When former Georgia resident Jason Shenk obtained over $30 million from Christian charities and donors, he said the money would go to distributing Bibles in China, officials say.
Now, a grand jury has indicted the 45-year-old on 37 counts after he’s accused of misdirecting those funds for personal use, a federal indictment says. The man from Dublin, Georgia, is now being sought internationally.
He made about $1 million in payments to a sports gambling company, put nearly $7 million into his family farm, invested in nuclear energy, took out life insurance policies in other people’s names, bought gold and diamonds, and purchased property in Chile, among other activities, according to federal officials.
Shenk gave up his U.S. citizenship in 2016 to avoid financial reporting requirements, the indictment states. Officials said they believe these activities took place from 2010 to 2019.
The charges include money laundering, wire fraud and failing to report a foreign bank account.
According to the indictment, Shenk made fake spreadsheets representing his distribution of Bibles in China and said he was being persecuted by Chinese authorities to avoid oversight by the charities that gave him money. He is accused of directing the money through shell corporations to conceal his actions.
He is charged with laundering the money the charities gave him while lying to foreign banks and charitable donors. Two main charities, whose names are not revealed in the indictment, furnished Shenk with around $32 million for the specific purpose of producing and distributing Christian literature 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,” U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg said in a news release. “This case alleges an egregious breach of that trust at the expense of multiple charities and individual donors.”
Shenk “has held himself out as a Christian missionary dedicated to various Christian mission projects around the world, including in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China, among other countries,” the indictment reads.
If Shenk were convicted, he could spend 20 years in prison, the news release says. Warrants have been issued for his arrest.
IRS Criminal Investigations is investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew A. Josephson is prosecuting.
Teens at church camp arrested after armed robbery at convenience store, Oregon cops say
Taco Bell customer has beef with his skimpy Mexican Pizza. Now he’s suing
Smokers hoping to quit were deceived by Florida companies, feds say. Now firms must pay
Lizzo accused of weight-shaming and harassing former tour dancers. Now they’re suing