Charlotte pastor convicted of tax evasion now en route to federal prison

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - United States Marshals are in the process of transferring a Charlotte pastor to federal prison to serve time for tax evasion. Anthony Jinwright, 54, will serve an 8 year, 9 month sentence at a yet unnamed federal facility.

He was released from Mecklenburg County Jail Friday morning February 4.

Bureau of Prisons officials said Jinwrights location will not be made public until he has been processed at the federal facility.

Jinwright and his wife, Harriet were convicted in May on charges of conspiracy, tax evasion and filing false tax returns.  Mrs. Jinwright was sentenced to six years and eight months for conspiracy and tax evasion.

Together, both were ordered to pay $2 million in restitution.

According to a statement released in December by the U.S. Attorney's office, the sentencing "...concluded a three-year-long investigation by IRS Criminal Investigation into allegations of tax evasion, tax perjury and mail fraud in connection with the Jinwrights' failure to report their taxable income from their ministry at Greater Salem Church of Charlotte, AL Jinwright Funeral Services in Charlotte, AL Jinwright Ministries and from speaking engagements at other churches."

Following the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Anne M. Thompkins said, "Justice has been served.  No one likes paying taxes but the honest citizens of this district do so that we may all benefit from the shared opportunities that this great nation provides.  And when people like the defendants in this case refuse to pay their fair share, they increase the burden on the honest folk who do."

The Jinwrights were charged in a federal bill of indictment on September 16, 2009 for alleging conspiracy to defraud the United States, six counts of tax evasion for the years 2002 through 2007; and six counts of filing false tax returns for the same years.

In addition, Anthony Jinwright was charged individually with one count of lying to federal agents and five counts of mail fraud.

Following the four-week trial in April and May of 2010, Anthony Jinwright was convicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud, six counts of tax evasion (representing calendar years 2002-2007), and six counts of filing a false tax return (representing calendar years 2002-2007), and Harriet Jinwright was convicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud, and three counts of tax evasion (representing calendar years 2005, 2006 and 2007).

Mr. and Mrs. Jinwright were acquitted on one count of making false statements to federal agents and five counts of mail fraud, and three counts of tax evasion and six counts of filing false tax returns, respectively.

During the trial, the U.S. Attorneys Office says it testimony and evidence "...revealed a history on the part of the Jinwrights of filing false returns that understated taxable income, as well as a history of ever-growing and exorbitant salaries accompanied by unrestrained spending, all while they were totally controlling and intimately involved in the operations of Greater Salem Church."

In addition, the U.S. Attorney's Office say evidence at the trial revealed:

...despite receiving more than $5.3 million in payments and disbursements between 2002 and 2007, the Jinwrights reported to the IRS an adjusted gross income of less than half that amount. Witness testimony and trial evidence established 1) that the Jinwrights' grip on Greater Salem Church, its finance administrators and Board of Directors grew stronger and costlier between 2001 and 2007; 2) that at the same time the defendants were under tremendous financial pressure to keep their funeral business profitable; 3) that during the same years their uncontrollable appetites to spend continued to increase exponentially; and 4) that when the funds of the Greater Salem Church, credit card spending, and income from other sources still did not cover their lifestyle, the Jinwrights cheated on their taxes to provide additional spending money.

During the sentencing, about a 100 people showed up for the proceeding to show their support to the Jinwrights.  There were so many people, some had to watch the hearing via video monitor in another courtroom.

Following the sentencing, a mob of people surrounded Harriet Jinwright and used umbrellas to hide her face from the media as she walked out of the courthouse.

Late last month, attorneys representing the Jinwrights filed appeals in federal court.

Harriet Jinwright remains free on bond and will be allowed to report to a prison to serve her sentence in April of 2011.

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