How US-based pastor stole $340,000 from two churches to fund gambling lifestyle
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A 56-year-old US-based Pastor, Dale Sanders has been convicted on multiple federal fraud charges after a jury found he stole more than $340,000 from two churches and used the money to fund his personal lifestyle, including gambling, dining and living expenses.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, David I. Courcelle, announced that Sanders, of Kenner, Louisiana, was convicted after a five-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long.
A federal jury on Friday, July 17, 2026, found Sanders guilty on 25 counts contained in a superseding indictment, including wire fraud, access device fraud and obstruction of a federal investigation.
According to evidence presented during the trial, Sanders defrauded two churches, identified in court documents as Church A and Church B, by obtaining money and property through false and fraudulent representations.
Prosecutors said Sanders withdrew funds from Church A’s bank accounts and transferred the money into accounts under his control. He also used the church’s debit card to make unauthorised personal purchases.
The stolen funds were spent on personal expenses, including gambling, dining and everyday living costs. Authorities said Sanders received cash, goods and services worth more than $340,000 that he was not entitled to.
The jury also convicted Sanders of obstructing a federal investigation after finding that he submitted a falsified record in response to a grand jury subpoena during the investigation.
Judge Long has scheduled Sanders’ sentencing for October 13, 2026.
He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offences, up to three years of supervised release following imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment of $100 for each count of conviction.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans Field Office for its work on the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn McHugh and Tracey Knight of the Financial Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
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