Minister accused of theft from church

[Ban Hammer 13,347]

CLEVELAND - A clergyman is accused of stealing about $300,000 from the church he led, taking money from a fund for the poor and stealing parishioners' identities before his imprisonment last year on unrelated charges.

The Rev. Donald Ray Robinson, who was released from federal prison last month after serving time for wire fraud, was indicted Monday on charges of theft, securing records by deception, identity fraud and money laundering.

An investigation began after parishioners of Lane Metropolitan Christian Methodist Episcopal Church found that Robinson used church property as collateral to obtain loans and laundered money through bank accounts, prosecutor James Gutierrez said.

Robinson, 56, also drained church funds earmarked for the poor, stole the identities of church members to obtain illegal credit cards and pocketed a $5,000 grant from the Cleveland Foundation for a computer training program, Gutierrez said.

Robinson became pastor in summer 2005. The criminal activity occurred for about two years, Gutierrez said.

A separate indictment accuses a worship leader at the church of co-signing one of Robinson's loans and of money laundering.

Robinson could not be reached for comment; his telephone number is private, and the Cuyahoga County court clerk's office on Tuesday had not been notified of a lawyer for him.

Robinson told church members last year that he would be going away for 10 months. He was in federal prison in Pennsylvania after being convicted of a real estate scam in Mississippi, Gutierrez said. The Federal Bureau of Prisons said Robinson was released Dec. 14 after serving a sentence for wire fraud.

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[*JG* 2]

Very sad.

[PlatyPius 5]

Impossible! Everyone knows (because it's been stated on VJ many, many times) that Christians have morals/ethics while non-Christians don't. Obviously, the man therefore wasn't a Christian and couldn't be a minister. Ergo, the headline should read "Imposter Minister Steals Bucks From Sheep".

[*JG* 2]

Impossible! Everyone knows (because it's been stated on VJ many, many times) that Christians have morals/ethics while non-Christians don't. Obviously, the man therefore wasn't a Christian and couldn't be a minister. Ergo, the headline should read "Imposter Minister Steals Bucks From Sheep".

That is funny.

[PlatyPius 5]

Or maybe "Wolf in Minister Clothing Fleeces Sheep"?

[*JG* 2]

I worked in a Catholic Parish for 7 years. After 1.5, I realized the Priest was doing some very unethical things as far as what I called stealing from the poor people. After collecting evidence, I ended up in a meeting with the Archbishop and voiced my concerns. They had a meeting with the Priest. 6 LONG months later (let's just say it was tense to work together after that and even the assurances from the Diocese that he could not fire me didn't help), he was moved to a job where he received a paycheck but had no access to anyone else's money.

In the end, he got away with something they would've probably thrown me in prison for. But, I did protect the people I had come to love as my own family.

[eric&gen 0]

Good minister gone bad guess not enough free hand outs.

[Krikit 1,164]

Or maybe "Wolf in Minister Clothing Fleeces Sheep"?

[almaty 19]

Impossible! Everyone knows (because it's been stated on VJ many, many times) that Christians have morals/ethics while non-Christians don't. Obviously, the man therefore wasn't a Christian and couldn't be a minister. Ergo, the headline should read "Imposter Minister Steals Bucks From Sheep".

brother platy....i seen many a client who were ministers in my office for a variety of reasons..also, when i worked the parole board and ran a treatment program in kansas for prisoners...one of the criminals had murdered his secreatary spouse and then his wife....happen in Emporia Kansas...

[Amby 490]

bad leader!

[Alex+R 0]

My cousin's husband used his position as leader in the ELCA to cheat on his wife, like, six times. They're still together. (!?)

[almaty 19]

My cousin's husband used his position as leader in the ELCA to cheat on his wife, like, six times. They're still together. (!?)

let go ..let god

[Alex+R 0]

My cousin's husband used his position as leader in the ELCA to cheat on his wife, like, six times. They're still together. (!?)

let go ..let god

Yeah thank god I don't know them that well or I'd have a hard time keeping quiet.

[Ban Hammer 13,347]

My cousin's husband used his position as leader in the ELCA to cheat on his wife, like, six times. They're still together. (!?)

let go ..let god

Yeah thank god I don't know them that well or I'd have a hard time keeping quiet.

no way, alex keep quiet?