The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) has arrested 44-year-old Melissa Ganey English (formerly Melissa Ganey Rhoden) on a charge of grand theft over $100,000, a first-degree felony, for allegedly embezzling more than $570,000 from Amelia Baptist Church.
According to the NCSO investigation, English served as the church’s financial secretary for approximately 11 years, from January 2019 to October 2024, and was responsible for maintaining its financial records. Discrepancies were discovered by two new church financial committee members who noticed funds were lower than expected after reviewing bank documents. Further examination of church credit card statements issued to English revealed hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal expenses.
Following these discoveries, English was terminated. The church then hired a contractor to audit all financial transactions from 2019 to 2024, which uncovered numerous discrepancies and fraudulent charges.
The NCSO investigation detailed the alleged embezzlement year by year:
- 2019: Nearly $40,000 embezzled.
- 2020: Nearly $90,000 embezzled through unauthorized charges, personal credit card payments, and extra payroll payments to herself.
- 2021: Over $100,000 embezzled, spent on Amazon purchases, SeaWorld tickets, Hey Dude Shoes, hotel stays, airlines, and a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon.
- 2022: Nearly $125,000 embezzled on purchases including cruise lines, Airbnb rentals, and concert tickets.
- 2023: Over $123,000 embezzled on fraudulent charges at Amazon, hotels, and Walmart.
- 2024: Over $90,000 embezzled through additional payroll payments and spending on cruise lines, baseball tickets, and hotels.
In total, English is accused of embezzling more than $570,000 from Amelia Baptist Church between 2019 and 2024. She has been charged with grand theft over $100,000 for the unauthorized use of the church’s credit card for personal expenses exceeding $500,000.
Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper commented, “This is a significant breach of trust that has deeply impacted the church community. The suspect abused her position of trust for years, using church funds meant for ministry and community service to instead fund her personal lifestyle. Our office is committed to seeking justice for the victims of this extensive financial crime.”
A warrant for English’s arrest was issued on March 25, 2025. Following a “Wanted Wednesday” post by the NCSO on April 9, 2025, she was located and apprehended in Baker County with the assistance of the Baker County Sheriff’s Office.
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