Father & son pastors sentenced to prison for thefts www.privateofficer.com
Posted by privateofficernews on June 13, 2009
Richard Wimberly Cunningham, 76, and his 52-year-old son, Philip Ladd Cunningham, are accused of stealing $3 million in donations to buy themselves luxury items, including vacation timeshares and cars.
The two were sentenced immediately after pleading guilty to charges of grand theft and conspiracy to defraud.
The younger Cunningham also pleaded guilty to forgery, said Farrah Emami of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
They have already paid $3.1 million in restitution to Calvary Baptist Yorba Linda Church and School, she said.
Richard Cunningham, who founded the church in 1971, deeded his Yorba Linda home to the church to help make restitution and now lives in Moreno Valley.
His son, who now lives in Laurinburg, N.C., deeded a Palm Springs condominium to the church, which also received the proceeds of the sale of his Yorba Linda house.
Despite the payback of funds, Brannan said he moved ahead with filing charges “based on the fact that I believe money was stolen.
Restitution is not the main act; it’s a curtain call.”
The two, who had complete control of eight church bank accounts, moved money between the accounts to hide their crimes and made withdrawals as cash or unauthorized payments to themselves, Emami said.
The men are also used credit cards, which had been issued to them by the church, for unauthorized personal expenses, she said.
Members of the church discovered the theft after noticing a discrepancy in some financial records.
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