According to reports, Jason Gerald Shenk, 45, is being accused of orchestrating a decade-long bible scam involving money he received from faith-based charity groups and individuals in Ohio and North Carolina. Shenk reportedly told the donors that their contributions were going toward sending bibles and other "Christian literature" to children in China.
“When people of faith donate money for evangelistic purposes, they reasonably expect those who solicit their donations to act as faithful stewards of those funds,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia Jill E. Steinberg. “This case alleges an egregious breach of that trust at the expense of multiple charities and individual donors.”
The indictment states that Shenk presented himself as a missionary when he sought out donations. Moreover, the indictment lays out Shenk's high-dollar spending which includes approximately $1 million in online sports gambling; 16 life insurances polices totaling about $4 million; approximately $1 million of diamonds, gold, and precious metals.
He's now facing charges which include wire fraud, international concealment money laundering, concealment money laundering, money laundering involving transactions greater than $10,000, and failure to file report of foreign bank account.
