In a stunning admission of intra-church fraud, Sheila Quintana, formerly at the financial helm of the AME Zion Church's western district, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. Quintana, a Vallejo resident, was charged alongside Staccato Powell, with Powell facing additional counts of mail fraud. As reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California, this plea lays bare a calculated scheme to defraud California congregations and private lenders by leveraging church properties through falsified documents.
Quintana, who became CFO of the Western Episcopal District, Inc. (WED, Inc.) in March 2017, engaged in a series of deceitful acts to secure loans using church properties as collateral. These actions are in direct contrast to the trust vested in her by the faith community. She and co-defendant Powell falsely obtained grant deeds from local pastors, concocted fake resolutions, and unilaterally encumbered church properties with debts that the congregations did not authorize nor were they aware of. Her crimes affected several congregations, including Kyles Temple in Vallejo and the First AME Zion Church in San Jose.
Per admissions in court, Quintana's role was pivotal in misrepresenting congregational consent to secure funding for expansive purposes such as a $1.5 million episcopal residence in Granite Bay. The complexities of the fraud extended to properties of the Greater Cooper AME Zion Church in Oakland and the University AME Zion Church of Palo Alto, where massive loans were secured under pretense, placing these congregations in significant, unsanctioned debt.
Further ignominy came to light with the revelation that Quintana penned checks amounting to $67,500 to her spouse, funds drawn from WED, Inc.'s account. This act, ostensibly for the compensation of her time, was cloaked in secrecy, with only Powell in the know. As WED, Inc. sank into bankruptcy in July 2020, it claimed assets including churches and residences valued at over $26 million, standing against debts that soared to nearly $12.5 million.
Pending a status hearing set for July 15, Quintana's cooperation with the government could affect her sentencing. Although she may face up to five years in prison and be fined $250,000 for the conspiracy charge, the court will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and relevant federal statutes before determining her fate.
