http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DE4DC103EF935A15751C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=1 Baptist Leader Is Charged With Theft; His Fund-Raising for Burned Black Churches Is Called Fraudulent
By GUSTAV NIEBUHR
Published: February 26, 1998
The Rev. Henry J. Lyons, president of the nation's largest predominantly black religious denomination, was charged in St. Petersburg, Fla., yesterday by the state authorities with racketeering and theft, stemming from accusations that he had misused his position for personal financial gain.
...
The charges against Mr. Lyons and Ms. Edwards come eight months after disclosures that the minister had been living a lavish life style and that Ms. Edwards, whom he had hired in 1995 as the denomination's public relations director, had pleaded guilty to conspiring to embezzle.
These details came to light after Mr. Lyons's wife, Deborah, was arrested on charges of setting fire to the waterfront house. Mrs. Lyons initially said she believed that her husband was having an affair, but she later recanted the accusation. Mr. Lyons has denied any romantic involvement with Ms. Edwards, with whom he shared a checking account and owned a 1987 Rolls-Royce.
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Once a nationally prominent religious figure widely courted by politicians and consulted for his views on racial matters by President Clinton, Mr. Lyons saw his reputation diminish and a shadow cast over his denomination after reports about his life style and association with Ms. Edwards became public."
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