Pastor Allegedly Rigged His Church's Corvette Charity Raffle

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I cognize location are different gods for everyone, but I've sewage a emotion nary of them would beryllium chill pinch rigging a kindness religion raffle to get a C8 Corvette Convertible. Well, that's precisely what 1 pastor successful Erie, Pennsylvania, allegedly did. Rev. Ross R. Miceli is accused of fabricating nan sanction of nan Corvette raffle winner, arsenic good arsenic nan winners of different smaller prizes.

Now, nan Erie County District Attorney's Office is investigating nan St. Jude nan Apostle Church Reverand, alleging that he rigged nan Corvette raffle, tampered pinch its records and moreover committed theft, according to nan Erie Times-News. Miceli admitted to moving money from nan car raffle relationship to different account, claiming this different relationship — nether nan church's sanction — was interest-bearing. It wasn't conscionable nan Corvette raffle, though. He besides reportedly made up immoderate of nan winners for $500 prizes that were offered. During an question and reply pinch detectives, nan 42-year-old admitted to choosing nan $500 winners who were each family friends aliases his favourite parishioners.

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Last year, St. June nan Apostle Church kicked disconnected a raffle to raise money for nan parish. Its extremity was to waste 9,999 tickets astatine $50 a popular to hopefully raise astir $500,000, according to nan Erie Times-News. The expansive prize was nan aforementioned Corvette Convertible 1LT, but location were different smaller prizes that led up to nan Christmas Eve Corvette drawing. Ticket holders were assigned random numbers via nan computer, and nan four-digit number connected nan winning summons had to lucifer nan winning number successful that evening's Pick 4 Pennsylvania Lottery drawing.

The number drawn, 5851, was assigned to Martin Anderson of Detroit. He was named nan victor connected the raffle's Facebook page and decided to return nan $50,000 rate prize alternatively than nan convertible. There was conscionable 1 issue: Anderson ne'er bought a ticket. So, not only is he lame for taking nan money, he's a cheat (allegedly)!

Surprise, surprise. Miceli is leaving nan religion arsenic nan investigation continues, according to nan Times-News. He will beryllium heading to a mates of smaller churches southeast of Erie. There's nary connection yet connected what benignant of reward he could beryllium facing.

h/t: Road & Track