Texas Pastor Uses Donations For Personal Expenses

[MineralMan]

Now, it's not that uncommon for the odd pastor or two to grift their own congregations, but you don't see them grifting the federal government too often. Here's an exception, though. I guess "Thou shalt not steal" doesn't apply if you're defrauding a government. I'm still searching for the verse that says, "Thou shalt get it while thou canst."

An East Texas minister and his family have been sentenced to federal prison for using hurricane relief funds to pay for personal expenses and fund their Jasper church.

Walter Diggles, the former executive director of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, was sentenced Tuesday to 9 years. The 66-year-old was also ordered to pay more than $1.3 million in restitution. His wife and daughter, Rosie and Anita Diggles, were each sentenced to more than four years and ordered to pay about $970,000 in joint restitution.

Walter Diggles and his wife were convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and money laundering in August 2017. Their daughter was convicted of a conspiracy charge.

Trial evidence shows that the Diggles defrauded federal authorities out of recovery funds intended for hurricanes Rita, Katrina, Ike and Dolly.

http://www.ktsa.com/texas-pastor-uses-donations-for-personal-expenses/

[Cartoonist]

1. Where there's one, suspect another

Religious grifters dot the land.

Here's a quote I like:

Joel Osteen won't open his church that holds 16,000 to hurricane victims because it only provides shelter from taxes.

[rownesheck]

2. good.

just put them all in jail. I'm sure they've all committed some sort of crime.

[Major Nikon]

3. Fleecing the flock doesn't quite work out as well with the feds