A former senior pastor at Vernon AME Church in Tulsa has admitted in federal court that he embezzled $504,314 from his own congregation over a span of nearly four years. Keith Rydell Mayes Sr., 63, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and tax evasion. According to prosecutors, he diverted church donations, collections, and disbursements into a personal bank account labeled“Administrative Expenses,”and also liquidated a $365,000 stock donation that had been given to the church.
The money, court records say, went toward a gambling habit, personal expenses, and the purchase of firearms. Mayes also failed to report any of the stolen income to the IRS, leaving him with an unpaid tax bill of $205,765 on top of the restitution he now owes. His plea agreement requires him to pay back the funds, forfeit the firearms, and potentially settle with the IRS. He was released on bond while a sentencing date is scheduled.
The case raises hard questions that reach into every community, including our own: how much oversight does your church or favorite charity really have over the money it collects? Financial transparency isn’t a lack of faith; it’s a form of stewardship. So we want to hear from you: does your congregation publish its finances, and would that change how you give?
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Local Lawton
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