Former Southlake Christian pastor pleads guilty to embezzlement

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A former pastor at Southlake Christian Academy accused of stealing from the school pleaded guilty Wednesday.

Prosecutors said Wade Malloy embezzled more than half a million dollars from Southlake Christian Academy in Huntersville.

Channel 9 first began investigating the embezzlement in 2014 after Southlake officials said the school's headmaster, Wayne Parker, and Pastor Malloy resigned after an internal review uncovered missing money.

Parker pleaded guilty and last month a judge sentenced him to five years in prison for embezzling $9 million from the church.

Past coverage:

• Former Southlake Christian headmaster sentenced after embezzling $9 million
• Former headmaster charged with embezzling $9M from Southlake Christian
• FBI, Huntersville PD investigating SouthLake Christian embezzlement allegations
• Former Southlake Christian headmaster pleads guilty in embezzlement case

Prosecutors claim that from 2000 to 2014, Malloy was using the church and school's money to pay for personal expenses like medical bills, taxes, cars, credit cards and his child's college tuition and room and board.

They also said Malloy, who helped oversee finances, would have Parker issue him checks in addition to his salary.

Malloy was the church's first pastor and helped start Southlake Presbyterian Church in 1991.

Under the plea deal, Malloy will serve five years in prison and pay a $250,000 fine.

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