Todd Pope, pastor of Cedar Key First Baptist Church stands accused of stealing more than $76,000 from his church.
The former pastor at Cedar Key First Baptist Church is accused of taking more than $76,000 from his church over several years.
Levy County Sheriff’s deputies on Tuesday charged Todd Anthony Pope with scheme to defraud, forgery and grand theft greater than $20,000 but less than $99,999. He’s being held in the Levy County Jail on $215,000 bond.
Deputies say they received a tip from a concerned citizen about unusual charges to the church’s operational expense accounts.
Investigators immediately identified a number of unusual charges. They say they determined Pope not only used funds for personal gain, but also opened charge accounts, credit card accounts and gas charge accounts. Some of the accounts were created in the church’s name but only Pope had access to them, deputies say.
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According to an archived page of the church’s website:
Pastor Todd Pope was born in Lakeland, Florida in 1962 and was born again at age 14. Pastor Todd preached his first sermon at 16. He served Lakeland area churches until moving to our church as pastor in August, 2008. He and his wife Star have five children and five grandchildren.
