be surrendered. The judge also prohibited Madeya from leaving Pennsylvania. Madeya, who was arrested last month at his Florida residence and subsequently extradited to the commonwealth, remains in custody at the Westmoreland County Prison, according to his criminal docket.
Madeya’s attorney, Patrick Thomassey, told reporters after the brief hearing that prosecutors with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and defense counsel met to outline next steps. Thomassey said the judges decisions on bail were reasonable and noted Madeya has been jailed for approximately three weeks.
"The judge was very reasonable, and the attorney general was very reasonable, so we had his bail reduced to a monetary bail, which he can post, and he has been in jail now for approximately three weeks," Thomassey said.
Allegations: churches, donors and family
State prosecutors allege Madeya appropriated more than $750,000 from three churches located in Derry Township, Jeannette and McKeesport, as well as from donors and affiliates associated with those congregations. Separately, he is accused of taking nearly $250,000 from his mother, according to charges filed in the case.
The criminal case is being handled by the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office. Prosecutors did not provide additional details about the alleged transfers or how the funds were allegedly diverted during Thursdays magisterial court session.
Defense comments and possible trial issues
Thomassey told reporters the matter will likely involve extensive documentation and that the defense has questions about how priests are compensated within the Catholic Church. He declined to comment on the accuracy of the charges but said the case could proceed to trial.
Madeya waived the preliminary hearing — a legal move that bypasses the magisterial-level evidentiary screening and sends the case directly to common pleas court for arraignment or trial. That preserves procedural options for the defense and establishes an early schedule for the criminal proceedings.
Next court date and detention status
Madeya is scheduled to appear next at the Westmoreland County Courthouse on Wednesday, Oct. 14. Court records show he has not yet posted bail and remains detained at the county jail.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Bond set | $25,000 |
| Travel restriction | Passport surrendered; barred from leaving Pennsylvania |
| Alleged theft total from churches and donors | $750,000+ |
| Alleged theft from family | Nearly $250,000 (mother) |
| Next scheduled court date | Oct. 14, Westmoreland County Courthouse |
The charges, if proven, represent significant sums that would raise questions about financial oversight and stewardship within the churches involved. Those congregations are located in Derry Township, Jeannette and McKeesport; prosecutors say donors and affiliated individuals also were affected.
Context and community impact
Allegations of financial misconduct by clergy can have long-lasting effects on small congregations, many of which rely on tithes and donations for operations and outreach. Losses of this magnitude may prompt additional internal audits, greater scrutiny from diocesan authorities and civil recovery efforts by victims.
Legal experts say cases that involve alleged misappropriation of church funds frequently require detailed forensic accounting to trace funds and establish whether transfers were authorized. The defenses reference to priest compensation suggests one line of argument that could figure in pretrial motions or at trial.
- Madeya remains incarcerated at Westmoreland County Prison and has not posted bail.
- The Attorney Generals Office is leading the prosecution; local details on alleged transactions have not been released.
- Court proceedings will continue Oct. 14 at the Westmoreland County Courthouse.
The community and parishioners will likely be watching developments closely as the case moves into common pleas court. Officials from the Attorney Generals Office did not immediately respond to requests for further comment Thursday.
Reporting from the magisterial court in Jeannette contributed to this story.
