74 113 163 323 | Megachurch pastor with ties to George W. Bush indicted on $3.5 million fraud, March 30, 2018

http://abcnews.go.com/US/megachurch-pastor-indicted-35-million-fraud/story?id=54117145
https://archive.fo/cm7PF

A former religious adviser to President George W. Bush has been accused by federal prosecutors of defrauding investors of $3.5 million.

Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell and a business partner, Gregory Smith, sold millions of dollars of worthless Chinese bonds, telling investors to "remain faithful and that they would receive their money," according to documents obtained by ABC Houston station KTRK.

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Western District of Louisiana announced the 13-count indictment Thursday.

Both men could face significant jail time and be forced to forfeit assets. Caldwell and Smith both face 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud count and for the wire fraud counts, according to the prosecutor. They face 10 additional years in prison for the conspiracy to commit money laundering count and the money laundering counts.

The court documents state that Caldwell and Smith raised at least $3,488,500 from about 29 investors between April 2013 and August 2014.

They reportedly told would-be investors that the Chinese bonds "were safe, risk-free, worth tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars," when really they were "mere collectible memorabilia with no investment value," the complaint states.

Caldwell, 64, and Smith, 55, did not tell the investors that the funds they would be using their money for personal expenses, according to the court documents.

The prosecutors said that the defendants used the money that they solicited to buy vehicles, pay off credit card balances and mortgages, among other personal expenses.

"Although many investors did not understand the investment, they ultimately trusted Smith and took comfort in the fact that a high-profile pastor was offering the investment," the complaint states.

When pressed by investors about how long it would take to see returns on their investments, the pair reportedly offered a range of excuses that included delays caused by the International Monetary Fund or World Bank and issues related to international currency exchanges, the filing states.

Kirbyjon Caldwell is the accused pastor of the megachurch (which has not been named as far as I can see).

Chinese bonds = 72
worthless Chinese bonds = 94 / 113
a high-profile pastor =  94 / 113
Megachurch pastor Caldwell = 113
defrauding investors = 112
thirteen count indictment = 112 / 131
conspiracy to commit wire fraud = 138 / 159
indictment = 159
Megachurch pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell = 114 / 163 / 197
Reverend Caldwell = 163
criminally defrauding investors = 176

Criminal Megachurch Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell = 197
wire fraud counts = 197

Gregory Smith is Pastor Kirbyjon Caldwell's business partner who sold millions of dollars of worthless Chinese bonds,

telling investors to "remain faithful and that they would receive their money."

Masonic = 74 / 223