As has been reported in public-facing documents, on July 15, 2025, Dr. Staccato Powell, a disrobed bishop of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (“A.M.E. Zion”), pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to wire fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Dr. Powell’s guilty plea resulted from a far-reaching scheme to obtain control of A.M.E. Zion Church properties in California using false statements, forged documents, concealment, and deception. His scheme resulted in Dr. Powell pleading guilty to the criminal offenses brought against him, as well as agreeing to pay restitution in an amount no less than $3,000,000 and no greater than $12,475,453. Dr. Powell also agreed to forfeit any interest, claim, or right in the properties of the A.M.E. Zion Church denomination.
Recently, on September 23, 2025, in connection with his guilty plea, Dr. Powell was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White. Prior to being sentenced, Dr. Powell stated: “I regret and have remorse for my actions and behavior and do not take lightly that I defrauded and shamed the church of my birth.”
(https://www.courthousenews.com/ousted-bishop-who-defrauded-west-coast-churches-avoids-jail-time/)
With that final admission, Dr. Powell was sentenced to three years of supervised release for each felony charge, which included mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit both. He also was sentenced to 18 months of home confinement, with stipulations to forfeit the deeds to church properties, not open any new lines of credit, and be subject to search at any time. Restitution is also an aspect of Dr. Powell’s sentence. A hearing to settle the final amount of restitution is scheduled for October, but at minimum, Dr. Powell will be required to pay $3 million in restitution.
We know that many members of The A.M.E. Zion Church are disappointed that Dr. Powell will not face any additional prison time beyond what he has already served, especially since Dr. Powell personally financially benefited in some respects from his fraudulent conduct. We understand the sentiment among the members within our denomination that Dr. Powell violated a sacred trust, which was bestowed upon him when he was consecrated a bishop by The A.M.E. Zion Church. For in our polity and by our tradition, “Bishops are set apart to serve as models of servant leadership and must exercise their responsibilities consistent with an ethic of Christian love.” (The Book of Discipline of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (2016) , ¶ 225) We understand the reasonable sentiment that Dr. Powell has inflicted ongoing harm and institutional damage as a direct result of his criminal conduct imposed upon nine different A.M.E. Zion congregations, who remain at risk of being foreclosed upon to satisfy outstanding and fraudulently obtained loans in excess of $12.5 million. Yes, at present, many of the local congregations in the Western Episcopal District are in financial and legal jeopardy through no fault of their own. And so, we lament that the reputation of The A.M.E. Zion Church has been impugned.
But Psalm 44:1-3 (NRSV), an appropriate lament, reminds us of this:
We have heard with our ears, O God, our ancestors have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old: you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free; for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm give victory; but you right hand, and your arm, and the light of your countenance, for you delighted in them.
And so, as God has been with The A.M.E. Zion Church in the past, we believe that God is with us presently and making provisions for a glorious future for our denomination and the local churches in the Western Episcopal District. Dr. Powell has been criminally sentenced. The A.M.E. Zion Church will receive restitution. And we believe that the bankruptcy matter, which is addressing the financial and property issues resulting from Dr. Powell’s criminal conduct, will ultimately be resolved in favor of The A.M.E. Zion Church, her members, and our local congregations. By faith, we believe that our denomination, people, and churches will be made whole through the bankruptcy proceedings that will adjudicate the financial and ownership issues stemming from Dr. Powell’s criminal conduct in concert with certain predatory lending institutions.
Justice and mercy are part of the character of God. We are reminded that our God is a merciful God. And so, as a Christian denomination, we continue to pray for those impacted by Dr. Powell’s criminal conduct, as well as Dr. Powell himself. As Paul reminds us, “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God: it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12:19 NRSV). We respect the judicial system’s outcome, but God has the final say in these matters! And so, we call upon everyone to continue praying for God’s will to be done in the ongoing bankruptcy matter.
Sincerely, Your Chief Pastors,
The Board of Bishops of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Bishop Brian R. Thompson, President
Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr., Senior Bishop
Bishop W. Darin Moore
Bishop George D. Crenshaw
Bishop Hilliard K.D. Dogbe
Bishop Uduak U. Effiong
Bishop Brian R. Thompson
Bishop Eric L. Leake
Bishop Daran H. Mitchell
Bishop Anthony N. Witherspoon
Bishop Melanie Rogers Miller
Bishop Dwayne Anthony Walker
Bishop Bernardo Ngunza
Bishop Seth O. Lartey, Located
Bishop George W.C. Walker, Sr., Retired
Bishop Samuel Chuka Ekemam, Sr., Retired
Bishop Joseph Johnson, Retired
Bishop Marshall H. Strickland, Retired
Bishop Nathaniel Jarrett Jr., Retired
Bishop Warren M. Brown, Retired
Bishop Kenneth Monroe, Retired
Bishop Dennis V. Proctor, Retired
Bishop Michael A. Frencher, Sr., Retired
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