Louisiana Pastor Used $340,000 from Church to Gamble

Louisiana Pastor Dale Sanders has been convicted of diverting over $340,000 from two churches to fund his casino expenses. Sanders was the pastor of the Second New Guide Missionary Baptist Church in Metairie and the Fifth African Baptist Church in New Orleans. He was convicted on July 17 in a federal trial in New Orleans on 25 charges including wire fraud and obstruction of a federal investigation.

Details of the Fraud

According to court documents, Sanders secretly obtained a Capital One debit card from the Second New Guide Church without the board's knowledge and used it for personal expenses from April 2020 to April 2024. These expenses included cash withdrawals at casinos, which remain unidentified in court records. To cover the account deficit, Sanders transferred funds from the Fifth African Church to the Second New Guide account.

Attempts to Cover Up

Sanders was also convicted of attempting to cover up his actions during an FBI investigation. Prosecutors stated that he responded to a grand jury subpoena with a falsified record to make it appear as though he had donated money back to the church in 2023.

Message on Social Media

After his indictment in April, Sanders took to social media to thank his followers and asked them to pray for those pursuing him. He regularly posted sermons on Facebook and wrote a self-help book titled Strut Your Stutter. "I need you to pray for my enemy," he said in a video, quoting a biblical passage.

Sentencing in October

A federal jury was not receptive to his message. District Judge Brandon S. Long has scheduled sentencing for October 13. Sanders faces up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or double the financial gain or loss, and three years of supervised release.