IL Pastor Sentenced for COVID-19 Relief Scam
Pastor admitted to using Money for personal expenses
After months of sentencing postponements, former Turning Point Church of God Lead Pastor Terry Hall has learned his fate. 
A Department of Justice news release revealed that the McLeansboro, Illinois, minister will serve 21 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release, in connection with his guilty plea to two counts of wire fraud and three counts of making false statements.
In 2020, Hall exploited his position as a pastor to steal $199,900 from the government through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was established to provide low-interest loans with the possibility of debt forgiveness to help organizations weather pandemic-related hardships. According to the news release, the district court also ordered Hall to repay the full $199,900 plus accrued interest to the Small Business Administration.
“The vast majority of pastors across southern Illinois answered the pandemic with selfless service,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft in the press release. “Terry Hall chose a different path: he requested federal relief on behalf of his congregation, then used nearly $200,000 for purely personal expenses. Conduct that far from the calling of ministry demands accountability, and accountability arrived in the form of a 21-month federal prison sentence.”
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The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois explained that Hall pulled off his scheme through a combination of fake documents, church member intimidation and networking with elected representatives. The grant money, which was intended to help cover ministry expenses during the pandemic, instead went to Hall’s personal bank account. The former pastor admitted to spending the funds on personal expenses such as his mortgage, travel and construction of a pole barn.
Turning Point Church of God’s web address is currently a dead link, but an Internet Archive search of the site reveals that at least as early as March 2023, Hall had already been replaced by a new lead pastor. Archived page versions also indicate Hall had served as lead pastor at least as far back as 2019. His online bio describes him as having “overseen & coordinated many mission trips & conferences all around the world,” participated in leadership training, and served as a music ministry leader.
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.
