Pastor and Son Steal More Than $1 Million From Church?!

Orginally published on Thursday, August 23, 2007 at 6:01 AM
by Todd Rhoades

Two former pastors pleaded not guilty to charges that they stole millions from the Calvary Baptist Church of Yorba Linda and its affiliated school. Richard Cunningham, who founded the church in 1971, and his son Phillip Cunningham, who took over as senior pastor in 1995, were arraigned on felony counts of grand theft and conspiracy to defraud...

The charges include an enhancement that would double the maximum sentence to six years in prison if the two are convicted. They are eligible for the enhancement because they are alleged to have stolen more than $1 million, prosecutors said.

The father and son were freed on their own recognizance.

Defense attorney Marlin Stapleton said it was premature to comment on the charges.

Private investigators hired by the church board last year found that roughly $3 million had been misspent over the past six years. The Cunninghams have returned $3.1 million to the church, according to prosecutor Douglas Brannan.

The church has given more than $300,000 of the recovered money to missionaries in Kenya, Uganda, Ivory Coast and Mexico, said Brian Moore, its new pastor.

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