Holy Heist: Pastor Accused of Faking Corvette Raffle Winner in $50K Church Scam

Yahoo

5 days ago

Read the full story on Backfire News
A Pennsylvania church raffle that promised a brand-new Chevrolet Corvette or $50,000 cash has shifted from a feel-good fundraiser to a full-blown criminal probe, after investigators say the winning ticket was awarded to a fake person.
Authorities allege the pastor of St. Jude the Apostle Church in Erie orchestrated the scheme during a 2024 charity raffle. Parishioners paid for the chance to take home a new C8 Corvette or opt for the cash prize, with the drawing meant to serve as a high-profile fundraiser. But when the winning number was pulled, suspicions quickly arose.
The announced winner's name didn't appear on any official ticket sales records, and attempts to contact the supposed recipient failed. Investigators now say the name was fabricated and the winner never existed. The whereabouts of the Corvette—or the cash prize—remain unclear.
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Court documents indicate the pastor maintained control over the raffle's finances and recordkeeping. That, combined with the lack of a verifiable winner, has led authorities to suspect that the drawing may have been manipulated to conceal the real flow of funds. The amount of money missing from the fundraiser has not been officially disclosed, but the church's leadership has confirmed that proceeds never reached their intended parish programs.
*Based on reporting by the Erie Times-News, unverified by Backfire News.