Pastor Defrauds Church Members Of $13 Million, Claims God Chose Them To Fund His Business
Pastor Defrauds Church Members Of $13 Million, Claims God Chose Them To Fund His Business
Cristian Popescu, a 46-year-old pastor from Bothell, Washington, has been indicted for allegedly defrauding members of his church of $13 million through a fake business investment scheme.
According to federal prosecutors, Popescu, who leads Passion for Christ, a Christian congregation in Kirkland, allegedly told investors that God had chosen them to fund his business, Followone Inc., a Bellevue-based startup he presented as an e-commerce platform and social network.
Prosecutors said he fabricated claims about the company’s revenue, stock value and plans for a Nasdaq listing to attract about 30 investors.
At one point, he allegedly claimed the company was worth $1.4 billion, despite knowing it had little or no value.
Popescu allegedly promised investors board positions in exchange for $1 million investments and encouraged some to withdraw money from their retirement accounts and their children’s college savings. One victim reportedly transferred nearly $1 million in a single transaction.
Investigators alleged that he used shell companies and fake invoices to divert investors’ funds for personal benefit, including transferring more than $4.5 million into accounts belonging to himself, his wife and family members.
He also allegedly paid himself more than $1 million in wages between 2017 and 2024 and placed his wife on a payroll for about $300,000 despite her allegedly never working for the company.
When investors demanded their money back, Popescu allegedly told them they were “demonically possessed.”
He faces 10 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. He was arraigned in a U.S. District Court in Seattle and released under electronic monitoring.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years for each money laundering count, alongside possible fines. His trial is scheduled for December 21.
