A pastor from North Carolina has been apprehended and charged with embezzlement for the improper use of funds intended for hurricane relief efforts. This incident adds to a lengthy criminal history of financial offenses spanning nearly two decades. The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office reported that 60-year-old Jeffrey Brian Merrow faces charges of felony embezzlement and felony larceny.

Merrow previously held the position of pastor at Garden Creek Baptist Church. His arrest followed an extensive investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds contributed by church members for hurricane relief. Hurricane Helene caused over $59.6 billion in property damage and resulted in more than 100 fatalities in North Carolina.

The investigation into Merrow’s alleged misconduct began when church members raised concerns regarding “embezzlement, fraud, and theft” in October of the previous year, shortly after Hurricane Helene impacted the western regions of the state. Suspicious congregants provided law enforcement with “numerous receipts” for “goods that were never purchased or services that were never rendered, all paid for using church funds.”

The sheriff’s office further noted that “church members also reported that substantial cash donations for hurricane relief, collected from attendees and the community, were given to Merrow but were never submitted for their intended purpose.” Additionally, it was reported that community-donated items for hurricane relief, including generators, chainsaws, and heaters, were allegedly stolen.