Buffalo woman admits to stealing $272K from church
Buffalo woman admits to stealing $272K from church
by: Mark Ludwiczak
Posted: Nov 13, 2025 / 04:55 PM EST
Updated: Nov 13, 2025 / 04:57 PM EST
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Buffalo woman has pleaded guilty to charges in connection to stealing more than $270,000 from a church on Buffalo’s East Side, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday.
LaChria Bowden, 55, stole approximately $272,205 from the church from November 2017 to September 2024. Bowden took preauthorized checks and wrote them to herself, the Erie County District Attorney’s Office said, and used the money for personal expenses.
Bowden pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree grand larceny and one count of repeated failure to file personal income and earnings taxes, both felonies. As part of the plea, Bowden agreed to repay the full amount that was stolen from the church and pay $8,950 to the Department of Taxation and Finance.
Bowden is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 22, 2026. The maximum sentence for second-degree grand larceny is 15 years in prison, but Judge Paul Wojtaszek has made a sentencing commitment of five years of probation at the request of the plaintiff.
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Mark Ludwiczak joined the News 4 team in 2024. He is a veteran journalist with two decades of experience in Buffalo. You can follow him online at @marklud12.
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