He was nigeria!!! Hello!!! They are nothing but rip off artists to begin with.

All religious leaders are con men. They want your money and promise you nothing but pipe dreams. Rip off their private bits and bury them in a pigsty.

Then why are you paid for any work you do? Do we call you a drunk just because some people abuse alcohol? By your analogy, yes. There are cons who hide behind religion and do their criminal work. You become a bigot to classify all evangelicals and Baptists or any religious people as con men. This man was not a pastor in a real church. He was a con man working a scam pretending to be a pastor. He was also a "lawyer." I note you had nothing to say about that. Are all lawyers con men too?

What would you call a religious Nigerian lawyer? An oxymoronic myth.

Some of the sleaziest, nastiest and most ignorant people I've ever met have been "religious" types. Never forget that over 3,000 Americans died because fanatics slammed planes into buildings in the name of God. No wonder more and more people are waking up and rejecting organized religion.

Pastor, Nigerian, Lawyer...why on earth would anyone NOT trust this guy?

It's just really funny that people who do these types of things actually think that they won't get caught. LOL Morons!

The two cons ought to be stripped of all property, down to their socks and offshore accounts, then shot (or at least life in prison). One can only hope that Kharma will swoop down on this pair of buzzards. The same should happen in the Hugley case, robbed by her accountant and lawyer.

Actually, some of the "sleaziest" people I have noticed online are the atheists that comment on all stories dealing with religion here on newvine. Your comment is taking this story totally out of context to further your anti-God agenda. I hope you see the "light" someday.

SJ Guy,
Don't forget, the US lost another 4500 soldiers due to another "Born Again", although he isn't a Pastor, but he was President.
So, in addition to the original 3000 people lost in 9/11, we lost another 4500 to another religious zealot who started his own war in Iraq. I'm willing to let him slide on Afghanistan, though it appears we were focused on the wrong country.

Nigerian-lawyer-pastor, which one of these didn't give her a clue that this guy was a crook?

Most religions a total swindle. Promising goods to be delivered after you die. Easiest con in the world.

And religion is introduced to most of us by parents who wouldn't make us believe in something that isn't real - except for Santa Claus, the Easter bunny and the tooth fairy.

Let's hope Ms McCarther finds that justice is served to those who worshipped at the altar of greed.

Linda... most atheists are created by the totally abhorrent activities of the so called religious folks. Over 2000 years of incessant religious conflicts and other religion centered human misery, for no other reason than a desire to cram your value system and your supernatural beliefs down other people's throat. That is despicable, not atheism (and I'm not an atheist).

The BuyBull cults have been stealing from people all my life. Why is this news?

Actually, some of the "sleaziest" people I have noticed online are the atheists that comment on all stories dealing with religion here on newvine.

Really Linda? Care to drop your kids off at the Pedophile Cathcolic Cult building for the weekend? Is it atheists who have butt-raped tens of thousands of children in church buildings over several decades? Wake up, hon. You're suffering from BuyBull delusions.

No doubt this scoundrel pastor-lawyer, like many of his ilk, took the "blessed are the poor" to heart, as long as he himself wasn't at the "poor" end. I hope he ends up in jail for a long time, and, please, don't give him access to a computer, we don't need another Nigerian scam artist sending out fraudulent emails.

@ max^108, I am an Atheist. Its only after years of growing up in religious schools and reading the babble, the book of mormon ( I dated a mormon chick once) and lifes lessons, that I came to this decision. We are all taught that "god" created all of this from thin air and that "god" was just floating out there in the nether-regions waiting to poof, create this. These stories are man made, with control in mind. If you truly beLIEve that "god" created all this, Adam from thin air, eve from its ribs, and here's the fork in the road. He, She, It, "god" needed a host for jesus? I mean, if he, it, she, "god" could create all this from thin air, why need a host for jesus? Just a crazy tale, I mean if it, jesus, is really real. Lets not discuss the Ark, not enough characters left for me to type. The shroud, is a masters master painting, maybe Leonardo.. Its younger than they think, the fire damaged the cloth. Of here is another, if "jesus" were really real and this supposed super figure, why is there nothing left? I mean, like a nail, or 2. Pieces of the cross, the crown of thorns. They saw fit to make these items, but not preserve them. Hmmm..

The religious have been fleecing their flock for thousands of years. This isn't new. I just love how the religious preach tolerance, respect, love, acceptance. But the practice, intolerance, being disrespectful towards other religions, hatred of other religions or others and they do not accept anyone who doesn't kowtow to their way of thinking, acting and being.

I read the other day, that a catholic priest just admitted to being secretly married. WOW that should be good new for the church, at least its not a child. But he'll be excommunicated and defrocked, just for doing what the church wants done daily, marriages. Hypocrites. All religions were created for control purposes, nothing more, nothing less. They are exclusive, not inclusive. They are divisive. They pretend to be holier than thou, but don't walk the talk.

Hip Hip Hurray for another christian POS. Never read about an atheist ripping off old folks or putting their kids in a microwave, nope high crimes are a christian bugga boo.

Nigerian, lawyer, and a minister (pastor). That's almost the full house of corruption. All that was needed was ex-convict, stripper, former drug dealer, or politician!

This reminds me of what happened in my home town back in the early '80s. I'm from a small town in the South (NC). There was a mainstream Baptist church in town, and some of the members felt it wasn't evanglical enough. They eventually split off and formed their own "Bible-based" church, lead by some charismatic "true" Christian. That was in the mid-to late '70s. Several years later, this church opened up a retirement home. And around 1983, it was discovered that the pastor had been embezzling money from the old folks in his home, and he skipped town. I remember being appalled at the time because someone from that church came knocking at our door one night trying to proselytize ("witness") to my family and urge us to come to their church. I asked this guy about their pastor and what was going on with him. He responded simply that the poor 'ol pastor had been working too hard and had been under a lot of stress, that's why he did the things he had done, and "we're praying for him." The thing is, at that point, nobody in that church even knew where he was, just that he ran off with the old folks' money. Something tells me if he hadn't been their pastor, just some heathen man who had done this, they wouldn't have been so forgiving.

"Linda... most atheists are created by the totally abhorrent activities of the so called religious folks. Over 2000 years of incessant religious conflicts and other religion centered human misery..."

Not in my case. I became an atheist because theism fails its burden of proof in stating there is a god.

I have yet to see in the bible where it tells people to rip off old ladies. I have yet to see in the bible where it tells people to rape children or anyone else. It's not the bible or the christian god or Jesus who are doing these things but the evil men who use the names of the bible when they do evil things. Likewise, it isn't atheism that committed millions of murders of people in the USSR or Cambodia. It was, in fact, the murderers who wielded the philosophy.

@420 - I believe in supernatural just like I believe in love, beauty, goodness - these are all things I have experienced, however intangible, or hard to define and prove. But most religions actually destroy our natural instinct for these subtle things, even as we truly crave them - replacing them with ancient dogmas and superstitions.

@Dogma B - Bible is not as nice as you claim. The OT is the root cause of most religious conflicts in the world because it promotes religious fanaticism and proposes the idea of a vengeful God. It justifies genocide and unimaginable atrocities done in the name of religion. Moses and his gang butchered half of their tribe, women and children included, to 'cleanse' their people of 'pagan religions'. Tell me this is better than swindling widows of their money.

Dogman, I see your point, but the problem is that seems to be a position religious people take only after one of their leaders is caught doing something reprehensible. The example I gave about the God-fearing preacher in my own home town, who ran off with a stash of loot he stole from the old folks at his church's retirement home, the people at his church were always holier than thou. They thought this guy, their pastor, was "filled with the Holy Spirit." And because they had all been "saved" and "knew the Lord" and "spoke with the Lord," they had so much certainty about their pastor and that he was a "true" man of God, and they could feel God's presence in him. But only the worst of the worst could do what this man did. It makes no sense to me that these Baptist folks who claimed they "know God" and have a relationship with God, and that God speaks to them and told them what a great man this pastor was, how could they (and God) miss out on the obvious fact that he was actually (and so obviously) a complete turd? How did God miss that, too?

AlaskaGirl-759554 ~~ I totally agree with you (I'm a former Alaska Girl too). This poor woman. She deserves some peace and solace in her golden years. I hope that all that was lost can be recovered. Then she can leave it to those she loves. I wish her and her family the very best.

I volunteer at soup kitchens, I foster abused animals, and I help the poor and needy. But I will never send a cent of my money to these fascist preachers who tell you how to live, then raid your wallet. Wake up, people. We do not need religion to run our country. Just empathy and mutual respect.

We have separation of church and state for a reason. If your going to insist on "justice" regarding taxes, then I suggest that you and those like you repay churches, which established hospitals, clinics, homeless shelters, almshouses, orphanages and schools, long before the state did. All kinds of people over the centuries have benefited from these things, not just church members. Pay up. No? I didn't think so.

Sorry Nik, there is no "separation of church and state" The First Amendment reads, in part "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof". That says the Federal Government can't pass a law requiring or prohibiting the creation of a religion, nor compel or prohibit adherence to any/all religion.

It also does NOT grant churches a free ride. And as the First Amendment has been ruled applicable to the States, they too operate under the same constraints vis-a-vis religion.

When churches have enough money to buy property and pay a minister/staff salaries, they ought to be subject to the same taxes I am on my income and property; anything less is an affront to the antiestablishment clause of the Constitution.

The only separation is the TAX benefit. Maybe in the days when the CHURCH cared about the people and not their "Hay look at us and our mega church building" that cost 8 million plus! Please, you're talking about maybe 1% of the churches today put forth a real effort in helping those in need. The rest are simply getting away with untaxed social clubs. I'm sure some people will come up with the missionary that goes to Mexico or some place and they feel they have done their duty as a church, Not so.

The State has more for the people then most churches today as far as help so I think this whole hiding in front of a word Church is sorta bogus in this day and age.

So NO, I'll never give to a church...I give direct to the person in need almost everyday, the way it should be and I don't get a tax credit nor do I see the need to get one.

If the government taxes churches, then government is entangled with religion. Imagine a church that falls behind on paying its property tax. The government could seize the building, effectively denying people the ability to worship in a structure that facilitates that. The free exercise of religion is a right, not something that people merit because they've paid their taxes.

People complain (rightly so) about churches meddling in civil/secular affairs. Let's use same sex marriage as an example. What happens to the "separation of church and state" thing that pro-same sex marriage people clamor about, if churches and religious institutions are taxed? Taxation gives institutions rights, or a claim to rights, that separation of church and state guards against. It works both ways.

Good the best place to worship is in private so your father above see's you and knows you are sincere, but most go for the show and to be seen, Little do they think about God.

@ Robbie: pastors do not go begging for tax exempt status for churches. Tax exemption for churches dates back to the colonial era of our country's history. Sorry to burst your bubble.

Regarding comments about pastors not paying taxes on their property: pastors pay income taxes. If they own their own house (property) purchased with their salary, they do pay taxes on the property to the locality in which the house is located. Their personal property is not tax exempt. And not all pastors are in a mega church earning large salaries. Most pastors are in small churches with average incomes.

But everyone gets up in arms when a story of someone "posing" as a pastor runs a scam. This man was not a psstor. Most pastors are honest hard working people who truly care about the people in their churches. We are free to believe or not to believe in a God and practice a religion. Why should that bother any of you who choose not to believe? It really upsets some people to allow for another's belief sytem.

I have to pay taxes on the houses I own so why do these pastors get to live in their houses without paying taxes? They have every convenience I have yet pay no taxes on what luxuries they use. On top of that they abuse children yet don't even pay for the crime.

I also feel that once the pastor gets involved in politics by supporting one party over the other that church should lose it's tax exemption. Speak out against issue but don't tell it's membership who to vote for.

Jesus said "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God, the things that are God's," In other words....pay taxes to Caesar and give your soul to God. Ah, if only those on the far right felt the same way but instead it seems as though they have given their soul to greed.

Churches use property as a tax dodge. Most large churches own large properties that conduct various business ventures over and above the operation of the actual churches, but because the property is owned by the church, it's not taxed. Businesses that operate on the properties are tax exempt, if they are associated with the church. They pay taxes on the "actual" profit from the business, but not on the property, or the rent paid to the church to operate there.
The Catholic Church is the largest corporation on the face of the planet, yet it doesn't pay taxes on 90% of the venues that earns the church money.
You want a balanced budget...equalize the tax rate on the wealthy and tax churches.

I heard a story the other day about a church whose building burned down last year, and they built a $15 MILLION (TEMPORARY!!!) facility, until they come to a decision on a design for a PERMANENT facility...WTF!?!?

I am sick to death of hearing how churches and Pastors are defrauding their perisheners. If the members of the church make the decision to contribute (Tax write off, of course) more power to them, but those who are contributing without being made aware of what the money is truly to be used for, is called "contributing to Greed" one of the seven deadly sins.

If the government taxes churches, then government is entangled with religion. Imagine a church that falls behind on paying its property tax. The government could seize the building, effectively denying people the ability to worship in a structure that facilitates that. The free exercise of religion is a right, not something that people merit because they've paid their taxes.

That's a good point, and the real reason for the tradition (note, it's a TRADITION, not in the Constitution). I personally disagree with it because a structure is not the religion and thus not required for worship.

However, let's look at another point. The owners of those untaxed properties still expected the same services as the owners of taxed property ... infrastructure such as roads to the buildings, police and fire protection, etc. Because they do NOT pay taxes to receive those services, the rest of us pay FOR them to receive those services. Therefore, our tax money supports the religious institutions, and is thus unconstitutional.

You can see with this simple example. Let's take a mythological town. We'll give it 990 homes and businesses and 10 churches. 1000 entities. Let's now say it costs 100/year per entity to provide the services listed above. That's $100,000/year.

NOW, lets say that the churches are exempt (as they are). Now that $100,000 is spread over 990 entities instead. So now each pays $101 (and change). Of course you might think $1 is nothing, but the point is that dollar is a CHURCH TAX.

Get the idea? That's why I believe that churches should at least have to pay property taxes (or whatever tax in that community supports the services they receive).

We have separation of church and state for a reason

Really Nik? Then why don't churches STFU and stay out of politics? Only THEN would we have a true separation.

Nobody should be trusting ANY ONE with YOUR money - no one. Money will always bring out the evil in all - especially preachers.

They prey on the old with visions of it helping them get into heaven. I've known old people who would forgo food so they could send in money to some television evangelist. There is a long list of evangelical frauds out there too.

Yes, they emphasize that he's a pastor because pastors are supposed to be held to a higher moral standard by virtue of the values they extol. They also emphasize that he's a lawyer because there's a legal obligation to be honest in dealing with other people. The things aren't mentioned arbitrarily.

People will continue to cherish their religious (or nonreligious) beliefs regardless of what others think or say. The actions of other people have nothing to do with our religious beliefs. This article is about the darker side of human behavior. His professional identity lies in contrast to his actions, but religion doesn't make us better or worse people. If you think religion makes you moral, you were probably moral anyway. Cherishing religion is just coincidental.

I'm sorry that you think that without religion people cannot hope. To my knowledge, societies not centered around religion don't collapse and people don't go jumping off bridges because they don't believe in a divine creator. I can assure you that not believing in some sort of afterlife doesn't mean that people can't find meaning, purpose, and happiness in this one.

A nigerian lawyer

'nough said

Organized religion doesn't need the media help at all. It does a wonderful job defacing itself!

No one needs religion to have a relationship with God. Get real. Religion is a horror perpetrated on us by bigoted men. God requires no go-between.

They are trying to completely deface religion and make us a non-religious country, and take away as much relgion as possible.

Please -- stop being so optimistic! You just described paradise!

If this Predatory Pastor really believed in the Bible, he would know that God has a "special place" for people like him

No he wouldn't. the BuyBull is an unprovable, mythical cult book. And none of you have EVER proven your cult god exists, or that ANY god exists. So, get over yourself. Nothing about your cult claims is factual. Grow up!

How else could Franklin Graham afford his private jet, mansion, vacation homes and the fleet of luxury cars?

Higher chance of encountering the devil in those who cover themselves with Church robes.

And most are staunch 'Pubbies. Go figure.

And most are staunch 'Pubbies. Go figure.

well, that didn't take you long to bring the political crap into it, did it? Get a life. This is about a thief scamming an old lady. What party or parties the accused might represent or choose don't enter into it. Tool.

This is not a political issue. It's a HUMAN issue. A criminal issue. In all stations of life, rich or poor, black or white, religious or not, there are those who would seek to harm others, just as well as there are those would would do right by others.

Eric, you can be angry with "custom" all you like. But i think what truly angers you is the fact that what "custom" said was true.

both of you are pushing a political agenda to suit your OWN SELFISH desires, not contributing anything to whatever understanding can be gleaned of this situation. In fact, you cloud the issue. And you think that's a good thing?? Really? There is no proof that this charlatan is either a Republican, a Democrat, or whatever. But throw out whatever sleazy things you want, it's a newsvine, right? Anything goes. And hey, it's free speech too. But that doesn't cover up the fact that it's still plain wrong to throw out accusations like that, and if you don't know it, you really should examine the idea. Give it some thought.

No one said the jackwagon that did this had any political affiliation. However, those "fine folks" to whom we were referring do...Swagart, Baker,Haggard, Graham, etc. Try reading instead of getting your panties in a bunch. If I had written "That daggum Obuma has to be at the bottom of this" you would have been fine with it.

I'd rather hear a fat woman fart, than a grown man cry.....