Former SBC missionary accused of embezzling IMB funds now suspected in insurance scam

[Crabtownboy]

By Bob Allen
Monday, 01 December 2008
GULF SHORES, Ala. (ABP) -- The International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention declined to press criminal embezzlement charges in 2005 against a man now accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars in an Alabama insurance scam.

According to legal documents obtained by the Mobile Press-Register , the IMB won a judgment of $359,499.62 against Benton Gray Harvey on March 15, 2005.

Associated Baptist Press has learned that Harvey, who went as a missionary by the name of Gray Harvey, was financial accountant for a Baptist outpost in Istanbul, Turkey.

IMB trustees fired Harvey over allegations that he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars earmarked for earthquake relief and reportedly decided against pressing charges citing concerns for missionary safety.

The board settled the case for the amount of loss that could be documented -- though some observers believe the amount actually missing could be larger -- and pledged not to talk about the settlement.

Wade Burleson, a former IMB trustee who joined the board after fellow trustees accepted the secrecy pact, said he argued vehemently at his first trustee meeting that the IMB had "a moral obligation" to file criminal charges to no avail.

http://www.abpnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3673&Itemid=53

Sad news.

 

[sag38]

And that from a "Liberal Baptists Are Us" web site.

 

[Crabtownboy]

And that from a "Liberal Baptists Are Us" web site.

I am curious about your response? Should they have reported it or not? What is your feeling about this?

 

[sag38]

I would question the objectivity of reporting this. What was the reason other than to try and make the IMB look bad?

 

[Crabtownboy]

I would question the objectivity of reporting this. What was the reason other than to try and make the IMB look bad?

Good grief, I can't make the IMB look bad. No I simply posted it because it was and is news about Baptist.

 

[sag38]

I didn't say you were trying to make the IMB look bad. But, I would question the intent of this particular news service.

 

[SaggyWoman]

Personally, I have the following resolve:

1. I have friends who are missionaries and pray for their safety. I would hope that a sponsoring organization would not do things to cause undue unsafety upon their workers. I do believe in the protection of God on his people who are in his will, but in the same breath, we don't need to bring about nonsense.

2. One of the points for me would be to get the money back and to use the funds appropriately. It seems to me that is what has been done.

3. I do believe that what goes around comes around. What you reap is what you sow. This man will get his.

 

[drfuss]

I didn't say you were trying to make the IMB look bad. But, I would question the intent of this particular news service.

drfuss: The IMB has already made itself look bad by secretly imposing criteria on Missionary candidates that exceed the BF&M. Burleson was forced to leave because he exposed these behind the scenes operations. The IMB gets large hunks of our CP monies and should be transparent in its operations.

Had the IMB publically prosecuted the offender, other people probably would not have been hurt. I suspect the offender used his association with the IMB as a reference for his future employment. The IMB negligence is what has made the IMB look bad.

 

[gb93433]

I would question the objectivity of reporting this. What was the reason other than to try and make the IMB look bad?

I would question the godliness of the SBC leaders who tried to sweep the issue under the rug. Those who have nothing to hide, hide nothing.