ROME, Ga. (AP) – A federal jury began deliberating Friday in the case of a preacher charged with bilking nearly $9 million from 1,600 churches in 41 states in just over a year.
The Rev. Abraham Kennard stood trial for three weeks on 132 criminal counts, including money laundering and mail fraud. The jury in the case deliberated for four hours on Friday, then adjourned until Monday.
Kennard, 46, shared his dream of building a string of Christian resorts with a tight-knit community of black ministers.
Word spread, and soon congregations nationwide were raising the $3,000 they needed to invest in Kennard’s company. For their small investment, the faithful were assured, they would eventually get their money back more than 100 times over – up to $500,000 in a grant or a forgivable loan.
Prosecutors argued that Kennard took advantage of the nation’s tight network of black churches to launch a fast-growing pyramid scheme that allowed him and his family lavish lifestyles.
Kennard’s brother was also tried in the case but has denied knowing anything about Kennard’s church enterprise.
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