Alleged Crypto Scam Pastor Jailed for Violating Release Terms
Feds: Francier Obando Pinillo hatched second scam
A Pasco, Washington, pastor indicted on 25 counts of wire fraud and one count of running an unlicensed money transmitting business is behind bars again.
Video screenshot from Dec. 13 Instagram post by Francier Obando Pinillo
The Olympian reported that at a July hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge James Goeke ordered Francier Obando Pinillo, former pastor of Tiempos de Poder Church, to remain in the Benton County jail following accusations he violated the terms of his release. Prosecutors argued that Pinillo tampered with witnesses by contacting alleged victims and that he continued to fraudulently solicit money.
“Mr. Pinillo is unlikely to abide by any condition or combination of conditions for release,” Goeke said, according to The Olympian. “There is a serious danger to the community.”
In December 2024, the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed suit against Pinillo for allegedly roping his Spanish-speaking congregation as well as other individuals into a multilevel marketing scheme. The suit claimed Pinillo raked in $5.9 million by guaranteeing monthly profits of up to 34.9% on cryptocurrency investments he never actually made.
Instead, the suit alleged, Pinillo kept the money for himself and co-conspirators, leaving many of his 1,516 customers with zero profits.
After Pinillo’s arrest on federal charges and relocation to his Miami home, Pinillo continued to post videos to his church’s Facebook page, the Tri-City Herald reported. That page has since been removed, and the church appears to have ceased services at the two Pasco strip malls where it previously met.
Then in January this year, former U.S. attorney Vanessa Waldref publicly announced a federal grand jury indictment against Pinillo. The Olympian reported that Pinillo was arraigned January 9 for the scheme, which he allegedly carried out between November 2021 and October 2023.
During the investigation, the FBI found evidence that Pinillo had begun soliciting donations for the fictitious God’s Time Orphanage Home Foundation, promising donors God would reward them with “total restoration of breakthrough in the life and in the life of your family.”
According to The Olympian, Goeke ruled the fundraiser did not technically violate the terms of Pinillo’s release, but said the evidence of criminal activity was enough to keep the defendant in jail.
The judge also ruled that Pinillo did not violate the terms when he contacted an investor who had spoken to the FBI. Although the individual reportedly felt intimidated by the encounter, his name was not on the prosecution’s no-contact list submitted to the court.
However, the judge said a violation did occur when Pinillo contacted a second investor, whose name was on the list, and asked her to help his business raise $200,000 to hire a lawyer.
In addition to extending Pinillo’s incarceration, Goeke expanded restrictions on the defendant’s activities. He must not contact any witnesses or investors, even if their names were not on the list; he must refrain from accessing social media; and he may use email only to contact his attorney. He was also slapped with a total ban on soliciting victims for money.
Pinillo’s trial is scheduled for March 2026.
MAIN PHOTO: EDITOR’S NOTE: Why does MinistryWatch report on financial fraud in the church? We report on them because one in three churches will be victimized, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. We also report on them because these crimes have real victims and cost taxpayers and other stakeholders billions of dollars every year. Even small crimes in small churches have huge consequences. We also report on them to remind our readers that they do not have to be victims. There are steps you can take to prevent financial waste, fraud, and abuse in your church or ministry. To find out more, click here.
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