Memphis Pastor Accused Of Stealing COVID-19 Relief Funds Previously Charged With Identity Theft

Image Credit: Pastor Frederick Smith / YouTube & Luca Sartoni / CC

The Tennessee Conservative Staff –

A Midsouth pastor who was recently indicted for COVID-19 relief fraud previously pleaded guilty to identity theft.

Frederick G. Smith, pastor of New Life Holiness Church in Memphis, is accused of 2 counts of wire fraud allegedly submitting a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application on behalf of the church and also submitting a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) application on behalf of Fred Smith Ministries. Smith is accused of stealing over $150,000 worth of PPP loan proceeds.

Records show, however, that this is not Smith’s first fraudulent dealings. Investigators say that Smith visited former parishioner Clevie Williams at her home in 2015. He asked Williams, who is now 85, for her social security number, driver’s license, and utility bill. 

With that information, Smith racked up more than $51,000 worth of credit card debt in Wiliams’ name.

Williams’ daughter-in-law, Carolyn Bussell, found out about the theft.

“What’s done in the dark will come to the light,” Bussell said. “That was one of the mistakes he made, was letting me find out about it. Because I don’t play when it comes to elderly people.”

Smith accepted a plea bargain in the case, being granted a diversion until 2026, and did not serve any time for the identity theft. His record would have been cleared if he had stayed out of additional trouble.

Bussell says they were finally able to get the bank to drop the debt that had been accumulated on her mother-in-law’s account.

“It took a lot of hard work in order to get everything taken care of,” Bussell told Fox13 News. “I just wasn’t going to take no for an answer.”

Bussell says she wanted to seek justice for her mother-in-law, but they have forgiven Pastor Smith.

“We have to,” she stated. “We are born believers in Christ and we love the Lord.”