Fleecing The Faithful– Updates
(To read the full text of the report, click here.)
[Note: Some links in these reports from 1998-99 have expired.]
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- January 1998: A Friendly Letter Returns, With an Exclusive In-Depth Investigative Report:
- A Tale of Two Scams:
- Scam #1: The Productions Plus Scandal
- Stranger than Fiction: The Weird Cast of Productions Plus
- The Wall of Silence: Quaker, Church Officials Hide Negligence, Incompetence
- Crazy Ideas: Double or Nothing
- Deters: A Real-life Nightmare, and a Possible Vision
- Down the Garden Path, Opening Pandora’s Box
- Scam #2: Insuring a Quaker Disaster: — Philip Harmon Steals $30 Million, because: “Quakers Make Good Victims”
- Phil Harmon’s Victims Speak
- Quaker Insurance $$$ Scandal Update: Will An Ex-Superintendent be Indicted?
- John Wesley’s Folly
Court Updates, Part 1: Priscilla Deters on Trial in Wichita & After
- February 24, 1998: Deters Trial Opens in Wichita
- February 25, 1998: Cherokee Quaker Church Money Used for “Ponzi” Fraud Scheme–Kansas Investigator
- February 26, 1998: Ex-Quaker Superintendent In Kansas Fraud Trial
- February 27, 1998: Wegner, Other Nazarene Churchmen Detail Frauds
- March 2, 1998: First Defense Witnesses Roughed Up by Prosecutors in Productions Plus Trial
- March 3, 1998: Witness Says Deters Money a “Covenant,” not an “Investment”
- March 4, 1998: Disputes Flare as Defense Completes Case
- March 5, 1998: Deters Trial–“Just a scam” or “Good faith”
- March 6, 1998: Deters Convicted
- March 13, 1998: Tough Deters Bail Conditions Set; Possible Future Indictments Seen
- May 22, 1998: Sentencing Update. Deters denied bail, ordered to begin her prison sentence immediately, pending appeal.
- July 23, 1999: Deters appeal of her conviction is denied by U. S. Tenth Circuit three-judge panel, without dissent
- January 11, 2008—Deters released by U. S. Bureau of Prisons.
- August 14, 2009: Priscilla Deters visits a California Senior Center
- https://afriendlyletter.com/files/aflrogues1.html
Court Updates, Part 2: Phil Harmon, Insurance Fraud & “Operation Island Scam”:
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- October 1997: Phil Harmon pleads guilty to fraud charges
- May 4, 1998: Phil Harmon Sentenced to Serve Eight Years, Pay $16 Million; Prosecutors Promise More Indictments
- July 1998: Phil Harmon reports to federal prison to begin eight year sentence.
- September 3, 1998: Another Plea in Harmon Case, Terry Beebe pleads guilty; More Charges may follow, Prosecutors Say.
- October 1, 1999 — Steve Harmon, son of Philip, Indicted on 8 counts of fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion; part of “Operation Island Scam” case.
- May 8, 2000 — Terry Beebe is released by the U. S. Bureau of Prisons.
- May 10, 2000–Steve Harmon pleads, will serve up to 18 months:
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- October 19, 2001 – Steve Harmon released by the U. S. Bureau of Prisons.
- February 4, 2005 — Phil Harmon released by the U. S. Bureau of Prisons.
More: Rogues and Heroes — Photos from the Quaker Fraud Scandals
Online back issues of the print edition (1981-93) of A Friendly Letter
Among the most notable of these visitors is Kenyan Friend John Muhanji, who heads FUM’s African ministries. Besides official sessions, he’ll be visiting several Friends meetings & churches in the Midwest during the next few weeks.
Others are asking too:
Michael Ayers Trotti’s The End of Public Execution: Race, Religion, and Punishment in the American South opens with a short transcription of a newspaper article about an Atlanta hanging. The report is about the 1891 execution of Frank Danforth, a Black man who had been convicted of the murder of his wife. The report mentions preachers saying prayers and singing, Danforth swaying to religious music, his repeated testimony to his belief in his own salvation, and white women who stood on a jailhouse fence to watch his execution. Trotti observes that the report describes Danforth’s execution as private because it was done behind jailhouse walls, even though hundreds of people were in attendance.