Bishop Eddie Long's Church Linked To Alleged Financial Fraud

Bishop Eddie Long is in the media again, and not for good reason. Long and another Atlanta megachurch pastor, Gary Hawkins, have been linked to a mortgage company that is being investigated by federal authorities for allegedly stealing money from church members.

The company, Matrix Capital, has been allowed to hold financial seminars in the churches of both men, offering to help lower their mortgages in exchange for $1,500 payments. According to police, thousands of people paid money to Matrix, but ended up filing bankruptcy and/or losing their homes.

Fred Lee, the proclaimed front man for the company, was allegedly able to convince quite a few church members to give him their money primarily because he addressed them within the confines of their joint church environment. The Secret Service and the DeKaulb County Police are now investigating Lee.

In defense of Eddie Long, the church says that all his church did was provide a room for Lee to hold his seminars. Gary Hawkins was much more involved in supporting and promoting Lee by appearing on one of his videos vouching for his credibility and integrity.

“I believe that, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this man walks in great integrity,” he said in a company video.

One of the church members told CBS Atlanta that it was the pastor’s endorsement which led her to trust Lee with her money. The woman claims she paid the money and later found out that she was in trouble with her mortgage because Matrix had allegedly never even made a phone call to the bank. She also claimed that Hawkins wouldn’t answer her questions when she went to him about her problem.

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article courtesy of BvBuzz.com