Democrat Mayor Defrauds Jerry Falwell??

by Jim Kouri, CPP

Mayor Carl Hutcherson of Lynchburg, Virginia, was convicted of defrauding two Social Security disability recipients, defrauding evangelist Jerry Falwell's charitable organization, making false statements, and obstructing a federal investigation by providing false information to a federal Grand Jury.

“The evidence showed beyond a reasonable doubt that Carl Hutcherson was taking advantage of citizens in our community that he had sworn to help and protect. In addition, Mr. Hutcherson was taking from a [charity organization] in order to try to deal with his own financial difficulties,” said United States Attorney John Brownlee.

Hutcherson was convicted after a relatively brief five day jury trial in United States District Court in Roanoke.

Mayor Hutcherson, a Democrat, was well-regarded by the African-American community. He once hosted an all-day conference for African-American businesses, featuring workshops and speakers, and classes at Lynchburg College.

According to evidence presented in court, Hutcherson had financial difficulties, and owed more than $100,000 to the Internal Revenue Service, and had failed to maintain balances in banking accounts that resulted in more than $22,000 in bank overdraft fees.

In response to his financial problems, Hutcherson solicited a donation from Rev. Jerry Falwell's Falwell Ministries to Hutcherson’s own charity, the Trinity New Life Community Development Corporation.

The evidence showed that a Falwell donation of $32,500.00 was made to Trinity New Life Community Development Corporation, where Hutcherson was the Chairperson, Director and Registered Agent.

It is established in the Articles of Incorporation of Trinity New Life Community Development Corporation that were presented in court that “[n]o part of the property or net earning of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of or to be distributable to the Corporation’s directors, officers, or any private persons.”

However, the evidence showed that Hutcherson almost immediately took all but $1,000 from the charity's account and put it in his own personal accounts. Hutcherson later used this money to pay a portion of his delinquent federal taxes.

The evidence also showed that Hutcherson was the representative payee for two social security disability recipients. Hutcherson took the social security money from the victims’ accounts and used it to purchase a stereo for himself, a mattress for another person, and to pay for his own cable bill. The evidence also showed that Hutcherson would write checks from the victims’ accounts to himself.

When Hutcherson was confronted with the evidence that he had stolen money from his charity, he provided false meeting minutes and a false list of a board of directors to FBI investigators.

Hutcherson is facing a 20-year prison sentence for the multible counts on which he was convicted.

Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org).