Annamalai Annamalai, Hindu Temple Fraud, Georgia 2014

Annamalai Annamalai, a former leader of the now-defunct Hindu Temple of Georgia, has been convicted of 34 felony counts including bank fraud and obstruction charges.

According to the indictment, Annamalai used his position of authority to cheat his followers by charging unauthorized credit card fees and using the proceeds to fund his personal lifestyle, which included multiple homes, luxury vehicles, and foreign bank accounts in India.

U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates stated, ‘This defendant traded on his perceived religious authority and spiritual powers to cheat the faithful who believed in him.’

IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent Veronica F. Hyman-Pillot added, ‘Annamalai Annamalai clearly took advantage of his religious standing in the community as well as the individuals who respected and revered him.’

Annamalai was convicted of bank fraud offenses, filing a false tax return, bankruptcy fraud offenses, money laundering, obstruction, false statement offenses, and conspiring to conceal a person from arrest.

The income generated by the Hindu Temple through these credit card charges was used to fund the personal lifestyle of Annamalai and his family. Annamalai was convicted of willfully filing a false tax return for the 2007 year, for failing to disclose his financial interest in foreign bank accounts held in India.

Annamalai was also convicted of bankruptcy fraud offenses in connection with the Hindu Temple’s petition for bankruptcy protection in August 2009. He concealed assets from creditors and others by diverting credit card receipts and donations intended for the Hindu Temple to a bank account in the name of a different entity.

Annamalai was scheduled to be sentenced on November 13, 2014, at 10 a.m. before District Court Judge Timothy C. Batten, Sr.

The case is a result of an investigation by the IRS-Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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