Pastor Steals $130K From His Church to Recompense Gambling Debts

It's a shame when pastors sin in such a grandiose way.

Photo Courtesy: Kaysha (Unsplash.com)

An executive pastor of Journey Baptist Church has plead guilty using to using church funds to pay off his gambling debt.

Gregory Neal recently pleaded guilty to the theft of $130,000 from his church which he says was used to pay off his gambling debts. Between Jan. 2017 and March 2020, Neal made unauthorized withdrawals from the church's account. Due to Neal's position, he oversaw all of the financial information of the congregation.

Neal also confessed to using the church's credit and debit cards for "his own personal benefit."

U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott, scheduled the sentencing for July 19, 2023. The charges statutes that a sentence can not exceed 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a max fine not to surpass $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss and finally restitution.