Black Collar Crime Round-Up: April 30, 2012
Adrian Kueker • Emmanuel Makandiwa • Cheryl Roblyer
No contest plea: Timothy George Bender, 48, pastor, Burning Bush (a Christian congregation), Shelby, Michigan, to two counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct; i.e., engaging in sexual relationship with his stepdaughter, resulting in the births of two children. Bender — who was also a licensed foster parent for about five years (and whose wife says she knew nothing of her husband’s relationship with her daughter) — is due to be sentenced May 21, 2012; he could receive anywhere from two to 15 years in prison. Story: Oceana’s Herald-Journal, April 25, 2012; MLive.com, April 27, 2012
Placed on leave: Franklin Dvorak, Roman Catholic priest; pastor, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish, Omaha, Nebraska, while under investigation for allegedly sexually abusing a female student at Norfolk Catholic School, Sacred Heart Parish, Norfolk, Nebraska, from 1970 to 1972. Story: KETV, April 28, 2012; AP, April 29, 2012
Sued: Alexander D. Hurt, Sr., owner (“dominion authority”), Christian radio station WMSX AM 1410, and senior lead pastor (COGIC), Dominion Christian Church, Brockton, Massachusetts, by American Capital Holdings, LLC, which claims Hurt and his church owe $232,000 for investments in Ugandan gold. According to the suit, Hurt’s response to inquiries on the status of the transactions “were vague and evasive … that internet connections were poor, and that he was ‘working around the clock to settle this’…” After American Capital issued a written notice of default, Hurt reportedly responded: “You and I are in the same boat. We are not thieves, We have been trying to do deals to get people their money back and get out of the mess that we are in for two years and two weeks. That’s why I went to Africa where I lost all the gold, all the money and nearly lost my life. … I have lost everything. The church finally had enough with me and let me go. They kicked my family out of our housing at night… The Congo guys sent someone after me because they thought I stole their gold. … I WANT MY LIFE BACK …” Story: American Capital Holdings, LLC, v. Dominion Christian Church and Alexander D. Hurt, April 19, 2012
Arrested: Adrian Kueker, 29, youth pastor, Refuge Student Ministries, Morrilton First Assembly of God, Morrilton, Arkansas, on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in his church office. Kueker is married and the father of a five-year-old girl, who appears to have been the product of a previous marriage. Story: Arkansas Matters, April 27, 2012; KTHV, April 27, 2012
Under investigation: Emmanuel Makandiwa, founder and “prophet,” United Family International Church (UFIC), Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, “over illegal parcelling out of stands,” reports the Zimbabwe Mail. Authorities have reportedly “compiled a special report showing how Makandiwa’s church acquired vast tracts of council land without following laid-down procedures. … Council officials, some of whom have been arrested and are presently on bail, are accused of allocating stands in a corrupt and chaotic manner, resulting in residential stands being doled out on land meant for construction of schools, roads and creches.” Makandiwa’s Facebook page describes the preacher as a “The Man of God … appointed by God as a Prophet to the nation of Zimbabwe and beyond her borders. Prophet Makandiwa has given numerous, true and accurate prophecies into the lives of many individuals proving that he is indeed a true Prophet send by God to the nations.” Story: Zimbabwe Mail, April 27, 2012
Arrested: Cheryl Roblyer, 57, former bookkeeper/office manager, Central Valley Christian Academy, Fresno, California, on suspicion of embezzling somewhere in the neighborhood of $105,000 from the school. KFSN reports: “[School administrator Timothe Addelsee] says the IRS had recently come calling for back taxes, and board members quickly discovered almost $24,000 in checks they believe Roblyer wrote to herself. But they could never reach her, so they handed the case over to police. … Police say in an arrest warrant that Roblyer admitted forging the checks. Administrators say she took cash as well, leaving the school in such a bind that parents removed ten of the 27 students.” Story: KFSN, April 28, 2012
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The shady business dealings of Alexander Hurt did not begin with this gold scheme. In the process of building a church at a cost of $1.5 million or so, the project abruptly ended amidst considerable speculation amongst the membership as to what happened to the money … those who questioned Hurt were invited to leave the ministry, were removed from their positions and replaced, or ‘disfellowshipped’ … here’s the link showing the church building project … http://www.enterprisenews.com/news/x952878533/Brockton-s-new-Kingdom-Church-is-visible-and-vocal
There is also an incident involving a business associate who reportedly loaned Hurt close to $100,000 dollars (a non-church member) who has not been repaid. Further, this same individual was contacted by Hurt to participate in the gold scheme.
I wish someone in the press like yourself would dig a little deeper into the shady business dealings of this charlatan.
[...] wife claimed to have no knowledge of the sexual affair, was also a licensed foster parent. Story: Conservative Babylon, April 30, 2012; MLive.com, May 21, [...]