Secret Service Investigates Bishop Eddie Long and his Mega Church

Looks like Bishop Eddie Long can't catch a break in 2011. The mega church pastor recently settled a sexual misconduct civil lawsuit:

Bishop Eddie Long, a virulently anti-gay Georgia pastor who heads one of the nation’s largest megachurches, has reached a settlement with four men who accused him of abusing his role as pastor to compel them into sexual relationships when they were teenagers read more

And later fast Eddie also agreed to a settlement regarding a Real Estate property law suit:

Bishop Eddie Long has reached a settlement in a lawsuit that claims he and partners in a real estate venture defaulted on a $2 million bank loan.

The settlement, reached earlier this month, is the latest in a string of costly legal setbacks for the embattled senior pastor of Lithonia's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. Earlier this year Long reached an undisclosed financial settlement with five young men who accused the bishop of sexual coercion

And now the Bishop (I guess they still address him with this title) has the Feds - via Secret Service - knocking at his door:

Federal officials say they’re investigating issues surrounding investment seminars hosted by a metro Atlanta megachurch after some former members say they lost their retirement savings.

U.S. Secret Service spokesman Mark Ritchie says agents have seized laptops from employees at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia.

Ritchie says the IRS is the primary federal agency involved and the Secret Service is assisting the IRS and DeKalb County police.

DeKalb County police Lt. Pam Kuntz says the department forwarded its information to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Ten former church members are suing New Birth and Bishop Eddie Long, saying they conspired with others to defraud them through “wealth-building” seminars and sermons.
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Funny how folks that need to find Jesus the most are among the first to run up on a soap box and preach their so-called word. All I can say is, I wouldn't even put a slug in the collection plate at that church - it would be a waste of good metal.