Washington pastor indicted for $13M church fraud scheme

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 15 Oct, 21:32 · Archive

A Washington pastor has been indicted for allegedly defrauding over 30 church members of $13 million through a fake technology company.

Cristian Popescu, 46, a pastor at the Passion for Christ congregation in Kirkland, Washington, has been indicted for defrauding more than 30 church members of $13 million. He faces ten counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. Prosecutors allege Popescu used his position as a pastor to persuade church members to invest in Followone Inc., a Bellevue-based technology company. He allegedly told investors that God had chosen them to fund his business and claimed the company was worth $1.4 billion.

Popescu allegedly fabricated claims of millions in revenue and an impending Nasdaq IPO to attract investors. The New York Post reports that some individual investments totalled nearly $1 million in a single wire transfer, while others were nearly $600,000 and $500,000. Prosecutors say he urged investors to tap retirement accounts, take out personal and home equity loans, and withdraw money from their children's college savings. He allegedly offered board positions to those who invested at least $1 million.

In reality, the Followone marketplace was largely non-functional, according to federal prosecutors. The Independent World reports that Popescu allegedly inflated the company's success with misleading press releases, falsely claiming it had 20 employees when it only had three. Prosecutors say he used investor money to pay fake invoices to shell companies he controlled for his own benefit, including luxuries and day trading.

Popescu pleaded not guilty and was released on electronic monitoring while awaiting trial, despite prosecutors' objections. His trial is scheduled for December 2026.

How it is being reported

• Washington pastor accused of $13M fraud after telling investors God picked them to investThe pastor allegedly inflated his tech company’s success with misleading press releases, falsely claiming it had 20 employees when it only had threeIndependent World · 15 Oct, 21:16
• West Coast pastor scammed church members out of $13M, called victims ‘demons’The "Passion for Christ" pastor allegedly tricked 30 investors out of millions by lying about his fake startup's revenue and upcoming Nasdaq IPO.New York Post · 14 Oct, 21:22

In this story: Cristian Popescu · Passion for Christ · Followone Inc. · Kirkland · Washington · Bellevue · Bothell

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