The Black Collar Crime Series relies on public news stories and publicly available information for its content. If any incorrect information is found, please contact Bruce Gerencser. Nothing in this post should be construed as an accusation of guilt. Those accused of crimes are innocent until proven guilty.
Last Friday, Codie Malesker, pastor of Faith Community Tabernacle (Our Church Is A Oneness Apostolic Church That Believes In The Plan Of Salvation As Outlined In Acts 2:38. Love, Laughter, Singing, Fellowship, Worship And Serving God!!!) in Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced to five years of probation and 15 weekends in jail for committing mail fraud.
United States Attorney Jan Sharp announced the sentencing of 47-year-old Codie D. Malesker to five years of probation on Friday. United States District Judge John M. Gerrand sentenced Malesker to spend 15 weekends in jail and ordered him to pay $63,443.77 in restitution as part of the probation.
Malesker worked as an insurance agent with Midwest Regional Agency, operated Malesker Agency, LLC and served as a pastor and board member at Faith Community Tabernacle. Malesker was also a partner with Shaun Peck Family Construciton, LLC and managed finances for the company.
In this position, Malesker had access to the company’s bank account, checks and debit cards and an Intuit account. During a four-year period, Malesker issued policies to himself, his insurance agency and Faith Community Tabernacle. Malesker would then make fraudulent claims against those policies and would divert the proceeds to his accounts.
During the time period, Malesker caused an actual loss of $76,296.48 as a result of the fraud. According to a press release, Malesker filed a theft loss claim against his Continental Western Insurance Group reporting $31,648.77 of premium cash and personal property being stolen from Malesker Agency Office.
To support the claim, Malesker submitted fake receipts and bank records. The fraud worked and Continental Western Insurance Group mailed Malesker two claim checks totalling $31,648.77.
Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.
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