La. Pastor Who Lives in Multi-Million Dollar Mansion Charged With Hiding $100,000 From Gov't
A 72-year-old Louisiana pastor that lives in a multi-million dollar mansion is being charged for trying to hide $100,000 from the federal government to avoid paying taxes.
Pastor Jerry Wayne Cox, who leads a congregation at the Faith Tabernacle Church in Franklinton, Louisiana, allegedly withdrew $100,000 to avoid reporting it to the government and paying taxes. He is being charged by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Orleans.
Cox attracted attention from federal authorities when he made seven withdrawals from Citizen Savings Bank and Resource Bank between Sept. 20 and Oct. 11, 2011 for close to $10,000 each. He allegedly kept the amounts just under the $10,000 mark to try to keep his actions under the radar.
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There is no information on what the money was being used for, but the pastor seems to live a lavish lifestyle as he lives in a multi-million dollar home which is owned by the church. This arrangement makes the house tax free.
The Christian Post contacted Faith Tabernacle for comment, but the church did not respond by press time.
Cox also made headlines last year in a lawsuit that involved him and friend, former St. Tammany Parish District Attorney Walter Reed. Reed and Pastor Cox appeared with each other in a Pentecostal publication called "Together" in 2012, but their friendship was accused of being a corrupt partnership in a lawsuit filed by Arkansas resident Roger Magee who claimed that they "orchestrated" his "arrest and lengthy incarceration (without bail)." He claimed they suspected him for leaking information to the FBI regarding a financial scheme being carried out by Cox and Reed. Magee also said that Cox threatened him in 2012.
Magee claimed that he met with Cox in North Little Rock, Arkansas, where the pastor told him "You didn't scare us much with the FBI. Well, you scared us a little…but when I found out that Reed was ex-FBI, Reed said that he would take care of it."
He also said "if and when you cross state lines, Reed will handle you!" according to the lawsuit.
Reed also donated $25,000 to Cox's Faith Tabernacle Church in 2013, according to his campaign finance report. The money was reportedly for a "building fund."
Prosecutors have not confirmed if Reed has any involvement in Cox latest financial debacle.
