Donor revives fraud claims against Christian worship leader Sean Feucht over a $250,000 donation

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean Feucht, a Christian worship leader who attained rock star status after his large rallies in defiance of pandemic-era regulations, is facing allegations of fraud from a Southern California donor.

In an amended federal lawsuit filed Wednesday, Steve Bray, an Orange County businessperson and Christian philanthropist, accused Feucht of soliciting a $250,000 donation for a 2023 concert tour that had already been fully financed by the late Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA. A federal judge on Sept. 9 had dismissed the original lawsuit Bray brought, citing a lack of specific details and lack of evidence to support the fraud allegations. But he left a door open by giving the plaintiff 20 days to file an amended complaint with more specifics and proof.

According to court documents, Feucht met with Bray in his Anaheim office on March 6, 2023, seeking a donation for his Kingdom to Capitol Tour, which he planned to take to all 50 states. Bray said in the complaint that he agreed to fund five tour stops for a total of $250,000, but later discovered that Feucht’s entire concert tour had been fully funded.

In a statement issued via his spokesperson, Feucht said he “looks forward to this case being dismissed, just as the last one was.”

“Every dollar given to the Kingdom to the Capitol Tour was used for exactly that purpose – as we completed the historic effort of bringing LET US WORSHIP to all 50 U.S. state capitols throughout 2023-2024. We stand by the work, the mission, and the stewardship behind it. We’re grateful to all the donors who made this historic tour possible.”

On social media, he had celebrated the judge’s Sept. 9 dismissal as “a day of vindication.”

“Case Dismissed! Praise God!” Feucht wrote. “The TRUTH always prevails!”

Bray told The Associated Press on Thursday that he gave Feucht an opportunity to explain how he had used the $250,000 before serving him with the lawsuit. He said Feucht didn’t respond.

“I hate being in legal battles, but this was the last resort,” he said.

Bray said Feucht was persuasive during their meeting in 2023.

“Sean was leading worship and bringing people to the Lord and taking the church to the public square,” he said. “We thought if he’s out there, doing this, let’s help him. That’s how he represented his work and that’s what I believed the money was going for.”

Warren Cole Smith, president of MinistryWatch, a nonprofit accountability watchdog of the nation’s 1,000 largest Christian ministries, said Sean Feucht Ministries triggered red flags when it stopped filing Form 990s after 2020, at a time when its earnings skyrocketed — from $243,000 to $5 million over one year.

The tax forms, which are public record, describe how a nonprofit allocates its money. But religious organizations are not legally required to file Form 990s, and it is legal for pastors to take housing allowances to buy a home or pay rent.

Over the last year, Christian watchdog groups and several former associates have questioned the ministry amassing more than $7 million in real estate and whether ministry funds were mismanaged. These acquisitions ranged from upscale homes in Southern California and hunting properties in Montana to hundreds of acres in a scenic region known as the “Swiss Alps of Texas.”

Some former associates have also alleged that Feucht abused them emotionally and spiritually. Feucht has dismissed those accusations as being made by “disgruntled former volunteers.” He has also said recently that his ministry will continue acquiring real estate across the country.

Smith said he doesn’t believe that the lawsuit’s dismissal vindicates Feucht in any way.

“All our concerns about his ministry and the lack of accountability still stand,” he said.

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