Ex-employee admits to stealing nearly $1 million combined from parish, medical office

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) -- A former employee at a Town of Tonawanda parish and a medical office pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing nearly $1 million combined from the organizations, the Erie County District Attorney's Office announced.

Lisa A. Noble, 44, also known as Lisa Prynn, admitted to stealing roughly $465,000 from St. Amelia's Parish and over $500,000 from a City of Tonawanda audiology practice, according to officials. She was taken into custody in March after fleeing to the Raleigh, North Carolina area where she allegedly took employment as a babysitter for a family of four under the alias Julie Wilson.

Officials said Noble, formerly of Williamsville, made numerous unauthorized purchases with St. Amelia's debit card, issued fraudulent checks to herself and stole cash deposits while working as a business manager at the church from April to September last year. She allegedly used the stolen money to purchase concert tickets, travel, lodging and other personal expenses.

Former Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said in March that Noble allegedly used around $20,000 of the stolen funds to travel to Kansas City for a Taylor Swift concert, taking a limo to arrive at the show.

Noble was placed on administrative leave by the parish on Sept. 15 after the theft was discovered and was terminated from her position the following week, officials said.

Noble stole the money from the audiology practice from 2016 to 2021 while working there as an office manager, according to officials.

“This defendant brazenly stole nearly a million dollars from two former employers to fund her extravagant lifestyle then fled the area in an attempt to evade prosecution," Acting Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane said in a release. "Today, I am pleased to announce that she has pleaded guilty to the indictment with a commitment from the judge that she will serve a significant period of incarceration."

Noble pleaded guilty to the following charges Tuesday:

• Four counts of second-degree grand larceny
• Three counts of first-degree falsifying business records
• One count of third-degree grand larceny
• Three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument

As a condition of her plea, Noble signed confessions of judgment to pay restitution to both victims. She is ordered to pay $465,424.19 to St. Amelia's Parish and $890,723.08 to the audiology practice.

Noble faces a maximum of 30 years in prison when she is sentenced on July 25, and remains held without bail.