Megachurch abuse of PPP funds is coming to light - Private Jet Included

Wouldn't you use thoughts and prayers instead?? Why the need to abuse taxpayer money?

American churches took in as much as $10 billion in taxpayer funds through PPP loans. More than 400 evangelical churches received loans of at least $1 million. The Catholic Church might have taken in as much as $3.5 billion.

American churches took in as much as $10 billion in taxpayer funds through PPP loans. More than 400 evangelical churches received loans of at least $1 million. The Catholic Church might have taken in as much as $3.5 billion.

Source

I mean how many people are actually getting employed by these evangelical churches? Does anybody have figures?

Paula White’s church took in between $150,000 and $350,000, Jeffress’s church grabbed between $2 million and $5 million and, now we know that Osteen’s megachurch pocketed $4.4 million. Other megachurches snagged millions of taxpayer dollars. As time passes, the inevitable abuses are coming to light. One megachurch televangelist even bought a private jet two weeks after receiving $4 million in PPP funds.

Source

And then there will be those that will just argue that we shouldn't have passed the Paycheck Protection Program in the first place, deflecting away from the obvious fact that tax-payer money is being misused regardless in this disgusting manner. Not only are we now seeing a rise in cultish megachurches leeching money off the lower classes, but the Federal government openly endorsing and funding it as well.

Merica.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

A whole lot of companies who didn't really need it took advantage of the free money. No need to target churches.

On the other hand, they don't pay taxes. Do they?

So , you do not know the meaning of a "Megachurch" ?
And , the author of the article (moreso a hit piece) is not religiously inclined :

Andrew L. Seidel is an attorney and author. He is the Director of Strategic Response at the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

From the provided link

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Southern Guardian

A whole lot of companies who didn't really need it took advantage of the free money. No need to target churches.

On the other hand, they don't pay taxes. Do they?

No. But the employees are.
Also , the employees cannot file for PPP.
The organization has to.

a reply to: Gothmog

Also , the employees cannot file for PPP. The organization has to.

Yes. I know. My employer did so (actually, I created the application). And my employer pays income taxes.

And I also know that churches don't pay taxes on any of their revenue. At all.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Preachers and Pimps are cut from the same cloth...

When government is throwing around billions of dollars with no real oversight, people will commit fraud for a taste...

a reply to: Edumakated

It's not fraud unless they lie on the application for forgiveness of the loan.

Hell, without forgiveness it's an interest rate of 1%. That's pretty damn good terms.

a reply to: Southern Guardian

Churches are businesses with employees, and PPP loans were intended to help businesses with employees.

Any business that committed fraud in regard to the PPP loans could be and should be prosecuted equally with all other businesses and not be able to skulk and hide behind the First Amendment and avoid responsibility for their crimes.

Surely the BIble is clear about theft and bearing false witness, isn't it?

originally posted by: Gothmog
So , you do not know the meaning of a "Megachurch" ?
And , the author of the article (moreso a hit piece) is not religiously inclined :

Andrew L. Seidel is an attorney and author. He is the Director of Strategic Response at the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

From the provided link

One megachurch televangelist even bought a private jet two weeks after receiving $4 million in PPP funds.

How is it a hit piece ? Religious or non-religious, one should find this shocking. Aren't we passed the point of giving religious organizations free passes?

originally posted by: blueman12

originally posted by: Gothmog
So , you do not know the meaning of a "Megachurch" ?
And , the author of the article (moreso a hit piece) is not religiously inclined :

Andrew L. Seidel is an attorney and author. He is the Director of Strategic Response at the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

From the provided link

One megachurch televangelist even bought a private jet two weeks after receiving $4 million in PPP funds.

How is it a hit piece ? Religious or non-religious, one should find this shocking. Aren't we passed the point of giving religious organizations free passes?

Does it upset you that employees of various churches are also employees in the exact definition of the term ?

Denying ignorance.
Why ?
Folks just love to spout what they don't know.

a reply to: Gothmog

Yup. If people want to give money so their pastor can buy a jet, it's cool.
Oh wait, that jet wasn't purchased with coin from the plate, was it?

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Southern Guardian

A whole lot of companies who didn't really need it took advantage of the free money. No need to target churches.

On the other hand, they don't pay taxes. Do they?

You know, getting religious businesses to pay tax isn't any sort of inhibition of freedom of speech or freedom of religion.

Criminals can affiliate themselves with religious organizations while the honest citizens continue to pay.

The reasonable response is to have reasonable minimum taxation thresholds, for the small churches and religious groups, and to have no tax free loopholes, especially for large businesses.

The tax should be reasonable - not excessive, but equally applied to all businesses and citizens with fair limits upon requirements for those who genuinely cannot afford a small percentage of earnings.

It is also a bit disingenuous to tax individuals to the extent of their total earnings, but to tax businesses only for profit made above operating costs.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Gothmog

Yup. If people want to give money so their pastor can buy a jet, it's cool.
Oh wait, that jet wasn't purchased with coin from the plate, was it?

Most likely was.
There are some pastors that have churches all over the world.
And already had jets.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Southern Guardian

A whole lot of companies who didn't really need it took advantage of the free money. No need to target churches.

On the other hand, they don't pay taxes. Do they?

Yes, the churches need to be held accountable and people/christians should take notice and be told

Greed, pure greed

Yeap. String up nonprofits that embezzle and / break the law.

Man Spent Donations to Black Lives Matter on Himself, Prosecutors Say

www.nytimes.com...


Donors gave $36,493 in June to an organization that called itself Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta. In July, it took in $370,934. In August, $59,915. The money, the group said, would go to support the movement.

Instead, federal investigators found that the money was spent on nights out and nice clothes. The man running the organization, Sir Maejor Page, appeared on social media wearing tailored suits with cuff links and ties that he bragged had cost $150, staying in luxury hotel rooms. “My room way up at the top,” he boasted. “At the top top.”

25 Investigates: Nonprofit manager charged with embezzling money meant for disabled kids

www.boston25news.com...

Prosecutors say Maryland woman embezzled $5.1 million from D.C. nonprofit group


www.washingtonpost.com... 3-a7f0-b790929232e1_story.html

Be outraged by all corruption, or don’t be outraged at all.

a reply to: neutronflux

Yeah, but the thread is about cheating megachurches.

Perhaps you should start a thread rather than trying to derail this one?

originally posted by: Gryphon66
a reply to: neutronflux

Yeah, but the thread is about cheating megachurches.

Perhaps you should start a thread rather than trying to derail this one?

Like any business. There always has been, and always will be corruption.

Let us know when there is some new corruption under the sun that is not actively being prosecuted.

Call me when California gets back the $8B in unemployment money that was embezzled from it.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Call me when California gets back the $8B in unemployment money that was embezzled from it.

Oh. You cannot criticize the religion of state, and the redistribution of wealth.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Call me when California gets back the $8B in unemployment money that was embezzled from it.

What does that have to do with megachurches abusing PPP loans?

We're not talking about Callifornia per se. We're talking about those that hold themselves out as reprsentatives of deity yet are grifting just like all the other frauds.