A D.C. pastor used loans meant for COVID pandemic relief to buy a Tesla and a property in Baltimore, according to U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Rudolph Brooks Jr., of Cheltenham, Maryland, known as the pastor at Kingdom Tabernacle of Restoration Ministries, faces a federal charge for wire fraud. Federal authorities have also seized $2.2 million from his various bank accounts, along with a 2018 Tesla Model 3.
The federal government enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, also known as CARES, Act in March 2020. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was created so businesses and employers could use money for rent, paying employees, and utilities.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Brooks filed fraudulent tax returns to get the $1.5 million, citing his car dealership as a reason for the PPP. Federal authorities said in actuality, the cost of payroll at Cars Direct was more than $600,000 with ten employees.
Brooks then transferred the money between bank accounts and made the purchases; according to the affidavit, he bought 39 cars, including:
- A 2017 Mercedes Benz SClass;
- Two 2017 Infinity Q50s;
- A 2015 Cadillac Escalade;
- A 2005 Bentley Continental;
- A 2018 Tesla Model 3; and
- A 2014 GMC Yukon XL.
Federal investigators also discovered Brooks used a defunct company to buy property in Baltimore for $148,500.
“pastor” my foot. The black community has many issues and that so many can so easily lie about being a Christian is one of them The fact stands you can not be a Christian and a democrat. Oh you can lie and say you are, you can quote scripture on your social media all day long but you will not ever fool God. Lying about being a Christian is a sin for which God will punish you for here on earth That is why the black community out of all other races and ethnicities has the most social problems including the black on black genocide going on in this country God hates liars and He will and does punish accordingly
gross revenue 148k (2019) before the pandemic, but applied for 1.5 Million in PPP loans. That’s a special kind of stupid right there ! Wow, and people are listening to this fool preach!
He works in DC, but he’s from PG County, first in the state
for corruption by elected officials, non-profit heads, and
questionable religious leaders. Only Baltimore City comes
close.
Page out of the book Al Sharpton
He must have a guilty accountant and tax preparer.
I don’t understand why they gave him the money. Our money, the tax payers. Government doesn’t have money until the take it from us. As much as I dislike this and the preacher, I don’t blame him if they are stupid enough to give him some large. I blame the dumb ass government.