Washington Pastor Charged with $13 Million Fraud After Calling Investors Demon-Possessed
Pastor Cristian Popescu was indicted on wire fraud and money-laundering charges for allegedly stealing more than $13 million from parishioners who he later accused of being demon-possessed.
Cristian Popescu, a 46-year-old Romanian-born pastor of Passion for Christ Church in Kirkland, has been arraigned on ten counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. Prosecutors say he founded Followone, Inc., a purported social-media marketplace, and misled more than 30 investors—largely his congregants—into contributing over $13 million, urging them to tap retirement accounts and home-equity loans. The indictment claims he siphoned at least $4.5 million to family members, paid himself over $1 million in wages, and used company funds for personal expenses, while fabricating a $1.4 billion valuation and renting upscale Bellevue offices to project legitimacy.
When investors pressed for their money back, Popescu allegedly labeled them demon-possessed and cited a pending Nasdaq listing as a delay. He has entered a not-guilty plea, was released on bail with electronic monitoring, and faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Why it matters
The case highlights how religious authority can be exploited for large-scale financial fraud, affecting dozens of investors.
In this story
