AME Exposed – First AME: Bans Minister/Officer Over 'Sunday Bulletins'
June 5th, 2009
Rev. Brenda Lamothe…OFFICER at the venerable First AME church in Los Angeles, made the “mistake” of trying to get the First Sunday church bulletins printed…meaning she’d actually have to use the Church copy center.
Rev. Lamothe evidently didn’t know the “secret password” and has been banned from the church properties.
Say what?!?!?
Tammie Murray, who customarily does the Sunday bulletin was out sick. Rev. Lamothe…church OFFICER, who already has a full-time day job took it upon herself to do the “Christian” thing and step in to assist as validated by the email below:
_________________
Pastor John and Rev. Ralph
Per my phone message to you both, in my absence this week, Rev. Brenda has agreed to do the Sunday bulletin. She will be in tomorrow (Wednesday) to
work on it. I will forward all information for this Sunday’s bulletin to her.Glenn will take care of printing and making sure the bulletins get to the church for Sunday.
See you next week.
Tammie
__________________
Upon reaching the FAME Renaissance building, 1968 W. Adams Blvd., Rev. Lamothe gained access (i.e. security let her in) and she began copying.
Before completion of the job, security came and REMOVED the MINISTER, the church OFFICER from the building, at the behest of “First Lady“…
First Concubine Denise Brown.
To which, FAME has offered the following BS explanation…
__________________
My name is Anteneh Gossa and I am the Director of FAME Housing Corporation and the Facilities Manager for FAME Corporations. This email comes to provide clarity to the email you received earlier today entitled “Truth”.
I would like to provide information as to the policies and procedures of FAME Corporations, as carried out in my capacity of facilities manager.
The management team of FAME Corporations has gone to great pains to institute policies and procedures that ensure FAME facilities and properties are only accessed by authorized personnel for authorized purposes. Our goal is to offer an open, safe, comfortable and efficiently run environment that
contributes to meeting the overall objectives of the organization. This can only be accomplished by strict adherence to policies and procedures.Our policy states that access to any FAME Corporation properties must be limited to times when it is reasonable to expect that they are staffed during regular business hours or by special staff assignment if outside of regular business hours. Any special staff assignment would have to have prior management approval and be coordinated with the facilities management staff. Any exception to this policy would have to be appro ved by an Executive Board member or senior management staff. A schedule is in place that defines regular weekday and weekend building hours for all buildings. Within these parameters, buildings and general areas within the building are routinely locked by facilities staff to ensure that sensitive business information is not compromised by unauthorized parties. All of our policies and procedures support the primary goal of providing a safe environment for our staff and protection of our business documents, correspondence and work products.
Regarding the matter of Rev. Brenda Lamothe being allowed access to our print center, where our mail and other sensitive documents are kept, we again simply followed policy when determining who should be allowed entry. On last evening when Rev. Lamothe was asked to provide authorization allowing her access to the print center, she was unable to. On several occasions I asked Rev. Lamothe to provide an email she indicated she received from Pastor John allowing her access to the print center. In each instance she said she would produce the email, but did not. When she was not able to produce the email or provide verbal authorization from an Executive Board member or senior management staff allowing her access to the print center, she was asked to leave. She was asked to leave not because of any conversation that I had with Pastor John Hunter or Mrs. Denise Hunter, neither of whom were=2 0called as they were out-of-town attending a funeral. Rev. Lamothe was asked to leave because our policy states that prior authorization for access to the building must be received from an Executive Board member or senior management staff. Our staff was simply following the policies and procedures put in place that provides the framework for how we handle these situations. Rev. Lamothe was treated no differently than anyone else would have been treated under the same circumstances, with courtesy and respect. As a FAME team member, I appreciate and understand the desire of Rev. Lamothe and Tammie Murray to complete the bulletin, unfortunately their lack of coordination with the appropriate parties violated the very policies and procedures that provide structure to our organization.
In closing, I regret that as the facilities manager I was not given the opportunity to address this matter with Rev. Lamothe and senior management staff in a more private and internal manner. In the future, I would hope that as professionals we would always seek resolutions that best serve the organization.
Anteneh Gossa – Housing Director
FAME Housing Corporation
2241 S. Hobart Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90018
Tel. (323) 730-7765
Fax (323) 737-0292
Email: antenehg@famecorporations.org
_________________
IT’S CHURCH BULLETINS Y’ALL! YOU KICKED OUT A MINISTER AND BANNED HER FOR TRYING TO HELP OUT WITH CHURCH BULLETINS!??!?!
But HERE is the communications trail…HUNTER, Pastor Property Taxes himself KNEW Rev. Lamothe would be printing the bulletins.
_________________
MESSAGE FROM BRENDA
From: Brenda Lamothe **************
To: Pastor John Hunter; Ralph Watkins; Tammy Murray
Cc: Artis Smock; Glenn Yost – Print Center; waltergee@juno.com
<waltergee@juno.com>
Sent: Tue Jun 02 15:21:36 2009
Subject: Re: Sunday Bulletin
Since I will be meeting with the Brookinaires Choir at 8pm tomorrow, I will
coordinate with Glenn to get into the Copy Center @ 5 tomorrow?
REPLY FROM HUNTER
Rev.Brenda
Ok Thank you for the info. What are you meeting with the Brookineers about
tonight? I am in Elder Gloyd.s funeral so you can respond and I’ ll read on
my blackberry.
Blessings,
Pastor John
________________
The Mo’Kelly Report is an entertainment journal with a political slant; published weekly at www.eurweb.com. It is meant to inform, infuse and incite meaningful discourse…as well as entertain. The Mo’Kelly Report is syndicated by Blogburst. For more Mo’Kelly, http://www.MrMoKelly.com. Mo’Kelly can be reached at Mo@MrMoKelly.com and he welcomes all commentary.
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Posted in Uncategorized | 
Tags: AME Exposed, Annie Bolden, Brenda Lamothe, Dessie Roberts, FAME, Irma Brown Dillon, John Hunter, T. Larry Kirkland
34 Responses to “AME Exposed – First AME: Bans Minister/Officer Over 'Sunday Bulletins'”
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Okay, Mo. Here's the big problem that I have. Why is the church acronym: "FAME"?
It is truly indicative of the multitude of problems going on with the church, including the fact that it is "incorporated". Jesus said that he must be about "his father's business", not the business of being a corporate church.
That's where we go wrong. We're so busy trying to hide sensitive documents because the church likes to use tax loopholes to their advantage. They want you to feel guilty about exposing tomfoolery and sickening behavior, and have the AUDACITY to use God's name in their mess.
Just makes you angry and want to give up on denominational worship.
FAME -- First AME. But I feel what you're saying. You only have that much general security when your day-to-day business is obviously illegal on some level. It's a church, not the Pentagon. If printing church bulletins somehow compromises the "secrets" then maybe the church ought to re-examine what business it is in…
Mo,
Who is Glenn and did Brenda coordinate with him? And did he have the authority to let her into the print center?
Or is it your position that these ruls should not even exist? That the church should not have any privacy concerns?
There also seems to be a distinction between being an officer and being a member of the executive board and/or senior management. Presumably Brenda was neither.
Don't organizations have rules for reasons? How is this anything more than a tempest in a teapot?
This comes across, slightly, as though you have an axe to grind with the organization in general, which I believe you -- legitimately -- do, based on previous posts.
Hunter is supposedly CEO of all FAME Corporations and Senior Pastor of the Church so one would conclude there is no further approval needed no matter what the procedures are. The suggestion that she should contact Glen when he was notified by copy of the e mail is laughable. Officer, Minister doesn't matter she had the approval of the CEO. I would be willing to bet this procedure was written on Thursday by Denise Brown and Antenah Gosssa had nothing to do with it. If their so called Executive would stop lying they would tell you they never heard of this procedure either and admit how ridiculous this suggestion is. Rev Brenda's mistake is thinking that the officers of FAME care how she was treated and will not continue to cover up the abuse of employees, members and officers of FAME rather than insisting that the Hunter's are required to be held accountable for their actions. They have yet to make the so called Executive committe explain their cover up of the credit card charges. According to the information I have he owes a lot more than $122,000.
Tammy and Rev Brenda did what they should have done communicate with Pastor property taxes. The Hunter's did what they always do go into attack and destroy mode. How sad!
Walt,yes I do have an axe to grind. I frown upon individuals/corporations/organizations who victimize others.
And any "organization" which inputs "security" to specifically give cover to illegal activities is worthy of criticizing accordingly.
OK, now I get the context. You are connecting the dots that they seem to be suspicious of "their kind" who may not be "in on it". I wish I had followed this story more closely all along.
Thanks for the perspective.
And with all that, Rev. Brenda is a long time member and staff person of FAME and I agree with Magie. If the Pastor gave the OK, then what was the problem?
People STOP COVERING UP FOR THESE PEOPLE. THEY HAVE NO HEAVEN OR HELL TO PUT YOU IN. IN FACT, THERE IS A SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL -- JUST FOR THEM!
This psychotic behavior. It is unfortunate that a minister has to get permission to help with the church bulletins. I think the problem stems from indirect leadership from someone else whose name is not on the appointment. I would hope that when the pastor is out of town there is someone else who is capable of making basic decisions of this nature (Ralph Watkins). I feel Rev. Ralph is more than capable to handle situations of this nature. The idea that documents were being compromised by this minister is a untruth. Lets be for real. It is no seacret that the pastors wife does not care for the minister in question. We all are not boo boo the fool or zip up the head fred. Pastor John needs to be the pastor and stop allowing his wife to run the church. I pray that he will eventually heed to what people are saying and send her home. He will then have to go to work and tend to his marriage when he gets home.
Mo! I hope that while people read your report that they look at the whole picture here at FAME (FIRST AFRICAN METHODIST CHURCH). As with the situation with Rev. Brenda, this is not the first time something like this has happened, it happens all the time. If the Pastor or Denise does not like someone, they are removed. We have had members who have worked for the church for 15 or more years replaced, because they were not kissing up to the Pastor or Denise. We had an excellent ministerial staff, which has dwindled down to WHO SHOWS UP. We have had members who have VOLUNTEERED THEIR TIME for all types of programs at the church for over 15 years or more and have been replaced with one of the Pastors KISS UPS.
I have been a Trustee of the church for over 8 years now (probably not after this), and as a trustee you are responsible for property church owns. The only trustees that get information on church property are the KISS UP TRUSTEES (AND YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE). I joined FAME under Rev. Murray, and the reason I joined was because of the Spiritual and Community based atmosphere. The church turned away no one. You were not judged by the Pastor and the Pastor was ALWAYS AT YOUR SERVICE. FAME MEMBERS STAND UP! Help remove Rev. Hunter from our church, THIS IS OUR CHURCH NOT THE PASTORS AND DENISES.
Having done a little more research, I now understand how deep Rev. Hunter's problems go, all the way to the IRS.
This does not sound like the kind of man to be leading any congregation, let alone a large, prominent one.
If there has been no organized effort to oust him, or at least have him investigated by church elders, I'd be extremely curious to know why.
Last week President Obama said " we should have the courage to say in public what we say in private". Thank you Carolyn, finally someone with the courage to speak out. The one thing I would add is you did not call for Irma Brown Dillon, Annie Bolden and Mel Perry to be removed and sent to Hunter's next assignment with him. The officers have sat there Sunday after Sunday while the Hunter's, Annie Bolden, Irma Brown Dillon, Melville Perry and Dessie Roberts have defended the Hunter's action. I sat in church Sunday when the officers were called to the first table. I saw them run down the isle with such pride and it made me sick. These are the people that pretend they are not being told what's going on. These are the same people that signed the ad to be placed in the Los Angeles Times saying the Officers and Congregation fully support their pastor. These are the same officers that allow Irma, Mel and Annie to tell them they will not give them any proof on the credit card charges, they will have to accept their word for it. These are the same officers that say they can't do anything, yet they have not asked the Bishop or Presiding Elder what to do. These are the same officers that let him tell them he did not know he couldn't use the church credit card for personal expenses because the prior administration did it. If he thought that why did he tell us two years ago he had paid this personal expenses on the American Express Card. Because he knew it was WRONG. And somehow they think they deserve to be first at the communion table. They will try to destroy Tammy and Brenda for trying to get the Sunday bulletin printed. They tried to destroy Shirlene and Anthony Santiago for refusing to lie and cover up their misconduct, and then removing her as a steward because they went to the Bishop. Per Hunter "he can't have people around him he can't trust". Why were they the only ones outraged at what they were asked to do? Why didn't Irma, Mel, Annie and Dessie refuse. Did the officers ask Susan Acorin, FAME's accountant for 18 years why she left? What happened to Martha Downard? Did the officers reach out to all of the people that have resigned or been replaced after many years to see why they left. The same thing is going on at FAME Assistance. Linda Smith, Chuck Bray, Sheila Reed, Lee Marshall all executives, the last ones now gone. All because of Denise, and we dont even know her name. It's time to speak up and do what we need to do to have Hunter removed.
carolyn hills, thank you for letting it got the way you see it, i want the hunter gone also because the are not real people and you should not treat people the way they are and what do they have to do with god children, they are treating the employees wrong, what tpy of pastor are he.
Here is the rest of the story:
These are the same officers that sat in the FAME Assistance building and did nothing while Irma Brown Dillon and Annie Bolden told security not to let Shirlene Santiago in to attend a Steward meeting because she was being removed from the board. Per Annie "what did you expect when you went behind his back to his boss"? These are the same officers that sat there while Irma called Rev Thug Robe and warned him that Shirlene was there trying to get into the building. These are the same officers that sat there while Rev. Thug Robe came with armed security and told Shirlene that he knew she went to the Los Angeles Time and went behind my back to the Bishop "I can't have people around me that I can't trust" What Rev. Thug Robe should have said was I can't have people around me who won't lie for me. These are the same Executive Officers who sat there while Denise and Rev Thug Robe lied, saying the letter was a lie and Dessie Roberts sat there crying and lying pretending she had never seen the letter. This was just a continuaion of what they have had to suffer since coming to FAME. When that didn't work then the excuse I didn't know I couldn't do it. The prior administration did it. He should know taking from anyone without their permission is stealing, no matter what the prior adminintration did. One of the Ten Commandments, Thou Re. Thug Robe should not steal. If you don't know that you must go back to Thug pre-school and not graduate until you learn I MUST NOT STEAL NO MATTER WHO ELSE STEAL. Or ask your trusted judge what happens to THUGS when the come before her bench and the reason they give for stealing is the convict before me stole. Will she accept that as a defense and call the Los Angeles Times and say I stand firmly behind this thief. And why do the officers sit there Sunday after Sunday and let them get away with it? So they can trip over each other trying to be the first one at the Communion table on first Sunday. Rev Brenda and Tammie had better start packing it's just a matter of time when they will do to them what they do to everyone when they have no further use for them. Proceed to destroy them. Instead what the officers need to do is next Sunday when Rev. Thug Robe, Denise Marilyn Brown Hunter Parker, Irma Brown Dillon, Annie Bolden, Melville Perry, Constance Fortune, Dessie Roberts and Brenda Elliot White show up for church is have SECURITY remove them. If Denise Marilyn Brown Hunter Parker feels Rev Brenda, long time member, Staffer, Minister and one of the first supporters of them when they came to FAME can't be trusted in the copy center at FAME Assistance, surely this band of thieves cannot be trusted in God's house. Even you officers should get the message now. If not SECURITY should remove you too.
The question is: How long does the layity of the church allow such an abomination and desecration of it's Houses of worship to continue to exist? No one is perfect, but Stevie Wonder and Jose Feliciano (no disrespect meant) can see that this is the most embarrasing, nasty,ungodly situation one could ever imagine. Members have left FAME and the AME church as a whole because of this debacle and yet the Bishop and others remain silent as if this some covert CIA mission. Souls are crying for salvation and our sights are set on how much money can be squeezed from the church and divided up between a select few. How many of the AME church lay members will actually get to utilize a hotel in St. Louis? Maybe 5 percent at best. Howmany Bishops and elders will get to utilize it? Probably 100% Who is paying for it, the Lay. Acountabily and transparency is what our President, Barack Obama claims will help our country get back it's dignity and focus. The same type of acountabily and transparency will help us as a church get ours back as well. Obama states that government cannot govern in the 21st century the way it did in the 20th century, I submit this, even though God remains the same, the church cannot operate in the 21st century the way it did in the 20th, 19th 18th and 17th century. Yet the AME church insist on holding to these outdated procedures that has allowed a fungus of greed and dishonesty to grow. It's time for accountability. How can certain Pastors already under a cloud of susicion be allowed to sit in judgement of others who's conduct is in question?
Will you allow the Fox to guard the Henhouse? Someone has to step up before God steps in. It's time to clean house!!!!
To The Judicial Council of The African Methodist Episcopal Church,
I know that you have seen and heard the many articles and media write ups on the Pastors of the 5th District. I do not understand why any of these scandals have not been addressed by the Council. The members of the following AME Churches ( First AME LA, Ward AME, Brookins AME) have been sent to slaughter by your council and the Bishop of the 5th District. The AME Mission:
The Mission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, and environmental needs of all people by spreading Christ's liberating gospel through word and deed. At every level of the Connection and in every local church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church shall engage in carrying out the spirit of the original Free African Society, out of which the A.M.E. Church evolved: that is, to seek out and save the lost, and serve the needy through a continuing program of (1) preaching the gospel, (2) feeding the hungry, (3) clothing the naked, (4) housing the homeless, (5) cheering the fallen, (6) providing jobs for the jobless, (7) administering to the needs of those in prisons, hospitals, nursing homes, asylums and mental institutions, senior citizens' homes; caring for the sick, the shut-in, the mentally and socially disturbed, and (8) encouraging thrift and economic advancement.
I think that you should include some of the following from THE TEN COMMANDMENTS in your MISSION STATEMENT for your pastors:
1. You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain
2. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. (NO XX RATED SERMONS)
3. 'You shall not commit adultery
4. 'You shall not steal (STEAL FROM THE CHURCH)
5. 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (Members)
It is your responsibility as the Council of The AME Church to make sure All Ministers are following The Mission and The Structure that the AME has provided for them. Don’t let the members of these churches continue to be robbed of their Tithes to benefit the LUXURIES OF THEIR PASTORS.
Thank you Carolyn. This is at the point where the church can no longer continue doing "business" as it has. It will either become completely irrelevant and people will walk away from the denomination specifically and/or the church generally…or the AME church will implode in on itself due to its corruption. It can not continue as it has been. Period.
Many many good people and clergy have been thrown under the bus and destroyed behind the corrupt church officials and people at First AME who sit in the pews calling themselves christians. Nobody next takes a stand. It all becomes gossip and the beat goes on. Mo Kelly keep on exposing this corruption.
Oh I forgot. Yes Pastor Thug Robe was supported by members and clergy lusting for position and power. Now that they see it takes hard work and serving people they are clashing because their focus is wrong….even now using deceitful practices by using other peoples names to post comments. Be upfront and take a stand.
I admittedly know nothing about this situation but that last message is telling…"I am in Elder Gloyd.s funeral so you can respond and I’ll read on my blackberry." REALLY?!?!?!
My Brothers and Sisters, the best kept secret is our Discpline. Many of us do not understand that we have the right to stand and file formal charges against these pastors as well as the Bishop. One of the reasons they are still in pulpit around the country, is that we -- the people have not charge them with any misdoings. If you have a complaint against your pastor, you need to file formal charges against him or her. If you have a complaint in how the Bishop is running the District, you have a right to file formal charges with the Council of Bishop. Send your certified letter to Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, the Secretary of the Council and one to Bishop Kawimbe (didn't spell his name right) who is the current President of the Council.
As believers, we need to understand, that we have POWER and AUTHORITY to move the MOUNTAINS that are before us. If we only have FAITH!
Mo' it is my prayer that you would come up with some type of form letter that the people can send to the Council of Bishops or to the Bishop to express concerns they may be having.
I saw on the AMEC Website that the Council of Bishops will be in session the week of June 22. Go to the site, get the address and send your letters.
Mo! This is what our churches are coming to, Pastors stealing from the church. Check this out….
Friday, June 12, 2009
Former pastors sentenced to 2 years in prison for $1 million theft
Philip and Richard Cunningham of Calvary Baptist Church of Yorba Linda plead guilty to grand theft and conspiracy charges.
By JON CASSIDY
The Orange County Register
Comments 37| Recommend 11
SANTA ANA – Two former pastors of Calvary Baptist Church of Yorba Linda were sentenced to two years in prison day after pleading guilty to charges of grand theft and conspiracy to defraud.
Richard Cunningham, 76, who founded the church in 1971, and his son Philip, 52, who took over as senior pastor in 1995, were led out of court in handcuffs Friday afternoon.
They were convicted of taking more than $1 million from the church, transferring the money into secret accounts.
The pastors resigned in 2006 after a private investigation found that more than $3 million in funds from the church and an affiliated school had not been accounted for. The scandal nearly destroyed the church, with hundreds of members leaving.
The Cunninghams later deeded about $3 million in property to the church to pay back the theft.
“Normally, losses of this magnitude are treated with far more prison time than this,” said Superior Court Judge James A. Stotler, before imposing the sentence.
Stotler noted that he’s been practicing law since 1967 and been a judge since 1995.
“In all my years, I can’t think of a loss of this magnitude that was paid back,” Stotler said. “What can be proven as the loss has been paid.”
A private investigation going back to 1998 found that the church had scant financial records. Former trustees who left the church in the 1970s have said that Richard Cunningham’s thefts began decades ago.
After the Cunninghams entered their guilty pleas, the judge listened to victim impact statements
Stefani Deschamps, 15, who attended Calvary Christian School from kindergarten through seventh grade, said that she was “shocked and confused” to learn that her pastors were thieves.
“I paid tithes on my allowance every week, and knowing that he stole that hurt very much.”
Her mother, Tricia Deschamps, said she felt “saddened, devastated and betrayed” by her pastors and that she is now “skeptical of pastors because I don’t want to be hurt again.”
Former church member Belinda Hovenier said that much of her family no longer goes to any church, and that “if they were truly repentant, they would have been on their knees before the court on the very first day.”
Philip Cunningham baptized her, she said.
“Something so important to me was turned dirty,” Hovenier said.
Diane Richard went through many allegations that will never be aired in open court before Stotler asked her to summarize her remarks.
She quoted Malachi 3:9: “You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me.”
Philip Cunningham’s daughter Ashley, 23, said that she was proud of her father and that “he never meant to hurt anybody.”
“He got restored and free from this and that’s what matters to our family,” she said.
Philip Cunningham’s brother recounted his brother’s and father’s tears.
“They would have loved to do that in front of the church,” he said. “But they were ostracized from the beginning.”
Before they were taken to jail, Stotler asked both Cunninghams to provide a statement of assets, which is under penalty of perjury. That statement is usually required when a defendant needs to show he can’t afford a private attorney.
Philip and Richard Cunningham’s asset statements were filled out in court but were immediately sealed in the court file.
The case got its start when Steve Rodig, a retired captain from the Anaheim Police Department, opened a private investigation into the case in April 2006 at the church board’s request.
Later, detective Sandra Stone of the Brea Police Department tallied $3,669,376 that the Cunninghams withdrew from secret accounts as cash or cashier’s checks.
In separate reports, Rodig and Stone say that both Cunninghams confessed to taking smaller amounts. Stone reported that Philip Cunningham admitted taking $700,000 to $800,000 between 1998 and 2006, and that Richard Cunningham admitted taking $400,000 since 2000.
The Cunninghams, who each earned less than $100,000 a year on the books, between them owned six homes, two timeshares and cars that included a Cadillac and a Mercedes-Benz. To pay back the church, Philip Cunningham deeded over a Palm Springs condo and sold his Yorba Linda house. Richard Cunningham deeded his Yorba Linda house to the church and paid several hundred thousand dollars in cash, according to property records and former church board members.
Richard Cunningham’s debt was paid almost entirely through appreciation on his house at 4415 Deodar Drive. He bought the house in 1989 with a $165,000 mortgage, and the church sold it at the peak of the real estate boom for $1.7 million.
After the scandal broke in April 2006, Richard Cunningham deeded a condo at 20024 Clearwater Drive. in Yorba Linda to another son, Richard Cunningham II.
By JON CASSIDY
The Orange County Register
Comments 37| Recommend 11
SANTA ANA – Two former pastors of Calvary Baptist Church of Yorba Linda were sentenced to two years in prison day after pleading guilty to charges of grand theft and conspiracy to defraud.
Richard Cunningham, 76, who founded the church in 1971, and his son Philip, 52, who took over as senior pastor in 1995, were led out of court in handcuffs Friday afternoon
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Secretary: Ex-pastor mixed church school, personal funds
Hearing covers Calvary Baptist former pastors’ handling of millions in church money.
By JON CASSIDY
The Orange County Register
Comments 54| Recommend 24
FULLERTON – A former secretary of Calvary Christian School in Yorba Linda testified this week that the school’s director, a former pastor at Calvary Baptist Church of Yorba Linda, mixed school funds with his own money, paid for personal expenses with a school credit card, and deposited his own money into the school account when it ran low.
The testimony came during the first of two days of a preliminary hearing at North Justice Center in the criminal case against Richard and Philip Cunningham, a father and son who resigned as pastors at Calvary Baptist in 2006 after a private investigation concluded that millions in church and school funds were misspent. The purpose of the hearing is to determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed with a trial.
The court also heard testimony from a former church board member who said the board exercised no oversight of the accused pastors; and from a retired Anaheim police captain whose private investigation found that more than $3 million had been misspent from 1998 to 2006.
Mandy DiAddezio, the former secretary at Calvary Christian School, at first invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination; likewise, during the police investigation, she had her attorney tell police she wouldn’t talk. She was granted immunity from prosecution Tuesday and ordered to testify.
DiAddezio said she did not report the irregularities because she trusted Philip Cunningham’s explanations, and that the school did not have a board of directors regularly meeting to oversee the school.
She also said she took under-the-table cash payments rather than a salary during her last two years at the school.
DiAddezio testified that Philip Cunningham at times paid his personal credit card using school funds, booking them as travel expenses, and would book payments for his dry-cleaning bill as janitorial expenses. But he also put his own money into the school account when it was low, she said.
“He always blurred the line” between personal and school funds, DiAddezio said. “He put money in some of the time and then he’d take some out.”
Philip Cunningham paid his children’s college expenses with school funds, saying that the church board had authorized it, DiAddezio said.
The church board had little oversight of finances, testified Danny Skaggs, a former board member. He described the board as “a group of pastors and a group of yes-men” who were discouraged from asking questions and voted on matters only “two or three” times during his two years on the board.
The only financial statements the board saw, Skaggs said, were monthly balances of tithes given and bills paid presented not as spreadsheets but on sheets of paper “pencil-scratched five minutes before walking into the room.”
The board knew nothing of the multiple accounts opened in the church’s name, Skaggs said. A police report tallied $3,669,376 that the Cunninghams withdrew from those accounts as cash or cashier’s checks, without accounting for it.
Steve Rodig, a retired captain from the Anaheim Police Department, opened a private investigation into the case at the board’s request after he was contacted by Jeff Winter, a church member at the time who is also a deputy district attorney.
Rodig testified that when he asked for the church’s records, he was handed a few recent Visa bills and a two-foot by two-foot box partially filled with miscellaneous receipts and documents. For the investigation, he had the church request bank statements going back eight years. The church was founded by Richard Cunningham in 1971.
Throughout the hearing, defense attorneys Marlin Stapleton and Ed Flores challenged the provenance and legitimacy of Visa billing records and bank statements.
Flores presented board meeting minutes from January 1975 mentioning authorization for a credit card for Richard Cunningham’s personal use and travel.
In their separate reports, Rodig and Det. Sandra Stone of the Brea Police Department say that both Cunninghams confessed to taking smaller amounts.
Stone reported that Philip Cunningham admitted taking $700,000 to $800,000 between 1998 and 2006, and that Richard Cunningham admitted taking $400,000 since 2000. After Stone booked the tapes of her interview, the District Attorney’s office told her the tapes recorded only her half of the interview. She went back and found that her tape recorder was defective, she reported.
Rodig took depositions of both Cunninghams with a court reporter present as part of a civil suit by the church. But neither Cunningham signed his deposition transcript, as the church dropped the suit shortly after the interviews, and they were no longer required to sign.
The church dropped the suit after the Cunninghams returned $3.1 million to the church, according to a letter church board chairman Richard Zazuetta sent to prosecutor Douglas Brannan.
The Cunninghams, who each earned less than $100,000 a year on the books, between them owned six homes, two timeshares and cars that included a Cadillac and a Mercedes-Benz. To pay back the church, Phil Cunningham deeded over a Palm Springs condo and sold his Yorba Linda house. Richard Cunningham deeded his Yorba Linda house to the church and paid several hundred thousand dollars in cash, according to property records and former church board members.
Richard Cunningham’s debt was paid almost entirely through appreciation on his house at 4415 Deodar Dr. He bought the house in 1989 with a $165,000 mortgage, and the church sold it at the peak of the real estate boom for $1.7 million.
After the scandal broke in April 2006, Richard Cunningham deeded a condo at 20024 Clearwater Dr. in Yorba Linda to another son, Richard Cunningham II.
Contact the writer: jcassidy@ocregister.com or 714-445-6694
Mo! This is what I am talking about in the 5th district… The Bishop and the AME Organization and Counsel are allowing the pastors in the 5th District to bring down the AME Churches. The Bishop and the AME Counsel have been issued a request to remove Rev. Hunter from FAME and replace the Executive Board here at FAME. Since the Rev. Lamothe incident, things have gotten real ugly at FAME. The there was a rumor of a petition being passed around FAME for the pastors removal. I have not seen the petition or do I know of anyone who has one, but Pastor John, had security go down to the kitchen Sunday and request one of the members to come out, and told her that Pastor John said” If you have a petition,do not pass it around on church property. This woman had no idea of what he was talking about, and he is using Bully Tactics by using security to come after members. He also heard that there was going to be an article in the Los Angeles Times, and he had all of his FLUNKIES contact the Los Angeles Times to let them know what a great job he has been doing. I want the real members to stand up for our church, and contact the Los Angeles Times with your opinions: teresa.watanabe@latimes.com
I also heard that Rev. Hunter and Denise received a bonus from the Executive Board for selling off FAME’s property. This bonus was to cover the money he owed the church on the credit card spending. Who gets a bonus for stealing from the church? I want to know if this was reported to the IRS as income. Which should raise his taxes more? Members of FAME, we are being taken by the Hunters and the Executive Board. This same Board kissed the ground Rev. Murray walked on, now they have all turned their backs on what he had accomplished and to stay in the Clique, they all sided with the Hunters. Fame is no place for Cliques. Fame stand up for your church, contact a Los Angeles Times with your comments.
Thank you Carolyn…good advice. I can't divulge everything I know, but you gave some very good advice and I'll just leave it at that.
WHAT 6 PROPERTIES WERE SOLD @ FAME ?
re: REV BRENDA, WHEN I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL FOR MY 6th BACK SURGERY. REV BRENDA WAS THE ONLY ONE FROM FAME THAT CAME TO SEE ME. PASTOR MURRAY WAS THERE. REV RALPH KNEW, THE CHURCH PRAYED FOR ME THE SUNDAY BEFORE SURGERY. BUT NO ONE CAME FROM THE SICK & SHUT IN MINISTRY of FAME. SO REV BRENDA IS ALRIGHT WITH ME.
Mo, Has anyone looked into the loan $250,000 to Judge Brown-Dillon husband Randolph (who is a well known womanizer)? Maybe you reserch this better my source, but I hear that his company is a front. Not real. This story is even bigger than what most think. Find out Mo and let us know.
“Hunter’s critics say they are also troubled by the appearance of a conflict of interest over two business loans involving FAME Assistance Corp. and Randolph C. Dillon, the husband of Irma Brown Dillon, a top church officer and Los Angeles County Superior Court judge. Randolph Dillon said he took over the first loan in 2005 after buying the original loan recipient, Base Architecture & Engineering. He said he took out a second loan for $250,000 from First AME in January to support the firm’s expanding business at Los Angeles International Airport.”
After being a member of FAME for 25 years I am so disgusted with the present situation I am going to leave. I have to find a new church where I can worhsip in peace without minister distractions and the church serves my spiritual needs on a weekly basis. The current minister gets a failing grade from me.
I have been away from the church for about a year and now I hear all of this. I am saddened by what I am reading here. You people have forgotten what a christian is! While I have no complaint about Rev. Hunter because I hand him over to the Lord, I do with you. Your trust and belief in God has nothing to do with Hunter or the church. So run and you will always run when things don't go your way. Go find your perfect preacher-a man without sin and a perfect church where everybody is happy.
"I'M RUNNIN TO TELL YAHL THIS",
PASTOR MURRAY !!!
NEED I SAY ANY MORE ??? CHURCH WAS ON FIRE ON THE EASTSIDE @ 47th & SAN PEDRO.BISHOP BROOKINS, REV BRENDA LAMOTHE WAS THERE.TODAYS SERVICE WAS WHAT "FAME" USED TO BE. PASTOR MURRAYs SERMON WAS GREAT."FULL OF FIRE" !!
I COUNTED AT LEAST 40 to 50 FAME MEMBERS. NO "JIM JONES" FOR THEM TODAY.
THEY KNEW WHERE REAL CHURCH WAS BEING HELD. IT WAS "FAME" IN THE "OLD TIME WAY".
NEXT SUNDAY IS 1st SUNDAY, IF YOU GO TO 'FAME',
"DON'T DRINK THE KOOL AID" !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I suppose more prayer is needed at the A.M.E. Church…sometimes when you are favored and blessed you forget God, stop praying, start putting faith in everything and anything other than God and grieving the Holy Spirit and then, things happen that should not. For all "sheep" who have been stumbled by these shenanigans a LOT of folks are going to pay -- lots of millstones tied around a lot of necks and those folks cast into the sea….sad.
Well, I suppose more prayer is needed at the A.M.E. Church…sometimes when you are favored and blessed you forget God, stop praying, start putting faith in everything and anything other than God and grieving the Holy Spirit and then, things happen that should not. For all "sheep" who have been stumbled by these shenanigans a LOT of folks are going to pay -- lots of millstones tied around a lot of necks and those folks cast into the sea….sad.
Well, I suppose more prayer is needed at the A.M.E. Church…sometimes when you are favored and blessed you forget God, stop praying, start putting faith in everything and anything other than God and grieving the Holy Spirit and then, things happen that should not. For all "sheep" who have been stumbled by these shenanigans a LOT of folks are going to pay -- lots of millstones tied around a lot of necks and those folks cast into the sea….sad.
Well, I suppose more prayer is needed at the A.M.E. Church…sometimes when you are favored and blessed you forget God, stop praying, start putting faith in everything and anything other than God and grieving the Holy Spirit and then, things happen that should not. For all "sheep" who have been stumbled by these shenanigans a LOT of folks are going to pay -- lots of millstones tied around a lot of necks and those folks cast into the sea….sad.
Proverbs 6:16-19
New International Version (NIV).
16 There are six things the Lord hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies.
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Come LORD JESUS!!!