
A former director of a local church's childcare center has been indicted following a yearlong investigation into embezzlement allegations. Stephany Peugeot, the former director at the Southminster Presbyterian Church’s Childcare Center, is accused of using her position to misappropriate funds exceeding $200,000 for personal use, as reported by WKRN.
According to the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD), suspicions were first raised when employee paychecks from the childcare center began to bounce intermittently in late 2023. MNPD’s Fraud Unit, headed by Detective Ryan Burger, engaged to meticulously trace the financial activities under Peugeot's purview, eventually concluding that she had been siphoning off funds from June 2021 through November 2023. MNPD relayed through a social media post that Peugeot, 55, is now facing felony theft charges. The post did not mince words in outlining the accusation that she "embezzled more than $200k."
A year of investigation into the embezzlement of funds from the Southminster Presbyterian Church's Childcare Center has led to the indictment/arrest of its former director. Stephany Peugeot, 55, is charged with felony theft. She's alleged to have embezzled more than $200k. pic.twitter.com/GASggGiQQO
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) December 18, 2024
The extensive investigation by MNPD into these irregularities led to the formal indictment, with WSMV reporting Detective Burger's characterization of the probe as "painstaking." The inquiry delved into the center's financial dealings over a two-and-a-half-year period, eventually spotlighting Peugeot's alleged malfeasance.
Peugeot was taken into custody on a Tuesday, but she has managed to secure release on a $50,000 bond. The magnitude of the alleged theft has rocked the local community, which had placed significant trust in the childcare center under her leadership. "Peugeot embezzled more than $200,000 for a variety of personal expenses," MNPD was quoted in statements obtained by WKRN. Her case adds to a growing concern over the financial management and oversight within institutions trusted with the care of the youngest and most vulnerable.