A 44-year-old accountant used an Amelia Island church as her personal slush fund, siphoning off nearly $600,000 to pay for helicopter rides, SeaWorld trips, and a dizzying range of other splurges, police said.
Melissa Ganey English, 44, was taken into custody on Wednesday after prosecutors said she systematically drained Amelia Baptist Church’s coffers from 2019 to 2024.
According to the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office, English had served as the house of worship’s financial secretary for 11 years and oversaw the church’s records during that period.
The agency said her scheme imploded after two new members of the church’s financial committee noted suspect financial discrepancies after reviewing bank documents and records.
They discovered that the church had far less in its reserves than it should have and began to scrutinize a church credit card that had been issued directly to English.
The secretary, they were stunned to discover, had amassed a mountain of charges for personal expenses in excess of $570,000.
English was fired, and reeling church officials hired an investigator to delve into her illicit spending.
In 2019, English embezzled nearly $40,000. When that theft went undetected, English apparently grew emboldened, upping her spending to $90,000 through unauthorized charges, personal credit card payments, and additional payroll payments to herself.
In 2021, English purloined more than $100,000, treating herself to Amazon purchases, SeaWorld tickets, Hey Dude Shoes, hotel stays, airline tickets, and a thrilling helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon, officials said.
The scheme continued to flourish the following year, with English spending $125,000 on the church’s dime. That year’s luxuries included cruise ship holidays, Airbnb rentals and concert tickets.
In 2023, English blew $123,000 on Amazon sprees, hotel stays, and Walmart frenzies.
Last year, the secretary rang up another $90,000 in charges, whipping out the church plastic for baseball tickets, more cruise trips and hotel stays and other personal expenses.
English — who turned her social media accounts private — is now charged with grand theft over $100,000, a first-degree felony, for “knowingly and unlawfully using the church’s credit card for personal expenses.
“This is a significant breach of trust that has deeply impacted the church community,” said Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper. “The suspect abused her position of trust for years, using church funds meant for ministry and community service to instead fund her personal lifestyle. Our office is committed to seeking justice for the victims of this extensive financial crime.”
The department issued a warrant for her arrest on March 25, 2025. She was ultimately taken into custody in Baker County on Wednesday.
English appears to have launched a GoFundMe campaign in 2015 seeking donations for a church mission to work with another house of worship in Yonkers, New York.
“May God bless you richly!” her post concludes.
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2 Responses
Her church was too trusting. Absolutely no oversight for 5 years! Wow, absolute stupidity. Wonder what her husband thought about the $100,000 a year extra disposal income? Duh……
I agree. So sad she was able to squeeze $ for so long.