General Discussion

eridani

(51,907 posts) Wed Apr 8, 2015, 01:57 AM Apr 2015

Mega-Church won't give back $300K donated by Ponzi scheme

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/06/1375942/-Mega-Church-won-t-give-back-300K-donated-by-Ponzi-scheme

Michigan's largest Ponzi schemer, David McQueen, is a terrible person.

McQueen, sentenced to 30 years in prison in one of the state’s largest, if not the largest, Ponzi schemes, was more interested in contesting his convictions than recognizing devastating losses to hundreds of victims, many of them seated behind him Wednesday, Dec. 3, in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids, the prosecutor said.

“He created the books, he ran the fraud, he’s the mastermind behind the scene,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Borgula told a judge. “He’s not the victim. He’s one of the worst kinds of financial predators. He’s so arrogant he thinks he’s infallible.”

One of the beneficiaries of McQueen's graft was Resurrection Life Church in Grandville, MI. McQueen donated around $300,000.00 to the church (supposedly saying "I am blessed to be a blessing"–gross). Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Borgula is trying to get some of the monies stolen from people back. He presented the church with evidence of the stolen funds. MLive got a copy of the church's letter back to the U.S. Attorney:

The letter, addressed to Borgula, said elders "have read and considered the detailed information contained in your email of November 26, 2014, regarding the tithe monies and gifts given to the church by Mr. David McQueen. We were saddened to hear the news of his wrongdoing, and pray that God will work in his heart and life and bring repentance.

"We have prayerfully considered your request that the Church return all or part of this donor's gifts and tithe monies, and must respectfully decline to do so."