OAKLAND – A 71-year-old Vallejo girl is going through as much as 5 years in federal jail for her position in a scheme to defraud the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, prosecutors mentioned.
Sheila Quintana pleaded responsible Tuesday to at least one rely of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, a cost that was filed late final week, in accordance with the U.S. Legal professional’s Workplace.
Prosecutors mentioned Quintana, together with co-defendant Staccato Powell, 65, of Wake Forest, N.C., had been officers of the West Episcopal District Inc., an entity Powell fashioned in 2016 after his choice as bishop to AME Zion Church’s Western Episcopal District.
Quintana served because the chief monetary officer and Powell because the chief government officer.
In pleading responsible, Quintana admitted to fraudulently acquiring mortgages on AME Zion Church properties in San Jose, Oakland, Palo Alto, Vallejo and Los Angeles, prosecutors mentioned.
Quintana, for instance, assisted with paperwork and transactions to make use of the First AME Zion Church in San Jose as collateral for a mortgage to buy a house for the congregation’s new pastor. Prosecutors mentioned Quintana drafted a faux decision on the congregation’s letterhead stating the pastor was permitted to signal all paperwork referring to actual property transactions following a “unanimous vote by the membership.”
Whereas the paperwork was being processed, Quintana discovered the AME Zion Church of Los Angeles held a title curiosity within the property. She ready one other faux decision stating the Los Angeles church known as a membership assembly in October 2017 and voted to deed the San Jose church to WED Inc., prosecutors mentioned.
Utilizing the resolutions, WED Inc. obtained a mortgage, the proceeds of which had been used to purchase the house, prosecutors mentioned. The San Jose congregation later disputed the transaction, together with the assertion the membership voted unanimously to approve the decision.
Prosecutors mentioned Quintana additionally admitted that between September 2018 and June 2019, in recognition of the period of time she had spent helping Powell within the enterprise of the district, she ready and signed three checks drawn on WED Inc.’s checking account. The checks had been payable to Quintana’s partner and totaled $67,500.
In July 2020, WED Inc. filed a chapter petition, which claimed its property included 11 church buildings, a parsonage and Powell’s residence, prosecutors mentioned. The petition acknowledged WED Inc. had property value $26.3 million and money owed totaling $12.4 million.
Quintana and Powell had been indicted by a grand jury in January 2022 on one rely of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud and two counts of mail fraud, prosecutors mentioned, including that Powell was indicted on an extra rely of mail fraud.
Prosecutors mentioned Quintana faces a most sentence of 5 years in jail and a $250,000 advantageous. She is subsequent scheduled to look in court docket on July 15 for a standing listening to.
