Jamal E. Lawson, Sr., Advance-Fee Fraud, Illinois 2022

CHICAGO — In a brazen scheme that left small businesses and churches nationwide reeling, JAMAL E. LAWSON, Sr., has been sentenced to 52 months in federal prison for swindling his victims out of over $225,000 in an advance-fee fraud scam.

Lawson, 44, of Duluth, Ga., and formerly of Dayton, Ohio, was convicted of three counts of mail fraud after a trial last August. He was ordered to begin serving his sentence on March 31.

Prosecutors alleged that Lawson repeatedly lied about his credentials, experience, and ability to obtain loans on behalf of his victims, including three churches in Chicago. Over 18 months in 2009 and 2010, Lawson promised more than $650 million in loans to over 30 victims, but never funded a single loan.

The victim churches lost money obtained from parishioners, wasted their time and efforts dealing with Lawson, and missed opportunities to pursue funding through other legitimate sources. In addition, the pastors and business owners suffered losses to their reputations and, in some cases, suffered extreme hardships.

Lawson collected advance fees from his victims, using the money for personal expenses such as travel, clothing, food, and cars, instead of securing the loans as he had promised. Additional churches and small businesses victimized by the scheme were located in Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, and Virginia.

Lawson operated several companies, including Evangel Capital Group LLC and Evangel Capital Partners Ltd., Ascendant Capital Partners LLC and Ascendant Commercial Mortgage, and Destiny Capital Group LLC and Destiny Capital Partners Ltd. He advertised low-interest loans to churches and small businesses and, after receiving a loan application, advised the borrowers that his companies had approved loans in amounts ranging from approximately $300,000 to $206 million and that firm closing dates had been set.

Lawson was ordered to pay $227,252 in restitution by U.S. District Judge James Zagel. The sentence was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Tony Gómez, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago.

The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher R. McFadden and Kathryn Malizia.

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