Angel Food Ministries (AFM) co-founder Wesley Joseph Wingo and his son, Andrew Wingo, have been sentenced to seven years each for financial misdeeds involving the nonprofit organization. The Wingos were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering in a scheme that defrauded AFM out of millions.
Wesley J. Wingo, 64, of Good Hope, Georgia, was the President and Chief Operating Officer of AFM when he pleaded guilty on February 25, 2013, to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. He admitted to using his position to make purchases for personal benefit, including a classic car, and issuing bonuses to family members to cover up misapplied funds.
Andrew Wingo, 40, also of Good Hope, Georgia, was the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Procurement at AFM. He pleaded guilty on the same date to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering for using illegal schemes to convert AFM funds to his own personal benefit, including purchasing a new home.
Linda Wingo, co-founder of AFM alongside her husband Joe, admitted knowledge of the illegal transactions and was sentenced for misprision of a felony. The organization, based in Monroe, Walton County, Georgia, was founded by the Wingos in 1994 to provide food to the nation’s needy at discounted prices.
AFM received nearly $7 million from the United States Department of Agriculture in 2005 and used its tax-exempt status and purchasing power to gain volume discounts. However, the organization’s revenue far exceeded expenses, leading to the investigation and subsequent convictions of the Wingos.
The sentences handed down by Chief United States District Judge C. Ashley Royal in Macon, Georgia, were for 84 months each for Wesley J. Wingo and 84 months for Andrew Wingo. Wesley J. Wingo was also ordered to forfeit $1,503,285.00 and pay a $15,000.00 criminal fine, while Andrew Wingo was ordered to forfeit $2,400,000.00.
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Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Public Corruption|White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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