Fundies duped by Jamaican con man and his wife

[malaise]

http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=50829
<snip>
Lerron Carlton Heslop may pretend to wear the face of a saint, but police say behind that angelic appearance is the mind of a strategic felon. Investigators say Heslop has duped churches and church-goers in Central Florida of at least $450,000 by presenting himself as a wealthy businessman from a religious family in Jamaica. He asks for donations for what police say is a fake religious group, Pioneer Caribbean Team, and his victims gladly hand over the money.

And it's a profitable line of work, too: Police think Heslop has pulled this scam in Texas, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, Oklahoma, New York and Canada -- raking in at least $1m since 1996.
The Scheme

Detectives say Heslop tells his victims that the Pioneer Caribbean Team is trying to fund the establishment of bible colleges and churches in the Caribbean, and to entice them even more to donate, he promises big cash in return. He says he'll invest the money in Jamaican land used to grow sweet potatoes, and police say he claims the investors will not only see a ten-fold return on their money, but they'll also help revitalize the area.

The catch, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, is that a return on investment never materializes -- and since Heslop asks for cash only, there's no paper trail.
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Most of Jamaica is cracking up over this con. How stupid, greedy and gullible are human beings? I'm betting he was living a grand life.

[petronius]

1. What a prick. Hope they catch him and sentence him to grow sweet potatoes

until he's paid it all back...

[jwirr]

2. They invest in a church mission to make money. They deserve what

they are getting.

[Donnachaidh]

4. ...

:thumbsup:

[malaise]

7. This is a genuine case of the

battle of snake oil salesmen. Hope they all receive their 'just rewards'. :D

[SpiralHawk]

3. Another Ferengi 'Christian' Republicon. So many of them.

Truly, I say unto thee, Republicon 'Christian' Ferengi are the Latter Day Pharisees.

[Skidmore]

5. My husband, who grew up in the Caribbean, told me a story

about a guy who came to his village when he was a kid. This fellow told the villagers that he was a man of God sent to teach them. They attended worship services for a while and eventually the man told them that his father was rich and that he would reward them if they would build a house for him so he could continue the Lord's work. So the people of the village collected building materials and built the man a house, then they approached him for the money to reimburse them for the building materials. He told them, "In heavan, God, my father, has many mansions and has one waiting for you some day."

I asked him if the people called the constabulary to have him arrested for defrauding them. He said that they did not. They looked at one another and said that what the erstwhile preacher had said was true. They returned to their homes and grumbled about it for a while, and the man moved into the house they had built for him. The original cheat passed into history except when some of the old timers would get together at the local bar and chuckle while telling the story after a few snorts of bay rum.

My husband now chuckles when he tells the story. The preacher man has long since gone on to his rewar--or punishment.


PT Barnum still is the wisest man I know of.

[malaise]

6. Lots of stories like that one

but there are as many when the parishioners con the preacher.
I know people who have joined all sorts of religious sects just for the visas.:D

This con and his wife deserve prison.