Elder Abuse Lawyers: Pastor Stole $32,000 from Elderly Deacon
11/11/2011
With so many examples of financial elder abuse from nursing home staff, adult children, and neighbors, it is hard to trust anyone these days. But as elder abuse lawyers, we were genuinely saddened by a story of a pastor that used his position of trust to exploit thousands of dollars from an elderly and sick member of the congregation.
Gregory Maurice Oats, the head pastor of Word of Faith Ministries in Minneapolis has been charged with stealing $32,000 from Vern Rollins, who was a deacon and member of the church. Rollins and his family joined the church because of Oats and when the man was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, Oats offered to help. “I thought it was normal for a pastor to help out any way he can. He became like family to us,” said Rachel Rollins, Vern’s daughter. But Oats then started to abuse the family’s trust, made himself power of attorney, and put Rollins in a nursing home. Oats exploited the man and his family for about a year by withdrawing money from the man’s account saying it was going to pay for his needs, while making no payments to the Golden Living Center where Rollins was living.
Pastor Admitted to Theft But Never Apologized
Abridged
SOURCE: MinFirm.com
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