Greater Ministries International
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Greater Ministries International was an Evangelical Christian ministry that ran a Ponzi scheme in an affinity fraud that had taken nearly 500 million dollars from 18,000 people by the time it was shut down by federal authorities in August 1999.[1] Headed by Gerald Payne in Tampa, Florida, the ministry bribed church leaders around the United States.[2] Payne and other church elders promised the church members double their money back in 17 months or fewer, citing Biblical scripture.[3][4] However, nearly all the money was lost and hidden away.[5] Church leaders received prison sentences ranging from 12<templatestyles src="Fraction/styles.css" />1⁄2 years to 27 years.[6]
The group had ties to Stayton, Oregon-based Embassy of Heaven,[2] run by Glen Stoll, which was later closed by the Justice Department.[7]
Their group founded a newspaper, the "Greater Bible College" in Tampa, a line of "Greater Live" herbal remedies, cancer treatments ("We actually pull the cancer right out of your stomach", Payne claimed.), a supplement called "Beta 1, 3rd Glucan" (to survive "end-times plagues",) and plans for "Greater Lands", an independent country (an "Ecclesiastical Domain ... similar to the Vatican") where other governments would have no jurisdiction.[8]
In popular culture
In 2007, the first story on the episode "Religious Prey: Greater Ministries Int'l / It Takes a Thief", of the television series American Greed, covered the fraudulent criminal actions of Greater Ministries International, including a prison interview with Gerald Payne insisting that God Himself was still going to refund all the stolen funds.[9]
References
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External links
- www.greater-ministries.com (archived)
- Injunctions/press releases
- Ohio Division of Securities Obtains Injunction, August 24, 1999
- Pennsylvania Injunction, 1999
- U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, February 19, 2002
- Articles