Sabbatarian Pastor Convicted of Fraud

Banned by HWA is reporting that Jim Staley, leader of "Passion for Truth Ministries", who appears to have been an influence to some Armstrongites, has been convicted of fraud.

Here are some excerpts from an article about this from Rawstory which is linked to in Banned by HWA's post.

Although [Jim Staley] apologized, the daughter of a man who lost $155,000 in Staley’s scam said it wasn’t sincere and was staged for church members.

His victims were not members of his parish. ...

Staley has only paid a tiny fraction of restitution owed to victims — $1,950, despite the fact he lives rent free with an annual church salary of $127,000. (Rawstory.)

Here's more from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Prosecutors said [Jim Staley] continued to sell the investment — bundled life insurance policies — and recruit salespeople after realizing the product wasn’t selling and after being ordered to stop. He failed to tell investors about a state cease-and-desist order.

Staley worked as a sales agent for a California company named B&B Equity Group. Other agents and those who recruited them faced criminal investigations elsewhere.

Asked if it appeared that Staley truly accepted responsibility, Collins quoted an earlier statement by Rosenblum about some who put on different faces for different people. “That might just be the face that Staley put on today,” she said. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch.)

Guess who decided to speak sympathetically for the convicted Jim Staley? Joseph Farah, leader of the far right media outlet, WorldNetDaily.

WorldNetDaily has been quoted numerous times by UCG, PCG, LCG and RCG as an authoritative media source.

WorldNetDaily sells some of Staley's DVDs. The quote below is from a WorldNetDaily article.

Joseph Farah, founder and CEO of WND, said the company will continue to sell Staley’s teaching videos and books.

“Jim Staley is one of the most gifted Bible teachers I know,” he said. “It’s unfortunate he is being punished for something that took place a long time ago, long before he entered the ministry – charges for which he was previously investigated and cleared by state authorities. I pray Jim comes through this and will be able to hold his family together in this time of great challenge.” (Source.)