Nun Causes Embarrassment with Gambling Addiction

Over the past week church groups across the US have spoken out against Senator Harry Reid's bill to regulate online poker. Reid is putting forward regulations for online gambling which will make it legal and also protect players in the US from possible problem gambling.

Whilst most of the church is coming out in strong opposition, there is one member who is finding herself in a difficult position due to gambling. A nun who worked at Iona College in New York, Sister Marie Thornton, has been accused of stealing over $1 million from the college in order to fund her gambling.

According to church law the nun is supposed to denounce gambling, however, it appears that she had an addiction. Jeff Rutland, the Iona basketball coach said that Thornton was known for visiting Atlantic City casinos very regularly which in the end led to her stealing $1.2 million.

Until donors began to complain, the school had overlooked the missing money. Now Thornton is charged with making up invoices for false expenses and sending them to the school. At one point during her employment which lasted from 2025 to 2025, she was in charge of the school's finances.

Whilst the church is always the first to speak out against gambling and changes in gambling law, there is an unfortunate trend of its members having gambling addictions. In a number of cases, members of the church have been caught involved in gambling schemes where people in positions of authority have abused their power to fund gambling.

One of the advantages to Senator Reid's legislation is that it will make it difficult for people to rack up large gambling debts. The proposed legislation would ensure that spending limits are stuck to; which of course does not exist in an unregulated market.