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A Bothell resident, who is the pastor of Kirkland’s Passion for Christ Church, was arraigned on Oct. 13 on an indictment for wire fraud and money laundering connected with the Christian congregation.
The pastor’s 10 fraud charges and five laundering counts are linked to a $13 million fraud scheme, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd in a United States Department of Justice (DOJ) press release.
Romanian citizen Cristian Popescu, 46, pleaded not guilty to the charges during his appearance in U.S. District Court in Seattle and his trial is set for Dec. 21.
“As alleged in the indictment, this defendant created the mirage of a successful, valuable online marketplace and social media site in one,” said Floyd. “Popescu lured investors from his church with fake marketing materials, websites, and expensive offices, and then took their money for his own luxuries and day trading, betraying them financially and faithfully.”
An investigation by the FBI and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation found that Popescu used his pastor role to recruit members of his church to invest in a Bellevue company he claimed to own and operate titled Followone, Inc.
According to the press release, the pastor told his congregants that God had chosen them to invest in the company and that they would be furthering the church’s mission with their contributions.
“Popescu told investors their investments would remain within Followone and that they could withdraw their money at any time,” said the release, noting that the alleged online global marketplace and social network company was a web of non-functional screens.
Popescu, who was ordered released on electronic monitoring while awaiting trial, attracted more than 30 investors. His “lies,” according to the DOJ, included the company earning millions in revenue, garnering an approaching listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange and that it had grown the value of shareholder investments.
“Cristian Popescu defrauded dozens of his own church members through a series of elaborate lies, including promises of a future stock exchange listing and claims that the profits would benefit the community,” said W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle field office.
The church’s tagline emblazoned on its website reads, “Give it All to God or Nothing.”
According to the DOJ, wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Money laundering is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
