Pastor Jones Swindled $933K From Tulsa Community Center

TULSA, Okla. – Willard Lenord Jones, 63, a local church pastor and former Executive Director of the Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project, confessed today to a brazen scheme that drained over $933,000 from a community center intended to uplift a struggling Tulsa neighborhood. Jones pleaded guilty before United States District Judge John E. Dowdell to three counts of wire fraud and one count of subscribing to a false tax return, according to U.S. Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. for the Northern District of Oklahoma.

The charges stem from a six-year period, between September 2007 and June 2013, during which Jones systematically pilfered funds from the Greater Cornerstone Community Development Project. The non-profit was established to solicit donations for the construction and operation of a much-needed community center in South Haven, a historically underserved area of West Tulsa. Instead of building opportunity, Jones built a lavish lifestyle for himself.

Court records reveal Jones aggressively solicited contributions from foundations, corporations, churches, and individual donors – all under the guise of building a brighter future for South Haven. But the money never reached its intended destination. Jones fraudulently transferred funds from the community center’s bank accounts to accounts controlled by his church, and then funneled those funds into his personal holdings. He didn’t invest in the community; he invested in himself.

The details of Jones’ spending are particularly galling. The feds say the stolen funds were used for personal expenses and luxury items, including high-end hotels, gambling trips, copious amounts of liquor, expensive automobiles, and jewelry. The man preached from the pulpit while padding his pockets with money meant for the vulnerable. As part of a plea agreement, Jones will be forced to forfeit his residence, a Rolex watch, and a fur coat. A criminal forfeiture money judgment of $933,507.80 will also be entered against him.

Jones is now facing a potential 20-year prison sentence for each of the three wire fraud counts, and an additional three years for filing a false tax return. Beyond the potential jail time, he’ll lose his home and the trappings of his ill-gotten gains. The investigation was a joint effort by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph F. Wilson, Kevin C. Leitch, and Catherine Depew are prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 12, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. The Grimy Times will be there to report the final outcome of this shameful betrayal of trust. This case serves as a stark reminder that even those in positions of authority are not above the law, and that greed often hides behind a veneer of piety.