Gary church sues pastor!

Members want him to repay $118,800 credit card bill, $165,000 church loan

by ANDREI YUSTSCHINSKY, Religion Editor

The pastor of a Miller-area church faces allegations in a lawsuit filed Thursday that he abused his church's credit cards to the tune of $118,000, illegally entered the church in a mortgage and failed to repay a $165,0000 church loan.

The Concerned Members of Christ Baptist Church filed the lawsuit against the Rev. Wilbur Maurice White Jr. The group wants all of the money repaid, the church removed from the mortgage and an independent audit of the church's finances.

The pastor's Cummin' Rebels youth group came under scrutiny in 2003.

Attorney A.J. Calhoun represents the concerned church members. He declined to identify his clients by name. Neither White nor the Calhoun could be reached for comment Thursday.
Lawyer Algonquin Calhoun
Yeah, Boss? Among the questionable credit card purchases mentioned in the complaint are $15,901 in airfare from Southwest Airlines purchased in December 2006, $11,045 in payments to DirecTV, $14,114 to Verizon Wireless and $32,301 in gasoline (BP AMOCO) charges.

Among the gas charges, according to the complaint, was a single $32,301 purchase at a Portage BP AMOCO. The complaint also points out that the church is not equipped with DirecTV.

The most "shocking, astonishing and disgraceful" of the charges was $21,666 paid to Dennis Hof's Bunny Ranch™ in Nevada. For those who don't know, the Bunny Ranch™ of Mound House, Nevada is one of the world's most famous legal whorehouses anywhere in Earth's solar system.

Cherry Pie

Jewish Porn star Ron Jeremy, 'Cathouse' boss Dennis Hof and ex-governor Rod Blagojevich got chummy at the BUNNY RANCH™ Lounge also known as The Glory Hole Tavern.

The church members also said in their filing that White gave a mortgage to Centier Bank in May 2008 for property at 4601, 4619 and 4629 Melton Road in Gary in violation of church policy that requires all checks and documents to have three valid signatures from the executive committee.

At about the same time, according to the lawsuit, the church gave White an interest-free $165,000 loan without congregational approval. He agreed to make payment arrangements by June 10, 2008, the members said, but has failed to do so.

Finally, the lawsuit says the congregation voted 46-22 in favor of an independent financial audit of the church in Nov. 2008, but no audit has been performed.

White led the Cummin' Rebels youth group in Gary which had been touted as a law enforcement training program. It fell under scrutiny in 2003 because it had received millions of dollars from the city without placing any of its graduates among the ranks of Gary's police or fire departments.

The Calhoun said the members of Christ Baptist Church have asked White to voluntarily resign his position, but he has so far ignored that request by stating "You motherfuckers can kiss my big black ass!".

"The next step would be to start his termination proceedings," the Calhoun said.

Andrei Yustschinsky reporting from "on the spot & in the parking lot" of the BUNNY RANCH™, 69 Moonlight Rd, Mound House, NV 89706........