SC woman stole over $400,000 from church where she worked, cops say
A woman was arrested for stealing more than $400,000 from the church where she worked, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
On Monday, Latrise Latrell Seward was charged with breach of trust with fraudulent intent ($10,000 or more), SLED said in a news release.
The 54-year-old Rembert resident was the treasurer for the Mechanicsville United Methodist Church, according to the release. That’s near Ashwood Lake in Lee County.
Between Jan. 1, 2018, and Aug. 29, 2025, Seward used her access to the church’s bank accounts to make unauthorized personal purchases totaling $402,655.45, an arrest warrant shows. When questioned by law enforcement officers, Seward confessed to making the unauthorized purchases, according to the arrest warrant.
There was no word about what was bought with the stolen money, or if all of it was spent.
Seward was booked into the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center, SLED said in the release. She was issued a $10,000 personal recognizance bond, which was posted Monday, Lee County court records show. Seward is scheduled to return to court on Aug. 12, according to judicial records.
The Lee County Sheriff’s Office asked SLED to lead an investigation, and Seward will be prosecuted by the 3rd Circuit Solicitor’s Office, according to the release.
If convicted on the felony charge, Savage faces a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison, according to South Carolina law.
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This story was originally published July 7, 2026 at 11:43 AM with the headline "SC woman stole over $400,000 from church where she worked, cops say."
