Key Takeaways
- • A Washington state church pastor pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges, according to Law360.
- • The pastor allegedly told congregation members they had been chosen by God to back his e-commerce venture and induced victims to invest $13 million in what prosecutors describe as a sham company.
- • The case centers on alleged investment fraud targeting members of a religious congregation, a pattern that exposes affinity-based investor solicitation risks.
Summary
The pastor of a Washington church pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges, according to a Law360 report by Rachel Riley dated October 14, 2026. The allegations center on an alleged scheme in which the pastor told congregation members they had been chosen by God to back his e-commerce venture.
According to the charges as reported, the pastor convinced victims to invest $13 million in a company that was allegedly a sham. The use of religious conviction to solicit funds from congregants is a recurring feature of affinity fraud, in which trust within a close-knit community is exploited to gain access to capital that investors might otherwise scrutinize more carefully.
The Law360 article is the primary basis for this summary and is available in full only to subscribers, so further details regarding the court schedule, the specific company involved, or the status of any victim recovery efforts are not available from the reporting reviewed. The charges remain allegations, and the defendant has entered a not guilty plea.
According to the charges as reported, the pastor convinced victims to invest $13 million in a company that was allegedly a sham. The use of religious conviction to solicit funds from congregants is a recurring feature of affinity fraud, in which trust within a close-knit community is exploited to gain access to capital that investors might otherwise scrutinize more carefully.
The Law360 article is the primary basis for this summary and is available in full only to subscribers, so further details regarding the court schedule, the specific company involved, or the status of any victim recovery efforts are not available from the reporting reviewed. The charges remain allegations, and the defendant has entered a not guilty plea.
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