Pastor confesses to church guitar fraud scheme

SHARE:

A Saylorsburg, Pa., pastor admitted to police that he attempted to make a false insurance claim of more than $363,000 by claiming musical instruments were stolen from his church.

Gibson Les PaulImage by borevagen via Flickr

Kevin Michael Gallagher, 50, pastor at New Covenant World Outreach in Brodheadsville, Pa., admitted that he made the false claims, citing financial and marital issues, according to an affidavit filed by the Northeast Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud and Auto Task Force.

On April 1, 2009, Gallagher contacted Pennsylvania State Police to indicate that three guitars and a keyboard were missing from his second-floor office and that whoever took the items must have known exactly where they were located. The items allegedly stolen included a 1959 Gibson Les Paul guitar, valued at $100,000, and a 1962 Fender Stratocaster guitar, valued at $20,000.

Following the incident, Gallagher contacted Motorists Insurance, which covered his musical equipment, and Selective Insurance, which covered the church. Gallagher attempted to collect $104,370, his policy value, from Motorist, and an additional $258,900 from Selective, but met with hesitation from his own insurer over the true value of the allegedly stolen instruments.

To bolster his claim, Gallagher provided photos and serial numbers for the guitars. He said he did not have receipts for the items, telling police that the original receipt for the Gibson Les Paul was in the case when it was stolen, according to the affidavit.

Police were able to determine that the serial number given by Gallagher to them and to the insurance companies was actually to guitars sold by a guitar shop to a New York millionaire and at no time did Gallagher possess the guitar.

The pastor told police he “fudged the serial number” and claimed he misrepresented information to officials due to financial difficulties and marital problems, adding that his actions would likely result in divorce.

In a later interview with state police, Gallagher admitted the Gibson Les Paul was manufactured in the mid-1970s and not 1959, despite his claims to police and Motorists Insurance, the affidavit states. The later manufacture date would make it less valuable. He admitted to providing a false report to Pennsylvania State Police as well as Motorists, claiming sole responsibility for his actions.

Neither Motorists or Selective paid out claims to Gallagher.

He faces charges of insurance fraud and theft by deception for his actions, according to the affidavit.

STORY LINK

COMMENTS

Agnosticator,5,Al Wm Johnson,3,Alegria,3,Alen Basic,1,American Apostate,3,Andrew Jasko,3,Anne R Keye,6,AnonAgno94,4,Apetivist,2,Apostate Paul,3,Articles,707,Aspieguy,12,Astreja,9,atheistnurse,10,AtheistToothFairy,1,austinrohm,3,Avangelism Project,2,Barrett Evans,2,Ben Love,69,billybee,2,BlackFreethought,12,Bob Keye,3,Bob R,4,boomSlang,1,Bore Venal Charlatan,2,Brad N,1,Brian Kellogg,8,Brisancian,3,Bruce Gerencser,1,Bruno Corey,1,C. T. Ogden,4,Carl S,377,Carol Putnam,2,Carolyn Hyppolite,10,Cecelia,4,Cheryl Ensom Dack,6,Chris Highland,2,Chris W.,1,Christian Agnostic,2,Christmas,31,ChuckyJesus,1,ConversationsWithA,1,Daniel out of the Lion's Den,15,Daniel Payne,1,Dano,17,darklady,7,Dave8,1,DealDoctor,24,Dethblight,6,dharma,4,Discordia,5,Doubting Thomas,2,Dr. Marlene Winell,24,Dr. Valerie Tarico,150,DRC,2,dswrites,2,Easter,28,EChamberlainMD,6,Ed (Teapot),2,Edward T. Babinski,1,Eric Jeffries,2,eveningmeadows,11,Evid3nc3,3,ex-Pastor Dan,19,exfundy,2,exPenty,8,Faithfool,2,Fernando Alcántar,6,freddieb42,2,freeatlast,6,G.M. Gates,2,Gary T. McDonald,2,God-O-Rama,6,Godlessgrrl,5,Greenworld,4,hellboundsoul,3,Herb,3,Houndies,3,illu minati,2,Incongruous Circumspection,11,J.W.,2,JadedAtheist,2,Jake Rhodes,3,James A. Haught,3,James C,2,James Wilhelm,9,Jazzybelle,3,Jennifer,3,Jody,3,John Draper,26,John Loftus,2,John Shores,26,Kalos,3,Karen Garst,31,Kim Anne Whittemore,1,Klym,24,Larry C,5,Larry Spencer,3,Letters,149,Libby Anne,3,Log1cd1ctat3s,2,Luke,1,lungfish,1,Michael Runyan,36,Michael Sherlock,5,Mriana,17,MtlRedAtheist,1,Neal Stone,20,News,185,Nikki,1,NYdiva,2,ooglyman,2,Opinion,980,Patrice,2,Paul Hannah,1,Paul So,26,Philippe Orlando,3,Philonous,1,Politics,59,Positivist,5,psychman33,5,Rational Logic,3,Rational Okie,2,Renoliz,10,Rev Ex-Evangelist,7,RickO,3,Robert Conner,8,Ronna Russell,12,Rudy,4,Russ Hamel,2,Science,30,SeageVT,3,Shaolin,4,Simplex Munditiis,3,Son of a preacher,5,Steve Dustcircle,4,Stillunsure,4,Summerbreeze,25,Susan G. Bonella,3,Tania,22,tekHedd,2,Testimonials,1003,Thanksgiving,4,The STeWpId MoNkEy,4,TheThinkingAtheist,5,Thin-ice,4,ThinkTank,5,Tim Sledge,4,Tim Wolf,1,TinMan,1,True Anathema,4,TruthSurge,1,Ubi Dubium,4,undercover agnostic,25,unoder,7,Vadarama,2,Victor J Webster,2,Videos,102,Vyckie,10,Webmdave,9,WidePathGirl,2,WizenedSage,137,xrayman,2,xxkindofboredxx,2,Yak,9,
ltr
item
ExChristian.Net: Pastor confesses to church guitar fraud scheme
Pastor confesses to church guitar fraud scheme
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3620741684_cb040d29b2_m.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/3620741684_cb040d29b2_t.jpg
ExChristian.Net
https://new.exchristian.net/2010/04/pastor-confesses-to-church-guitar-fraud.html
https://new.exchristian.net/
https://new.exchristian.net/
https://new.exchristian.net/2010/04/pastor-confesses-to-church-guitar-fraud.html
true
1266985040290242663
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Read more Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share to a social network STEP 2: Click the link on your social network Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy