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| False missionary, Jason Gerald Shenk involved in $30 million Bible charity scam |
Federal authorities are on an international manhunt for a 45-year-old Georgia man, Jason Gerald Shenk, who allegedly masterminded a deceptive scheme that redirected over $30 million from Christian charities intended for Bible distribution in China. The startling revelations came to light following the unsealing of a federal indictment on Tuesday.
Shenk purportedly solicited more than $33 million in donations from charitable organizations and individuals under the guise of producing and distributing Bibles and Christian literature. However, instead of fulfilling his promises, he indulged in a spending spree on personal extravagances.
The indictment discloses that Shenk squandered approximately $1 million on diamonds and precious metals, invested $7 million in his family farm, purchased real estate worth $320,000 in Chile, bought 16 life insurance policies worth $4 million, and invested $850,000 in shares of a private U.S. nuclear company. Furthermore, he used $820,000 to pay off credit card balances and deposited $1 million into an online sports betting site that was subsequently shut down for engaging in fraudulent activities.
To cover his tracks, Shenk allegedly directed the funds to various shell corporations with bank accounts scattered worldwide to obfuscate the nature of the transactions. The indictment also accuses him of submitting fabricated spreadsheets, containing false statistics on Bible distribution in different Chinese provinces, to deceive the charities he was defrauding.
The elaborate scheme apparently continued for almost a decade, with prosecutors suggesting that it could have begun as early as April 2010 and persisted until July 2019. To facilitate his fraudulent activities, Shenk even went to the extent of providing false information to international banks about his identity and financial holdings. In 2016, he renounced his U.S. citizenship, purportedly motivated solely by a desire to evade federal financial reporting requirements.
As authorities continue their search, Shenk faces a slew of charges, including four counts of Wire Fraud, three counts of International Concealment Money Laundering, 13 counts of Concealment Money Laundering, 21 counts of Money Laundering Involving Transactions Greater than $10,000, and one count of Failure to File a Report of Foreign Bank Account. If convicted, he could potentially serve up to 20 years in prison, in addition to significant financial penalties and forfeitures.
Barry Paschal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia acknowledged that tracking down Shenk would be a challenging task, given the international nature of the search. However, authorities are confident that they may have a lead on his whereabouts.
The shocking case has raised concerns about the misuse of charitable donations and the importance of ensuring transparency and accountability in the handling of funds meant for noble causes. As the legal proceedings unfold, the spotlight remains on the need for stringent checks and balances to safeguard the integrity of charitable endeavors worldwide.
