This just breaking from Palm Beach…fuzzy and confusing details, but two priests have been charged with stealing 8.6 million from a parish over 40 years’ time.

Two former priests at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church in Delray Beach have been accused of misappropriating $8.6 million from the church during the past 40 years.

Delray Beach police alleged that they skimmed cash from the offertory but deposited the checks in a church account.

Former pastors John Skehan and Francis Guinan were both charged with grand theft over $100,000.

Guinan, who became head priest in 2003, is alleged to have taken $400,000 for his personal use, including paying for trips to the Bahamas and Las Vegas.

Skehan was arrested Wednesday night at Palm Beach International Airport on a flight from Ireland, where he reportedly owned property.

A warrant has been issued for Guinan, detectives said.

Update: The article has been updated with more information. The link is the same, but there are more details now.

The investigation started more than a year ago when a concerned parishioner – concerned that the Diocese of Palm Beach would keep the theft a secret – sent an anonymous letter to Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer’s office.

An accounting firm, hired by the diocese, conducted a forensic audit of Skehan and Guinan’s numerous bank accounts.

Skehan reportedly deposited nearly $1.6 million in four banks accounts in cash, donation checks written by congregants, donated stock sales from the building fund and bequeathed money, according to his arrest report.

He used $134,075 to pay for his alleged lover’s expenses, gave $11,688 to family members and used another $268,630 for personal expenses, including car payments, dental work, property taxes, credit card payments and condo association fees, according to the report.

But he also used some of the money to help pay church expenses, Whatley said.

"What you had is one priest who did a lot of good for the church over 40 years … and another priest that came in after retirement who went ballistic with the fund," Whatley said.

It is still a little confusing. "Lovers" are mentioned in relationship to both men, but I’m not sure if that’s a mistake or not, for it almost reads as if only one of them should be associated with a "lover." Or whatever.  It’s oddly written, in a rush, of course.

Skehan is listed as "Pastor Emeritus" on the St. Vincent website, and from a correspondent I learn that Guinan, an old friend of his, took over as pastor when he retired, but then disappeared around Easter, for reasons no one knew.