A JUDGE in Indiana this week sentenced a church financier to 54 years in prison for pocketing millions of dollars that investors believed would be used to build churches.
Vaughn Reeves begins a lengthy prison sentence for duping elderly faith-heads
Special Judge Dena Martin ordered former pastor Vaughn Reeves to serve consecutive six-year terms for each of nine fraud counts, in a scheme that cost about 2,900 investors $13.1 million. Among aggravating factors, Martin found Reeves targeted people over age 65 and used religion to influence them. Reeves’ attorney plans to appeal.
Investigators said Reeves, 66, and his three sons used their now-defunct company, Alanar, and sales pitches that included prayers and Bible passages to dupe about 11,000 investors into buying bonds worth $120 million secured by mortgages on construction projects at about 150 churches.
Instead, Reeves and his sons diverted money from new investments to pay off previous investors, pocketing $6 million and buying two airplanes, sports cars and vacations.
Prosecutors pointed to the case as a prime example of affinity fraud, in which scammers prey on people who share a common interest, such as religious affiliation, ethnicity or age.
Reeves’ sons are scheduled to go on trial in March.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
December 9th, 2010 at 11:17 am
Luckily, he’s just one bad apple.
We can be sure that all the rest are genuine.
December 9th, 2010 at 11:27 am
at least the churches didnt get built, that’s a silver lining.
December 9th, 2010 at 12:04 pm
He should have gone into banking, no fear of being prosecuted there and you can steal way more than 13.1 million..
December 9th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
The church fleeces millions from gullible people who’ll fall for a made-up story every single week. How come its representatives don’t end up on trial too?
December 9th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
He’s going to be really old when he gets out. Hope his few years of living large were worth it.
December 9th, 2010 at 12:56 pm
What happened to the “god made me do it” defence?
December 9th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
What does this story have to do with atheism? Why is it on this blog?
December 9th, 2010 at 1:26 pm
1 Surely you are not implying that a religious institution say the Jehovah’s Witnesses would cover up for a sex offender for 25 years and help him evade justice
http://www.northamptonchron.co....._1_1782996
Or that a Muslim Cleric would use their position to rape a young naïve 12 year old child http://www.birminghammail.net/.....-27786158/
No these guys are just bad apples I am sure
December 9th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
Damnit Sailor, I was gonna say that!
December 9th, 2010 at 3:52 pm
@angela_k
Nah, the devil made me do it. I have prayed and am totally forgiven. Can I go now?
December 9th, 2010 at 4:32 pm
He really doesnt have to worry for god will forgive him and when he goes to heaven he can give god a few pointers how to continue his work of ripping off people.
December 9th, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Is this case any different to people donating money to the church every week. It’s all lies and priests are all con men. All priests should be locked up in padded cells.
December 9th, 2010 at 6:30 pm
@ tallandrew
See tag “Priests behaving badly” then use your imagination.
December 9th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
Another thief behind bars! Though this reminds me ofthis one
http://www.religionnewsblog.co.....n-churches
December 10th, 2010 at 5:12 am
Really????? Is this something new? Clergy using religion and myth to dupe the innocent??? Selling idiots a guarantee of an afterlife.
Jonestown, enough said.
NeoWolfe
December 10th, 2010 at 10:01 am
Would it not be great if Ratty and his ilk were to stand trial for crimes against humanity?
Now that would be a xmas present!
December 13th, 2010 at 1:13 pm
@David Andersen
All those links are certainly examples of religion gone wrong, but they are hardly an apologetic for atheism are they? Surely there are better ‘freethinking’ arguments for the non-existence of God that don’t rely simply on highlighting bad examples of the alternatives?
December 13th, 2010 at 10:12 pm
@tallandrew
Well, I think you are right, there are better arguments for the non-existence of god but there are lots of other things considered on this site including the bad behaviour of people who call themselves religious.