Cleveland man facing fraud charge for embezzling from Church of God

The Church of God International Headquarters in Cleveland
The Church of God International Headquarters in Cleveland

Federal prosecutors say a Cleveland man embezzled $100,000 from the Church of God through an elaborate scheme revolving around church conventions.

Assistant U.S. Attorney James Brooks alleges that Troy Scot Carter stole from the Cleveland-based church by creating false invoices for audio-visual services for which the church did not owe. Carter funneled funds through his own company and defrauded another firm for thousands.

The Church of God had hired Carter as director of communication to help organize biannual conventions, called International General Assemblies. His job had him working with numerous vendors, including hotels, convention centers and audi-visual companies.

"The findings of the investigation have revealed that no elected church official, former or present, was involved in or had any knowledge of the irregularities giving rise to this criminal matter," The Church of God Executive Committee said in a statement.

The committee said the church would likely recoup the money it lost through an insurance policy that protects the church against fraud.

"The church has taken additional measures to ensure that this type of scenario will not occur in the future," the statement said. "The church will take further steps to evaluate the prospects of exercising its legal options to recoup all of the money which was taken and is advised that restitution will probably be a part of any order of the court.

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