Downers Grove Pastor Embezzled Thousands Of Dollars From Food Program: Cops

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — A Downers Grove pastor has been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay more than $40,000 in restitution for his alleged involvement in an embezzlement scandal. Anthony Hall, 50, who worked at New Birth Christian Center, 5335 LeMoyne St., Chicago, was convicted of assisting other pastors and church officials in stealing from a government food fund for low-income children.

The church's founding pastor, Robbie Wilkerson, was convicted of embezzling more than $700,000 dollars from the food fund, which was intended to give meals to low-income students during the summer. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the program ran from 2008 to 2010 and Wilkerson submitted false claims that the church served roughly 167,000 more meals than it actually did.

Wilkerson and his wife allegedly used the fraudulent funds for personal expenses, real estate purchases and gifts for family, the Sun-Times reports.

Hall worked as an administrator at the church in 2010 and is accused of defrauding the food program during that time. He was convicted on one count of theft of government funds. In addition to probation and restitution, Hall must also serve 10 months of home confinement.

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