A pastor in the United States, Dale Sanders, has been convicted of embezzling more than $340,000 from two churches in Louisiana, using the stolen funds to finance gambling and other personal expenses.
The 56-year-old was found guilty by a jury on 25 charges, including wire fraud, access device fraud and obstructing a federal investigation, after a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long.
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The verdict was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana in a statement published on the website of the U.S. Department of Justice and obtained by PUNCH Online on Thursday.
Federal prosecutors said Sanders orchestrated a scheme to deceive two churches in order to unlawfully obtain money and other assets through false representations.
According to the statement, Sanders transferred funds from one church’s bank accounts into accounts under his control and spent the money on personal needs, including gambling, meals and everyday living costs.
Investigators also found that he made unauthorized personal purchases using the church’s debit card, receiving cash, goods and services worth more than $340,000 without permission.
In addition to the fraud-related offences, the jury convicted Sanders of interfering with a federal investigation after he allegedly submitted a falsified document in response to a grand jury subpoena.
Judge Brandon S. Long fixed October 13, 2026, for Sanders’ sentencing.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the offences carry a maximum prison sentence of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the financial gain or loss involved, up to three years of supervised release following imprisonment, as well as a mandatory $100 special assessment for each count.
U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans Field Office for its work on the investigation, while Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn McHugh and Tracey Knight of the Financial Crimes Unit led the prosecution.
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