Friday, October 16, 2026 -A 46-year-old pastor in Washington, United States, Cristian Popescu, has been indicted for allegedly defrauding members of his church of $13 million through a business investment scheme.
According to federal prosecutors, Popescu, who leads Passion
for Christ, a Christian congregation in Kirkland, allegedly told church members
that God had chosen them to invest in his company, Followone Inc., a
Bellevue-based startup he described as an e-commerce platform and social
network.
Prosecutors claimed he misrepresented the company's revenue,
stock value and plans to be listed on Nasdaq to attract approximately 30
investors.
At one point, he allegedly claimed the company was worth
$1.4 billion despite knowing it had little or no value.
Popescu reportedly promised investors positions on the
company's board in exchange for investments of $1 million and encouraged some
to withdraw money from their retirement accounts and children's education
savings.
Investigators alleged that he diverted investors' funds
through shell companies and fabricated invoices, transferring more than $4.5
million into accounts belonging to himself and his family members.
He also allegedly paid himself over $1 million in wages
between 2017 and 2024 and placed his wife on the company's payroll, paying her
approximately $300,000 despite claims that she performed no work.
When some investors demanded refunds, Popescu allegedly
accused them of being possessed by evil spirits.
The pastor faces 10 counts of wire fraud and five counts of
money laundering. He was arraigned before a federal court in Seattle and
released under electronic monitoring.
If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison for
each wire fraud count and 10 years for each money laundering count, alongside
possible fines.
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