A Dallas pastor, Whitney Foster, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for a scheme involving the theft of property from three churches through fraudulent deeds. The 56-year-old was convicted of stealing property valued at over $800,000, according to a statement by Dallas County Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot.
A jury found Foster guilty of theft of property valued at $300,000 or more. “Stealing real estate is an incredibly serious and damaging crime,” Creuzot said. “It’s worse than the theft of someone’s vehicle or other possessions. When someone steals property, we must hold them accountable because they are hurting people.”
Foster, who led a small congregation without a permanent meeting place, executed the theft by filing fraudulent deeds. These documents listed fake leadership for the victim churches as the grantors and named his church as the grantee, according to the district attorney’s office. The churches victimized by Foster’s scheme were First Christian Church of Lancaster, Canada Drive Christian Church, and Church at Nineveh, both in Dallas.
Creuzot revealed that two of the properties are still listed under Foster’s or his church’s name, with his congregation using one of them for gatherings. The third church property remains entangled in legal disputes due to Foster’s fraudulent actions.
Prosecutors also introduced evidence of seven additional fraudulent deeds during the trial. To combat such crimes, homeowners in many Texas counties can register their property for a deed fraud alert service, which sends an email notification whenever a document is filed on their property.
This high-profile case highlights the serious repercussions of real estate fraud and underscores the need for vigilant property monitoring and legal accountability.
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