[November 21, 2009] Attorney General Brown investigates possible church scams Tweet Nov 21, 2009 (Pasadena Star-News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The California Attorney General's Office is investigating four people and three leasing companies suspected of scamming more than 30 black churches in Southern California, including at least one in Pasadena, officials said Friday. California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced the investigation into those who ran two companies that leased computer kiosks to churches, as well as three national leasing companies that may have been complicit in the alleged fraud. Michael Morris, Willie Perkins, Tonya Wilson and Wayne Wilson, who operated companies called Urban Interfaith Network and Television Broadcasting Online since 2000, are targeted in the probe, officials said. "These individuals sold the churches on the promise of free services and advertising revenue," Brown said in a written statement. "Instead, the churches were enticed into expensive leases, which the leasing companies aggressively enforced, even after learning of the alleged scam." Urban Interfaith Network and Television Broadcasting Online operate nationwide, officials said. The California investigation is looking into alleged scams at churches in Pasadena, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Perris, Pomona, Rialto, Riverside and San Bernardino. California Attorney General's Office spokeswoman Dana Simas said at least one Pasadena church was caught up in the possible scam, however officials declined to identify it. Morris, Perkins, Tonya Wilson and Wayne Wilson convinced churches to take computer kiosks by pitching them as a cost-free devices that could be used as electronic messaging boards, to print coupons from local retailers and to generate revenue from advertising, officials said. "Churches were left with leases as high as $45,000 per year for what amounted to little more than desktop computers and printers housed in podium-sized wooden boxes," according to the written statement. "Many of the kiosks did not function." Representatives from Urban Interfaith Network and Television Broadcasting Online could not be reached for comment Friday. A Web site for Urban Interfaith Network was taken offline Friday, however content was still stored on the Internet. According to the Web site, "The Urban Interfaith Network facilitates mutually beneficial, community based partnerships between enlightened corporate partners and the African-American church in America." The Web site further states that one of the goals of the company is to, "Ensure minority consumer communications that enlighten, educate, inspire and inform national urban community church members." Leasing companies Balboa Capital Corp., United Leasing Associated of America Ltd. and Banc of America Leasing and Capital LLC, are also being investigated. "Even after learning of the alleged scam, leasing companies continues to aggressively enforce the terms of the leases, filing lawsuits against churches to collect payment, interest and late fees," according to a written statement from the Attorney General's Office. Officials also allege that the leasing companies assured church officials that the churches would not be responsible for leasing costs. The people behind the two kiosk companies now being investigated in California have already drawn suspicion elsewhere in the country. In October, officials said, prosecutors filed charges, including racketeering, conspiracy to commit false pretenses over $20,000 and false pretenses over $20,000 and fraudulently obtaining a signature, against Morris and Perkins. Media reports indicate the Urban Interfaith Network and Television Broadcasting Online have been at the center of similar controversies throughout the United States. [email protected] (626) 578-6300, Ext. 4586 To see more of the Pasadena Star-News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/.com/. Copyright (c) 2009, Pasadena Star-News, Calif. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]