Financial Crime News 07/16/2023
Jul 15, 2023(July 14) Couple Files Lawsuit Against Jacksonville Mega-Church After Leaving Amid Controversy | Jacksonville, FL
The founder of a Jacksonville mega-church has filed a lawsuit against the leadership of the church he left amid controversy.
Stovall Weems and his wife Kerri filed the lawsuit in federal court in Jacksonville on Wed., Jun. 12.
The couple accused the new leaders of Celebration Church of conspiring to force the Weems out.
Last year, the church leadership accused Weems of owing the church more than $30 million.
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(July 12) Video Captures Suspects Stealing Trailer From Chicago Church | Chicago, IL
A West Side church is relying on faith after their trailer was stolen.
It's a food pantry on wheels that's traveled all over Chicago for the past three years. The trailer was stolen a week ago from the Grace + Peace Church parking lot located in the North Austin community.
Surveillance video shows the theft happen last Wednesday in the church parking lot, located in the 1800 block of North LeClaire Avenue.
The truck that two men used to steal the trailer was also stolen from a construction company in Lawndale. The theft was discovered when volunteers were heading to feed the homeless and migrants over the weekend.
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(July 12) Hillsboro Church Out Thousands Of Dollars After Theft | Hillsboro, OR
A Hillsboro church is out thousands of dollars of donations following a theft. To make matters worse, the church says based on the evidence, it appears to be involving someone who knew exactly where to find the money.
The church is also cautioning those who donated to them to keep an eye on their bank accounts.
In an interview conducted by Telemundo, Oscar Rodriguez, who serves as a missionary at Saint Matthew Catholic Church, said “someone came into the church and stole thousands of dollars from our Sunday collection.”
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(July 11) Bridgewater Woman assaulted, Robbed Behind Blessed Sacrament Church; Suspect Sought: Cops | Bridgewater, NJ
Police are seeking a suspect wanted in the Sunday morning assault and robbery of a township woman as she was walking behind Blessed Sacrament Church in the Martinsville section.
The woman told police that she was walking on a path behind the Washington Valley Road church shortly before 10 a.m. when a man came up behind her and placed his hands over her eyes and mouth, according to Somerset County Prosecutor John McDonald.
The woman began to struggle with the man, and both fell to the ground, the prosecutor said.
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(July 11) Church Burglary Suspect Arrested In Connection To Multiple Thefts | Chico, CA
The Chico Police Department said they have made an arrest in connection to the two recent burglaries at local churches.
Detectives said they began investigating two separate burglaries on June 12. The burglaries occurred at Our Divine Savior Church and St. John the Evangelical Episcopal Church.
Detectives said they immediately believed that the burglaries were perpetrated by the same suspects.
On July 6, detectives served a search warrant in the 700 block of W. 4th Avenue. Detectives said they were searching for evidence of numerous property crimes targeting local Chico churches.
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