US pastor found guilty of stealing $340,000 from churches for gambling

A pastor in the United States, Dale Sanders, has been found guilty of stealing over $340,000 from two churches in Louisiana. He used the money to gamble and pay for personal expenses.

A jury convicted the 56-year-old on 25 counts of wire fraud, access device fraud, and obstructing a federal investigation. This verdict came after a five-day trial before US District Judge Brandon S. Long.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana announced the conviction in a statement on Thursday. They shared this statement with PUNCH Online, which is available on the US Department of Justice website.

Prosecutors said Sanders "defrauded Church A and Church B to get money and property using false pretenses, representations, and promises."

The statement explained, "SANDERS would withdraw funds and transfer money from Church A’s bank accounts to his own accounts. He used the money for his personal expenses, including gambling, dining, and living costs."

It went on to say that Sanders "used Church A’s debit card for personal transactions that were not authorized. He received cash, goods, and services worth over $340,000 that he was not entitled to."

The jury also found Sanders guilty of obstructing a federal investigation.

The statement noted, "SANDERS was also convicted of obstruction of a federal investigation for giving a false record in response to a grand jury subpoena."

Judge Brandon S. Long has set Sanders’ sentencing date for October 13, 2026.

The US Attorney’s Office mentioned that Sanders could face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or double the gross gain or loss. He could also have up to three years of supervised release after serving his time. Additionally, he must pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee for each count.

US Attorney David I. Courcelle praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Orleans Field Office for their work on the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn McHugh and Tracey Knight from the Financial Crimes Unit led the prosecution.