document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function(event) { Both options for investors have limitations. mps.__intcode = "v2"; It expects that its preferred stock will start paying annual dividends of 6 per cent by 2002. Auditors must broaden the range of information that BFA began to invest heavily in the Arizona real estate market, and at the This settlement takes on a sad historical significance Global Business and Financial News, Stock Quotes, and Market Data and Analysis. A written statement from the foundation says that at the completion of the bankruptcy proceedings and the creation of a new for-profit company, the Baptist Foundation of Arizona will no longer exist. cEnd = document.cookie.length; As for how Southern Baptists in Arizona and elsewhere will emerge from the mess created by the foundation, Bill May, president of the Arizona Church Growth Board, a unit of the state convention, says this: Its like family. implementation is being urged. Then, learn how Dr. Mikos, a charming doctor with a lucrative practice, turns out to be a con artist defrauding Medicare. lawsuit for $217 million. Essentially, in a transaction that favored a former director, the BFA accepted a piece of property (which the BFA itself declined to purchase) as collateral for a loan that amounted to US$4.9M more than the property's appraisal value. July 19, 1999 BFAs board votes to suspend its offer and sale of securities. detect fraud. 1 (803) 227-6197 kcooper@mybfsc.org. Auditors must exchange Aug. 7, 1999 BFA sends a letter to all investors revealing it has put a temporary freeze on accepting new investments or redeeming old ones. New Church Ventures sold the stock to another BFA subsidiary, also in exchange for a $1.6 million reduction in a credit line, which turned around and sold for $3.2 million to Harold Dewayne Friend, who in September accepted a plea bargain and agreed to cooperate with the prosecutors. baptist foundation of arizona scandalshaun thompson elmhurst Consultation Request a Free Consultation Now. Founded in 1948, BFA was created as a nonprofit agency of the Arizona Southern accounting treatment desired by management. Looking for your Investment Portal? Some 13,000 investors lost $570 million, mainly elderly Baptists, some of whom lost their entire life's savings. He pleaded guilty to six felonies and agreed to testify against other defendants, which include former CEO William Crotts and General Counsel Thomas Grabinksi. d.setTime(d.getTime() + 60 * 60 * 24 * 30 * 1000); for Southern Baptist causes. if (!oneTrustCookie) return true; } else { All rights reserved. First, Robert Tuttle of The Reason Files 2 is reporting the same thing I am hearing from multiple sources. isEEARegionCheck(); BFAs financial statements from 1984 to 1997. recently issued SAS 99, Consideration of Fraud in a Financial Statement April 1998 The Phoenix NewTimes, a tabloid, accuses the BFA of many financial irregularities that threatened the foundations stability. In August 2006, a jury found Crotts, the foundation's ex-president, and . 2 Case Study Two Part 1: Baptist Foundation Summary and Research The Baptist Foundation of Arizona was caught hiding important information about its financials when it filed for bankruptcy in 1999. Its bankruptcy late in 2001 caused about 4,000 employees to lose their jobs, while stock losses wiped out their retirement savings and prompted many business reforms. var postLoadFunctions = {}; ideas on how fraud could occur and adjust the audit program plan so that tests Still it functioned much like a financial institution, raising funds through sale of investment agreements and mortgage-backed notes, which in turned were invested in real estate. Things are moving quickly now in the sex scandal involving the three oldest sons of Steven Anderson of Tempe, Arizona's favorite SPLC hate group Faithful Word Baptist Church. var foresee_enabled = 1 .map(categoryPreference => parseInt(categoryPreference.split(':')[0], 10)); Some Baptist leaders worry that fund-raising efforts by Baptist agencies and local churches may be hampered not only by ill will created by the foundations troubles, but also simply because some donors will not have money to give. var mps = mps || {}; CNBC_Comscore = 'CNBC_TV'; But the value of the investors shares will depend on the performance of the new companys investments and how it fares in the stock market. The Baptist Foundation of California. This page contains information The Cult Education Institute has gathered. The foundation was created 51 years ago by the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention to raise money and manage the endowments of Southern Baptist charities, and through its history, the foundation has provided a total of $1.3-million in gifts to church causes. var mpscall = { SAS 99 assets were receivables from the insolvent ALO. The Baptist Foundation of Arizona - A Case of Proper Fund Accounting Ignored and Manipulated Another major accounting scandal, and prelude to Andersen Accounting's participation in Enron's anomalous deals, was the illegal securities trading committed by the Baptist Foundation of Arizona (BFA). mps._queue.mpsinit = mps._queue.mpsinit || []; } Sept. 25, 1999 BFA creates an Investors Committee to meet and negotiate with the BFA on behalf of their fellows.. People of faith vulnerable to 'affinity frauds,' authorities say. [8] Crotts was sentenced to eight years in prison, while Grabinski was sentenced to six years; the two convicted criminals were required to pay $159 million (equivalent to $214 million in 2021), each, in restitution. Unfortunately, the issuing of unqualified opinions, even after receiving be taking place requires a higher degree of due diligence by auditors. Arthur Anderson had the same problems with the Baptist Foundation of Arizona several years earlier when 750 million in assets was more like 125 million in assets because most of the assets booked by the Baptist Foundation were found to be substantially overvalued. Arizona Officials Say Andersen Auditors Played Role in Fraud by a Baptist Group. 1991 to 1994 statements and an adverse opinion on the 1995 to 1997 financial The Baptist Foundation of Arizona -- a non-profit fundraiser dedicated to the church. if (typeof(window._mpspixZ) != 'string') { const matches = oneTrustCookie.match(COOKIE_REGEX); script.setAttribute("onload", "setAdblockerCookie(false);"); //end OneTrust Redirect Another pastor, Manly Perry of Old Path Baptist Church in San Antonio, Texas, posted a video Nov. 19 distancing himself from the New IFB. A non-profit corporation chartered in 1948 to help Southern Baptist causes, the BFA returned about $1.3 million to Baptist causes in 50 years but loaned nearly $140 million to companies owned by three current and former BFA directors. An unambiguous lesson from the BFA case is that the audit team cannot rely The Baptist Foundation of Arizona (BFA) was a Southern Baptist charity, which executed an affinity fraud on unwitting worshippers in the Southern Baptist community in Arizona, leading to the largest collapse of a religious financial institution in U.S. history. head = document.head || document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0], mpsload = document.createElement("script"); The person did not actually purchase the property, but purchased the right to occupy said property. Griebel said she left messages at Andersens offices in Phoenix and Chicago warning the Foundation was broke, but they were never answered. Presented a detailed analysis of The Baptist Foundation of Arizona scandal and won first place among five teams. The BFA case involves the largest Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by a nonprofit organization in U.S. history and the March 1 settlement was approximately twice the largest malpractice court settlement previously agreed to by Chicago-based Arthur Andersen. The Cacaces were among 11,000 investors who lost a combined $580 million when the Baptist Foundation of Arizona, or BFA, a registered nonprofit, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1999 in what prosecutors described as a Ponzi scheme. Several accountants and one attorney became concerned enough to approach senior management about ALOs deficit. to mitigate the real estate losses. Login Here. mpsload.src = "//" + mpsopts.host + "/fetch/ext/load-" + mpscall.site + ".js?nowrite=2"; Andersen opposed that request in court, the trust said; the Arthur Andersen Internet site, meanwhile, makes no mention of its latest BFA actions. It's 5 a.m. and Anna Mezzapelle Cacace, 85, is getting ready for another day at work as a licensed insurance broker for UnitedHealthcare, selling Medicare and Medicaid supplementary benefits. var setAdblockerCookie = function(adblocker) { At the time of BFAs bankruptcy, available for public inspection from the Arizona Corporation Commission, showed The foundation halted security sales in August, however, when state regulators found that it did not have the money to cover its debts to investors. Bob Allen is managing editor of EthicsDaily.com. window.location.href = `/opt-in-check?pub_referrer=${encodeURIComponent(url)}`; The collapse of Bryant Financial Associates was a complete scandal that exposed the fraudulent activities of its executives. The audit team requested the financial statements In 1989, Arizonas "[6], Mechanisms whereby the early investors make a profit by receiving the contributions of later investors. Along with companies like Enron and Worldcom, it was audited by accounting firm Arthur Andersen, giving investors a false sense of security. Crotts denies any wrongdoing, as he has since the story broke in the Phoenix New Times. The clause was depicted as a housekeeping measure, Arizona Attorney General Janet Napolitano said, according to the paper, which quoted her as declaring, Arthur Andersen lied., Napolitano, according to a news release from her office, will be seeking severe penalties against Andersen LLP (formerly Arthur Andersen) and others., This is an absolute outrage, Napolitano said. if (mps._urlContainsEmail()) { if (cEnd === -1) { Here we see that Andersen chose to victimize BFAs victims yet again.. By watching and reviewing the videos about the Baptist Found of Arizona (BFA), I noticed that Arthur Andersen } const blockedCategories = decodeURIComponent(matches[1]) financial assistance was not expected to come from any other source. [8] Indictments were handed down in April 2001; by July 2006, when BFA's president and CEO William Crotts and BFA's Chief Legal Counsel Thomas Grabinski were found guilty at trial on multiple counts of fraud, five other defendants had already pleaded guilty. There are thousands and thousands of people in our communities who have lost their savings or what they counted on for monthly income, says C. Truett Baker, former president of the Arizona Baptist Childrens Services, an agency of the states Southern Baptist Convention. With what are they going to make donations?. BFA ultimately filed for bankruptcy, and thousands of elderly investors lost if (typeof mps.getAd != "function") mps.getAd = function(adunit) { network allows javascript and allows content to be delivered from v144.philanthropy.com and chronicle.blueconic.net. When PHOENIX Two former executives with the Baptist Foundation of Arizona were sentenced to prison Friday and ordered to repay millions for defrauding thousands of investors in a botched. The BFA opens a web site address www.bfaz.org to answer questions. }); cStart = cStart + name.length + 1; 2023 CNBC LLC. Click the link below to sign up for updates from Good Faith Media via our daily or weekly e-newsletters. The Baptist Foundation of Arizona was founded in 1948 to raise money to back up Baptist causes and to pay a return for investors. } The Reverend Ed Shaw suggested that the BFA "Explain the situation completely to investors; ask their forgiveness; let them know their gift of principal would help if they choose to give some or all of it. script.setAttribute("src", "//www.npttech.com/advertising.js"); 'subtype' : 'primetime_show' , Like many New Era, which solicited investments largely from Christian institutions, folded in 1995 after taking in about $350-million in what had amounted to a Ponzi scheme. Information received from independent sources The BFA consistently sold the concept that its main objective was to help its investors serve the work of the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention, while also providing them with favorable returns, as stated in a BFA investor brochure: We are a ministry dedicated to serving the Lord and furthering Southern Baptist and other Christian causes. The second time, on the same day, he declared the same piece of property was valued at $960,000.[4]. Oct. 11, 1999 BFA announces it is close to finalizing the restructuring plan that will be communicated to investors later in the month. Reglious Prey: Baptist Foundation of Arizona. View MLA Baptist Foundation of Arizona Scandal.docx from EDUCATION EDC 101 at Grand Canyon University. The Baptist Foundation of Arizona filed for bankruptcy in federal court last week, owing nearly $600-million to 13,000 people who had bought securities from the organization. July 14, 1999 Arizona Corporation Commission accuses Baptist Foundation of Arizona, Arizona Southern Baptist New Church Ventures, Inc. and Christian Financial Partners, Inc. of violating Arizona Securities Act. The BFA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy that November, listing assets of $220 million and liabilities of $640 million. [11], In early 2007, several former members of the BFA's executive management team were sentenced for the fraudulent activities associated with the BFA. Money & Investing. One of the key provisions of SAS 99 The BFA Liquidation Trust, which is seeking to recover the investors funds, immediately took action. By MICHAEL SCHROEDER Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL. If more than $40-million in claims are made, investors will have to share the money on a prorated basis, receiving even less than 20 cents on the dollar. Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes. Baptist Foundation of Arizona (Southern Baptist charity) BFA: Books for Africa (St. Paul, MN) BFA: Body Fat Analysis (biology) BFA: British Fantasy Award (British Fantasy Society; UK) BFA: Baseball for All (various locations) BFA: Botswana Football Association (Botswana) BFA: Blank Firing Attachment: BFA: Benefit Fraud Assessment: BFA Surname 1 Student's Name Professor's Name Course Date Financial Fraud Question I The litigation Baptist Foundation of Arizona's auditor Arthur Anderson Illegal practices of Baptist Foundation of Arizona Holding company with losses of $585 million Told everyone they were building churches Global Crossing's auditor Arthur Anderson Global Crossing illegal practices Borrowing money and changing the origin However, the State Board if (document.cookie.length > 0) { Yet it raised most of its money by selling investment products to individuals and invested most of those funds in ALO, an allegedly phony company owned by one-time BFA director Jalma Hunsinger. The suits against Andersen alleged that the foundation had become a Ponzi scheme, needing to raise tens of millions of dollars to pay the high returns it had promised to earlier investors., The Journal noted that, according to the lawsuits, a key reason why the scheme lasted as long as it did was that Andersen continued to certify the foundations financial statements and dismissed multiple warnings by individuals that the foundation was defrauding investors. 30. by the Arizona State Board of Accountancy. [14] The court signing off on the settlement meant that the BFA Liquidation Trust had standing should Andersen which was at the time being charged for issues surrounding Enron be unable to make that payment. owed BFA significant amounts of notes receivables. real estate bubble burst and property values declined substantially. It is expected to last until at least March, with an estimated cost of $1.6 million to Arizona taxpayers. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, For example, Select Trading Group, a subsidiary of ALO, created its own subsidiary, Santa Fe Trails Ranch II. return '' But it also "loaned" nearly $140 million to companies owned by three of the Foundation's directors. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, Aug. 5, 1999 BFAs board returned all client checks received since July 22; suspended redemption of all investment products; retained Squire, Sanders, and Dempsey, LLP, an international law firm. var _qs = window.location.href; of Accountancy alleged that because of the very material departures from GAAP By 1996, ALO was more than $100 million in debt. if (isOneTrustAnyBlocked()) { We are unable to fully display the content of this page. real estate properties were ALO and New Church Ventures. The Arizona Republic called it a stunning blow to 13,000 BFA investors who had been told the March 1 settlement would, by the end of the year, help recoup 44 percent of an overall $585 million loss in the nonprofit agencys collapse. return ''; propertys book value, not its diminished current value. } mps._queue.mpsloaded = mps._queue.mpsloaded || []; function getOneTrustCookie() { } [15] At the time, this settlement was the second largest settlement in the nation's history for a Big Five accounting firm that was not related to the Savings and Loan collapses of 1986 to 1995. const ONE_TRUST_COOKIE_NAME = 'OptanonConsent'; A jury on Monday found former foundation president William Crotts guilty of three counts of fraud and one count of illegally conducting an enterprise, according to the Arizona Attorney General's Office, which prosecuted the case. Former general counsel Thomas Grabinski was convicted of three counts of fraud and one count of illegally conducting an enterprise. regarding the disclosure of related parties and the recognition of losses, The new company will, like its not-for-profit predecessor, invest its assets in real estate, venture-capital deals, and some equities. succeeded in 1984 by his son, William P. Crotts. Hoover was a member of the Baptist Foundation Board in the late 1970s and served on the board until 1999 when the organization filed for . Baptist Foundation of Arizona Beecher-Tilton scandal case Branch Davidians C Claudy bombing F Foreign Office papal visit memo G Greater Grace World Outreach Greater Ministries International H Hyles-Anderson College I 2015 Iglesia ni Cristo leadership controversy K Keldholme Priory election dispute David Koresh L Lonnie Latham Larry Lea How did such a massive fraud develop? "They had their faith shattered and faced the possible loss of all their retirement investments.". console.log('PUB-GDPR-CHECK Blocked Categories: ', blockedCategories); manager on the BFA audit lost their CPA licenses to practice and a third CPA 'cag[project_management_team]' : 'CNBC US Team' , mps._log('**** LOADED: Google PII Fix - cnbc-cms-header-insert'); In 1997 a former employee sought a job at Buckner Baptist Benevolences in Dallas that BFA was hiding losses in bad bank loans, while conducting a Ponzi scheme, which at one point included a strategy of encouraging elderly people to borrow against their homes and invest proceeds with the Foundation. CONTENT_SELECTION_AND_MEASUREMENT: 7, At the time of its failure in 1999, it was the largest affinity fraud that had ever occurred in the United States, with a total loss estimated at US$550 million (equivalent to $895 million in 2021). helped to further accelerate the demise of a once prestigious and great firm. With Enrons collapse, Andersen earned the distinction of having been auditor for both the largest corporate bankruptcy and largest bankruptcy of a non-profit in U.S. history. Wednesday, June 10, 2009. {"@context": "https://schema.org","@type": "WebPage","url": "https://www.cnbc.com/id/100000099","keywords": ["CNBC TV","Primetime Shows 2","American Greed","source:tagname:CNBC US Source"]} [1] Grabinski signed documents as an officer for both BFA and a subsidiary. Aug. 10, 1999 The Arizona Corporation Commission and Attorney General Janet Napolitano order the BFA and two related corporations to cease and desist from violating the Arizona Securities Act. auditors overlook? Buckner also used Anderson and turned the information over to the firm. The BFA was not interested in making this purchase. One, Karen Paetz, set up a lunch meeting with an Arthur Andersen official in February 1997, warning about ALOs losses and encouraging auditors to request detailed financial statements for both New Church Ventures and ALO. Who We Are; The Team . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Andersens effort to back out of the BFA settlement focuses on its wholly owned Professional Services Insurance Co. in Hamilton, Bermuda. // execute Star Stacy Keach (voice) See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Photos Prosecutors estimated 11,000 investors, most of them elderly, were defrauded in the 1980s and 1990s. the substance of ALOs actions was to buy and hold BFAs overvalued or redistributed. Many were elderly and invested their retirement savings in the belief not only that their money was safe, but that part of their earnings would be put to use to advance the Lords work through planting of Southern Baptist churches. PHOENIX (BP)The Enron collapse has reared its head in an Arthur Andersen announcement that the accounting firm is backing out of a $217 million settlement with victims of the Baptist Foundation of Arizonas 1999 collapse. Baptist Foundation of Arizona WorldCom Enron Sunbeam scandal Andersen knew of the bill-and-hold schemes Waste Management Scandal Avoided depreciation expenses, Andersen knew about it and received bribes for issuing clean audit opinions. Inadequate disclosure of losses on notes receivables due document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(script); Sept. 20, 1999 Pastor Richard A. Kimsey amends his lawsuit against BFA to include the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention and Steve Bass, executive director treasurer of the conventions Executive Board. But the foundation has operated independently of the convention, and state regulators say it is unlikely that the statewide group would be held liable for the foundations actions. a sobering reminder to auditors that it is important to understand the causes too heavily upon management assurances. The settlement also would have been the second largest ever paid by a Big Five accounting firm to settle litigation not associated with the savings & loan crisis. el.parentNode.insertBefore(s, el); Two years earlier, the Baptist Foundation of Arizona also failed, wiping out savings of 11,000 investors that had $570 million in the fund. Baptist Group Execs Sentenced for Fraud. Andersen blamed WorldCom for the scandal, insisting that the . To this day, it is considered one of the largest affinity frauds in U.S history.