A former television minister who showed off expensive cars, flashy jewelry and a large house as evidence that God blessed him for his devotion was convicted of bilking about $900,000 from a Florida widow.
"I think if I had been anything other than a television evangelist it would have been different," the Rev. Jim Whittington said after his conviction Thursday in U.S. District Court.A jury found Whittington guilty of 11 counts, including conspiracy, interstate transportation of stolen property, mail fraud and money laundering. Four other people also were convicted of defrauding Val-eria Lust of Lakeland, Fla., of $913,072 in cash and property.
Sentencing was scheduled for Oct. 5. Whittington could receive more than 100 years in prison and $3.5 million in fines.
Also convicted were the Rev. Daniel Atwood of Highland City, Fla.; Mrs. Lust's live-in nurse, Barbara Stevens of Lakeland; Whit-ting-ton's assistant, Riley Ferguson; and Atwood's secretary, Claudette Collier.
Whittington, 50, suspended his Greenville-based Fountain of Life television ministry during the trial, but continued a mail ministry and tent revivals. He said his television ministry once reached 2 million to 3 million viewers in 75 to 100 major markets.