Rev. C. Jay Matthews, Senior Pastor at Mt. Sinai Baptist Church & Civic Activist, Charged with Stealing More than $90K

Rev. C Jay Matthews, influential Cleveland civic activist and senior pastor at Mt. Sinani Baptist Church, charged in federal court with stealing more than $90,000 meant to pay taxes on employees' wages, instead used money for personal use.

Rev. C. Jay Matthews & wife

Rev. C. Jay Matthews, senior pastor of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in Cleveland and one of the city's most influential civic activist, was charged in federal court Tuesday for stealing more than $90,600 meant to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on his church employees' wages. He did not report or pay the money to the Internal Revenue Service. The charges state that he used the money for other purposes, including transfers to his personal account, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Matthews, who has led the church since 1988, also failed to report and pay the employer's share of federal taxes, the newspaper said.

The federal charges said Matthews controlled Mt. Sinai's operating and payroll accounts and a pastor's account. But Matthews has had financial troubles in recent years. Court records show a number of state and federal tax liens levied against him and a home foreclosure action. About six years ago, he moved from Shaker Heights into a Solon home valued at more than $560,000. At that time he told The Plain Dealer, "My business choices and my work ethic have allowed me to take care of my family financially." Matthews is married to Jacquelyn Farris-Matthews, who is the associate pastor of Mt. Sinai. They have four children and four grandchildren. Source

How the fast can the mighty tumble. I am sure the people in Cleveland, particularly the black community, must be shocked beyond words. Sounds a lot like the mighty tumble Bishop Eddie L. Long took in metro Atlanta, though he isn't facing any criminal charges.