Chicago Pastor Indicted On Federal Fraud Charges

New Life Impact Church, led by the Rev. Clarence Smith Jr., at 3540 W. Cermak Road in Chicago on Friday, Jan. 3, 2020. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune)

By Anne Stych - Posted at Ministry Watch:

A Chicago pastor has been indicted on federal charges that he stole more than $800,000 intended for food programs for needy children and spent it on a luxury car and other personal expenses.

The Rev. Clarence Smith Jr., 45, of New Life Impact Church is charged with overreporting the number of meals his organization fed children as part of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and overcharging the federal grant program, which is partly administered by the Illinois State Board of Education.

Smith received almost $1 million for services from the state in July 2016 then spent $142,000 soon after on a 2015 Bentley automobile, the Chicago Tribune reported.

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