The Million-Dollar Church Scam: The Empty Pad and Stolen Faith

The Million-Dollar Church Scam: The Empty Pad and Stolen Faith Fear that the money your community trusted away could vanish into thin air - three hundred and forty congregants gave $1,240,000 over eleven years for a gymnasium that never rose, and a construction trailer labeled "DUNMORE COUNTY BUILDING FUND" sat on a concrete pad that had been empty for eleven years; where did the money go and who moved the trailer onto that pad? In this episode, we tell the sequence of calls, reports, bank statements, and personal sacrifices that led to the discovery of the missing funds and the man who controlled the campaign account. You will hear how regular donation reports hid the truth, why a single signature mattered, and what the county CPA found when she pulled the real bank records. Person: Thomas Andrews Person: Diane Boyd Person: Sarah Young Location: Portsmith, Dunmore County, Ohio Amount: $1,240,000 - On January 9, 2014 Sandra Simmons called at 8:43 AM after spotting a construction trailer behind Calvary Ridge Baptist Church. - The congregation consisted of 340 members who had been donating since 2003 toward a gymnasium project. - Donors raised a total of $1,240,000 over eleven years with no construction ever started on the concrete pad. - In 2009 Andrews's quarterly report showed a balance of $912,000 while the actual bank account held $61,400. - From 2003-2007 Andrews took about 8% of donations as a consulting fee, later withdrawing up to 40% of incoming donations in some months. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].