"According to investigators, Wong began offering legal services to some parishioners, "claiming that in addition to being a pastor, he was also an attorney affiliated with several prestigious universities." Over several years, Wong allegedly would tell these parishioners he was "working on their case" while continuing to extract money from them using their shared faith as a way out of awkward conversations about why the work was taking so long."
"The San Francisco District Attorney's Office has filed charges against 56-year-old Kenny Man Wong, alleging that Wong took over $400,000 from parishioners at an unnamed church on 19th Avenue in the Sunset District. The DA's office says that Wong failed to render any of the promised legal services, and used the over $400,000 he'd taken from these San Francisco residents to purchase a home for himself in Southern California."
Kenny Man Wong, a 56-year-old who served as a visiting pastor beginning in 2018 at a Sunset District church on 19th Avenue, is charged with defrauding parishioners. Investigators allege Wong used his pastoral position to learn parishioners' personal and legal struggles, offered legal services while falsely claiming attorney affiliations, and extracted money over several years. Prosecutors say he took over $400,000 from at least four parishioners, rendered no promised legal work, and used the funds to buy a Southern California home. Wong faces four counts of grand theft and was scheduled for arraignment; investigators seek tips at 415-916-9443.
Read at sfist.com
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