LOS ANGELES - The Corporation of the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is accused of fraud in a lawsuit filed on March 22 in Los Angeles federal court.
Plaintiff James Huntsman, a member of the defendant church, says that the church was dishonest about the intended use of money received in its tithing fund.
The lawsuit says that the church told its members that tithing dollars would be used for non-commercial things such as the funding of missionary work, member indoctrination, temple work and other educational or charitable activities.
According to Huntsman, who says he gave the defendant millions of dollars in tithe money, the church instead used the funds for a multibillion-dollar series of commercial real estate and insurance investments, including the development of the City Creek Mall and bailing out a bankrupt insurance company, Beneficial Life Insurance.
The plaintiff is requesting compensation from the church for his more than $5 million in tithe donations and other damages deemed fit by the court. He is represented by Lavely and Singer PC.