Jelili Gbadamosi
Dale Sanders, a 56-year-old pastor and author from Louisiana, United States, has been convicted of stealing more than $340,000 from two churches where he served, using the funds to finance gambling and other personal expenses.
A federal jury found Sanders guilty on a 25-count indictment after a five-day trial. The charges include wire fraud, access device fraud and obstruction of a federal investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
Prosecutors said Sanders, a resident of Kenner, unlawfully withdrew money from one church’s bank accounts and diverted the funds for personal use, spending them on gambling, dining, living expenses and other non-church-related activities.
Authorities also alleged that he used a church-issued debit card to make unauthorized personal purchases and obtained cash, goods and services worth more than $340,000 between April 2020 and April 2024.
According to his social media profiles, Sanders served as pastor of Fifth African Baptist Church in New Orleans and Second New Guide Missionary Baptist Church in Metairie.
Investigators further accused him of submitting a falsified document in response to a federal grand jury subpoena during the investigation.
Following his indictment in April, Sanders posted a video on social media asking members of his congregation to pray for him and what he described as his “enemy.”
Aside from his pastoral duties, Sanders is the author of Strut Your Stutter, a book that encourages readers to embrace themselves despite personal challenges.
He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release after completing his prison term, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 for each count. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 13.
