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6d ago

Louisiana Pastor Convicted of Stealing More Than $340,000 From Two Churches

Prosecutors say he diverted bank withdrawals, transfers and unauthorized debit‑card charges to feed a gambling habit and he is due to be sentenced on Oct. 13, 2026.

A Louisiana pastor has been convicted of stealing more than $340,000 from two churches, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Louisiana.
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Overview

  • A federal jury found Dale Sanders guilty on a 25-count indictment charging wire fraud, access device fraud and obstruction after a five-day trial.
  • Prosecutors say Sanders stole more than $340,000 from the Fifth African Baptist Church in New Orleans and Second New Guide Missionary Baptist Church in Metairie.
  • The indictment says the scheme ran from April 2020 to April 2024 and involved withdrawals from church accounts, transfers to Sanders and unauthorized use of a church debit card for personal expenses and gambling.
  • Officials also say Sanders provided a falsified record to a grand jury, a charge that formed the basis for the obstruction counts against him.
  • Sanders faces statutory penalties that include decades in prison on some counts, fines, supervised release and a federal sentencing hearing scheduled for Oct. 13, 2026.