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Why is it that Clergy And Cops always try totake advantage of the young and helpless?
TOPEKA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Topeka returned an indictment charging a Kansas priest and a New York businessman in connection with a scheme to defraud a foster care organization of $10 million.
According to court documents, Robert Nelson Smith, 50, of Salina is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud, and one count of money laundering.
William Byrd Whymark, 50, of Mount Kisco, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 10 counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering.
The Episcopal priest who formerly led Saint Francis Ministries has been indicted for allegedly defrauding the nonprofit social services organization of millions of dollars.
A federal grand jury accused the Rev. Robert Nelson Smith and a co-defendant on November 9 of multiple counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering, alleging that they stole more than $4.7 million through fraudulently inflated invoices for information technology support.
Saint Francis Ministries (SFM) is a 501c(3) faith-based organization in Salina, Kansas, that provides foster care and social services in the states of Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. In 2018, the SFM board agreed to upgrade its IT systems, hardware, and software programs. As the SFM Chief Executive Officer, Robert Smith, an ordained Episcopal priest, entered into an agreement on behalf of SFM with a company owned by William Whymark. Smith is accused of approving and authorizing payments of fraudulent, overinflated invoices submitted by Whymark.
Former Head of Episcopal Charity Indicted for Fraud (livingchurch.org)
Saint Francis Ministries (SFM), based in Salina, Kansas, provides foster care and social services to 11,000 people in six states, according to the organization’s website. Smith served as chief executive officer of SFM from 2014 until he was forced out in November 2020 after allegations of financial mismanagement surfaced.
Smith is also accused of using SFM credit cards for personal, unauthorized expenditures.
This is not the beginning or first time that Smith has been accused and sanctioned for his criminal behavior: “Saint Francis Removes Top Leaders After Investigation”
Saint Francis Removes Top Leaders After Investigation (ksal.com)
Robert Smith is scheduled for his initial court appearance today at 1:30 p.m. before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Kenney and Skipper Jacobs are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
