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asheville, bank fraud, c3 asheville, c3 asheville scandal, c3 church, c3 church asheville, ccc, ccc asheville, charged, Christian City Church, christian city church asheville, dean sweetman, Dimitris, fraud, guilty, jill sweetman, Nick Dimitris, scandal, Sweetman
Recently Dean Sweetman has been commenting on C3 Church Watch. He is the regional director and overseer of the C3 Churches in the Americas. You can read some of his responses to the C3 Asheville scandal in the comment sections of these articles.
Court News Update
The House Of The Rising Sun
Before reading the below newspaper articles, please familiarise yourself with the background of the scandal that C3 Pastor Nick Dimitris was involved in and how the C3 Church leadership reacted to him.
C3 Asheville Scandal – C3 Pastor Facing Prison (Part 1)
C3 Asheville Scandal – C3 Pastor “Pleads Guilty In Bank Fraud Case” (Part 2)
C3 Asheville Scandal – Sweetmans Do Nothing Against Fraudulent C3 Pastor? (Part 3)
Ask yourself this question – in light of Nick Dimitris being charged guilty in 2011, has Pastor and ‘Executive Regional C3 Americas Overseer’ Dean Sweetman handled himself well on this blog and over the scandal in Asheville? Have your say below.
The Citizen Times Reported,
2 plead guilty in Seven Falls case
ASHEVILLE — Two more defendants charged with conspiracy in an elaborate scheme to illegally obtain more than $23 million to forestall failure of the bankrupt Seven Falls development pleaded guilty this week.
Real estate investors Avery Ted “Buck” Cashion III and Raymond “Ray” Chapman Jr. each face up to five years in prison and $250,000 fines when they are sentenced, according to court records.
The defendants pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Asheville to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Terms of the plea agreement with prosecutors remain sealed.
Prosecutors allege Cashion and Chapman were involved in a scheme with Seven Falls developer Keith Vinson to have “straw borrowers” buy lots in the development they did not intend to repay. Vinson was unable to borrow more money because of rules designed to limit banks’ exposure to any one borrower.
Vinson and the other remaining three defendants – accountant George M. Gabler, former Pisgah Community Bank President Thomas “Ted” Durham and retired appraiser Aaron Ollis – are scheduled to go on trial Oct. 7.
Source: Clarke Morrison, 2 plead guilty in Seven Falls case, The Citizen Times, http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2013130920016, 20/09/2013. (Accessed 05/10/2013.)
The Citizen Times also recently reported,
Vinson arraigned on Seven Falls indictment
New Seven Falls indictment reflects co-conspirators’ pleas
ASHEVILLE — Developer Keith Vinson was arraigned Thursday on charges contained in a new grand jury indictment alleging an elaborate conspiracy to obtain more than $23 million in illegal loans to prop up his failing Seven Falls development.
The indictment replaces one filed last year as a way to streamline Vinson’s trial, which is set to begin Monday in U.S. District Court in Asheville, prosecutors said in court papers.
The superseding bill reduces the number of criminal counts from 48 to 13. The charges include conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, misapplication of bank funds, wire fraud and money laundering.
Some charges carry penalties of as much as 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Prosecutors said the new indictment reflects the fact that all of Vinson’s 10 alleged co-conspirators have pleaded guilty.
“In order to avoid confusing the jury,” the indictment reorders the remaining counts and updates the status of the other defendants, court records state. Since the document doesn’t add any new counts or “substantive allegations,” the government believes there’s no need to delay the trial.
According to the 27-page indictment, Vinson and others “devised and executed various schemes to defraud federally insured banks and others to forestall the failure of their luxury residential development and golf resort in Henderson County, North Carolina, known as Seven Falls.”
Three defendants who had been scheduled to be tried along with Vinson entered guilty pleas last week. Former Pisgah Community Bank President Thomas “Ted” Durham Jr. and retired appraiser Aaron Ollis each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Accountant George M. Gabler pleaded guilty to withholding information about a crime.
Magistrate Judge Dennis Howell told Durham and Ollis they each face maximum sentences of five years in prison, while Gabler could spend up to three years behind bars.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Gast said that as part of their plea agreements with prosecutors, the defendants agreed to assist the government in the case.
Prosecutors allege Vinson and other defendants were involved in a scheme to have “straw borrowers” buy lots in the development with loans they did not intend to repay. Vinson was unable to borrow more money because of rules designed to limit banks’ exposure to any one borrower.
Seven Falls filed for bankruptcy in 2009. The luxury development was planned to accommodate 900 homes and an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course on 1,400 acres, potentially adding $1.25 billion to Henderson County’s tax base.
Weeds have overtaken the golf course, and overgrowth has made it hard to see the pro shop, one of the few structures on the property, which has suffered severe erosion.
Real estate investors Avery Ted “Buck” Cashion III and Raymond “Ray” Chapman Jr. pleaded guilty last month to one count each of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Durham and former Bank of Asheville President George Gordon “Buddy” Greenwood “conspired to conceal the risks posed by Seven Falls-related loans from their shareholders, auditors and regulators,” court records state.
Greenwood pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges and was sentenced in May 2012 to four years in federal prison. According to court records, Greenwood was involved in illegal loans to Vinson totaling nearly $6.8 million.
Problems with Seven Falls played a key role in the fall of the Bank of Asheville. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. shut down the bank in January 2011 and transferred its assets to Troy-based First Bank because of big losses on loans.
Four other people also have pleaded guilty to being involved in schemes to make or receive straw loans. They are former Pisgah Community Bank officials Robert Craig Gourlay and David G. Smith, minister and real estate investor Nicholas Dimitris and former banker Andrew Quinn Hager.
In the early 1980s, Vinson served just more than two years in prison in Florida for felony convictions for forgery, obtaining property under false pretenses and grand theft.
He was convicted in 1982 in Jacksonville, Fla., according to records from the Duval County Clerk of Court, the Clay County Clerk of Court and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Vinson was sentenced to five years and spent 25 months in a Florida prison, receiving parole in February 1984.
Source: Clarke Morrison, Vinson arraigned on Seven Falls indictment…, The Citizen Times, http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20131004/NEWS/310040036/, 03/10/2013. (Accessed 05/10/2013.)
C3 Church Watch 
Can I please make a suggestion? Don’t let Dean keep commenting here if he is not willing to repent of his involvement with the C3 group of churches, or his own false teaching. In the end, it is just allowing his sin to continue. I hate to see him in this position, and pray that he would be restored. But perhaps his presence here is a stumbling block, both for him and others? I think you have clearly made your point about his involvement, but perhaps would be best to keep this space safe for those who would like to express their concerns about C3. I am not sure that it is, while he is allowed to comment at will. I hope Dean that you can understand my concerns. Just some thoughts to ponder.
Before you even made this comment, behind the scenes we have been talking with pastors how we should deal with Dean’s presence. While some consider him a pest, some see it as a privelege and a chance to see the other sides point of view.
We personally think it is good to have Dean on C3CW in spite of strong opinions, evasive responses or narky comments. We personally hope he can correct us on anything we say that isn’t true on our website. The devil’s in the details and we do not want to be wrong with the information on the website.
This is why we are asking him many questions so we can understand Dean and C3 Leadership better.
If anyone wishes to express their opinions or views on Dean commenting on C3CW, please email us. We will consider your emails. In the mean time, please try speaking to Dean with more respect. This includes you Zorro. Tone it down.
” behind the scenes” wow, didn’t know I was causing such a stir.
Narrowing Path, apologies I was a stumbling block.
Thank you for your prayers.
I will be making comment when I see fit.
Already forgiven Dean, even before you asked. 🙂 But still, I greatly appreciate your humility. I hope I can be an encouragement you…no doubt this is a very challenging time for you. God bless you!
Mr. Sweetman, your sarcasm is NOT clever and your lack of humility is a disgrace.
I don’t know who you think your are impressing or upliftng with your cynical and bombastic posts but you can certanly count me out . Is your reaction to all this that which any decent person would expect of a man who claims to be a Pastor? Hardly!!!
Thanks CW, I am fine if that it the decision you have made. It had just gotten to the point where I was concerned about referring people to the website due to the nature of some of the comments. Dean, that is partly why I raised it with you a few weeks ago. It seems that the goal was to offer a safe space for people to discuss concerns, yet it wasn’t really feeling that way at times.
I personally take no offense at what is written here, even if I don’t agree with it. It just seemed timely to suggest a change if it was getting to be a stumbling block for people. Still, please be cautious. Since there is no unity with those who preach false doctrine, there may always exist a level of discord in the discussions here. This can be wearing over time, for everyone.
Thanks for the efforts you are putting in to warn others and challenge the false things being done in the name of the Lord. I pray for you all, and Dean included that this will lead many to a strengthened faith in the Lord, grounded in sound doctrine. May the Lord bless you in your efforts! Sherryn
yes dean you are causing a stir because you make light of ungodly people who lie, steal, twist Gods word – and you call yourself a christian! You are part of a deceptive cult where you leader is a megalomaniac and you are a part of the problem all the while having a self righteous smug attititude. Not something to be proud of.
wow, more name calling and false accusations.
So now it’s “the Asheville four”, all of whom have entered a guilty plea.
Dean says:
“I will be making comment when I see fit.”
God says:
“People who wink at wrong cause trouble, but a bold reproof promotes peace.” (Prov 10:10)
So should we listen to God, or should we trust the judgement of a C3 pastor? It’s a pretty tough question to answer.
Zorro, I’m not sure what you are saying here.
Only a C3 Pastor would say that.
Dr PP has the same problem with verses of scripture – so he uses as little as possible or none at all.
WARNING – I know there are 35 to 45 people still at C3 Church in Asheville.
DO NOT LET DIMITRIS TALK YOU INTO LENDING HIM MONEY.
DO NOT ENABLE THIS CONMAN BY GIVING TO C3A.
I know you’re probably confused but it wouldn’t take long to ask around and find 30 or more people that have been burned by his extreme lies, his sneaky manipulation and his ability to destroy the reputations of those who figure him out. He is a teller of half truths and is a master of spin. Retirees have lost everything. LIVES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY THIS MAN.
To those still there, I know you think you are being faithful but you are setting up another group of people to be lied to and ripped off. You are enabling a narcissist and a sociopath who will flatter you with compliments and he will seem like a great man and really genuine but that’s what makes him so DANGEROUS.
HOLD ONTO YOUR WALLETS AND PURSES. MAKE NO MISTAKE, HE IS AFTER THEM.
Nothing but a snake oil salesman who is out on $25,000 bail and who will be sentenced soon.
EVERYONE eventually gets hurt with Nick. EVEN YOU DEAN SWEETMAN, FRANK HARVEY, GREG FRENCH and everyone else propping up this “pastor”. Nick is a wrecking ball to your reputation. Cut your losses.
“EVEN YOU […] FRANK HARVEY, GREG FRENCH […]”
John, who are these other two that you mention – Frank Harvey and Greg French? Where do they fit into the picture – are they also C3?
Zorro, Greg French is C3 from Oxford Falls. Frank Harvey is his local mentor. Both have recently preached there.
Thanks John; it sounds like a veritable C3 ship of pastoral fools.
If Greg French is C3 Oxford Falls, then one wonders how Phil Pringle could be ignorant of this tawdry Asheville affair. Of course, given the fact that Pringle has long been misleading his own congregation regarding Kong Hee’s situation, one imagines that he would have no problem at all with turning a blind eye to one of his own “pastors” being a self-confessed criminal.
Perhaps one of the C3 lurkers on this web site would like to quiz Phil on this, and keep us advised of what transpires.
The guilty pleas are up to 10 now. In today’s article, Keith Vinson sings a familiar tune to Dimitris….It wasn’t my fault, it was the economy but they all knew what was happening, Dimitris received shady checks that helped the bank go under. That is why he pleaded guilty. Many people lost their money investing with Dimitris before the economy tanked so that’s not a valid argument for tricky nicky.
New article today –
http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20131006/NEWS/310060050/Vinson-m-victim-not-con
ASHEVILLE — Developer Keith Vinson maintains in court papers that he’s a victim of the Great Recession and prosecutors who can’t tell the difference between bad business decisions and fraud.
The government says it has more than enough evidence to show he was at the heart of a massive conspiracy to save his luxury Seven Falls development from going under.
Attorneys in the case estimate the trial will take about three weeks.
“Finally,” Vinson said of the case coming to trial a year and half after he was initially charged. He declined further comment.
Vinson said in a trial brief filed by his lawyer, Clark Fischer, of Winston-Salem, that he spent a great deal of money attempting to develop Seven Falls in Henderson County and Queens Gap in Rutherford County.
“Like so many similar projects throughout the country, the economic downturn which became evident in 2008 negatively impacted both projects and resulted in sales of lots, key to both projects’ ongoing viability, coming to a screeching halt,” the document states.
“It is the position of defendant Vinson that the government has completely misapprehended the facts surrounding Seven Falls and Queens Gap, and seeks to equate business decisions which, in hindsight, were mistaken, with fraud and other illegal activity.”
The government contends that Vinson and other defendants were involved in a scheme to have “straw borrowers” buy lots at Seven Falls with loans they did not intend to repay. Vinson was unable to borrow more money because of rules designed to limit banks’ exposure to any one borrower.
“Essentially, the lot loan scheme was a builder bailout scam created by Vinson and his conspirators when Seven Falls began to run out of money in April 2008 and could not find any legitimate investors to keep the project going,” prosecutors said in a recent trial brief.
Seven Falls filed for bankruptcy in 2009. The luxury development was planned to accommodate 900 homes and an Arnold Palmer-designed golf course on 1,400 acres, potentially adding $1.25 billion to Henderson County’s tax base.
The government’s brief says Vinson may argue at trial that he was “an unwitting beneficiary of the over $10 million that the lot loan scheme pumped into Seven Falls or that he was duped and ignorant of the fraudulent aims of the conspirators.”
“The evidence at trial — including Vinson’s own actions — will show otherwise,” the document states. “There will be more than enough evidence to show that Vinson was a knowing participant in the lot loan conspiracy.
“In addition, the conspirators lied about the true financial status of the project by using inflated appraisal reports and creating the illusion that Seven Falls was a hot-selling development, despite the 2008 economic downturn.”
Expected witnesses
Ten co-defendants have pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme, leaving Vinson, 55, as the only alleged conspirator left to stand trial. Some will testify against him, according to court records.
Among those expected to take the stand is former Bank of Asheville President George “Buddy” Greenwood, who pleaded guilty to bank fraud charges and is serving a four-year sentence in federal prison. Court documents state he was involved in illegal loans to Vinson totaling nearly $6.8 million and conspired to conceal the risks posed by the loans from shareholders, auditors and regulators.
Problems with Seven Falls played a key role in the fall of the Bank of Asheville. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. shut down the bank in January 2011 and transferred its assets to Troy-based First Bank because of big losses on loans.
The government will call examiners with the FDIC and N.C. Commissioner of Banks who examined the bank’s records and eventually uncovered the “straw” loans.
“They will testify that they did not discover the loans until after Vinson and Greenwood could no longer hide them,” the trial brief states. “The fraudulent loans led directly to the collapse of (Bank of Asheville).”
Prosecutors say a member of the bank board’s loan committee and a shareholder also will be called to testify about how the bank was deceived into making the loans and the harm they caused.
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Also expected to testify is Vinson’s former wife. According to the government’s trial brief, she will tell the jury about a check kiting scheme he perpetrated and identify his handwriting on a $95,000 check.
The government said in a motion it intends to offer evidence about Vinson’s 1982 conviction for grand theft in Duval County, Fla. He was sentenced to two years in prison on the charge.
Federal rules of evidence allow admission of a prior conviction for the purpose of attacking a defendant’s character for truthfulness.
“The United States would only offer such evidence if Vinson elects to testify and ‘opens the door’ to such evidence,” the motion states. “A felony conviction for grand larceny is a crime involving dishonesty.”
The government said it may call several expert witnesses, including a man to testify about the market for real estate development lots in Henderson County between 2007-10 and an appraiser who would tell jurors about his review of Seven Falls appraisal reports.
There will be testimony and emails from Seven Falls contractors presented to show that checks were bouncing and they were not being paid, as well as testimony from the development’s employees that lot sales dropped precipitously in 2008, according to court papers.
The trial brief states the government intends to pursue forfeiture of about $23 million generated by Vinson’s fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Gast and Michael Savage are prosecuting the case.
Vinson was arraigned Thursday on a new grand jury indictment that reduced the number of criminal counts from 48 to 13. Prosecutors said the superseding bill was filed to streamline the trial and reflect the fact that all of his alleged co-conspirators have pleaded guilty.
Last month, three defendants who had been scheduled to be tried along with Vinson entered guilty pleas. Former Pisgah Community Bank President Thomas “Ted” Durham Jr. and retired appraiser Aaron Ollis each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. Accountant George M. Gabler pleaded guilty to withholding information about a crime.
Real estate investors Avery Ted “Buck” Cashion III and Raymond “Ray” Chapman Jr. pleaded guilty in September to one count each of conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Four other people also have pleaded guilty to being involved in schemes to make or receive straw loans. They are former Pisgah Community Bank officials Robert Craig Gourlay and David G. Smith, minister and real estate investor Nicholas Dimitris and former banker Andrew Quinn Hager.
What repentance?
‘It is IMPOSSIBLE for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to REPENTANCE, because to their loss they are crucifying the son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.’ Hebrew 6:4-6
Oh, no, please DON’T STOP Dean from commenting here! He has been an ‘accidental teacher’, a ‘teacher in disguise’! I have learnt so much from his comments, at least now i can understand better what it means when jesus said that the salt is to be thrown out and be trampled upon when it loses its flavor, and what it means to trust in chariots and horses, and what it means to have pride of life and not count all things as loss for the excellent knowledge of jesus christ, and what it means to be deceptive, and what it means to believe in a lie when God decides to send a mighty delusion on those who love not the truth…..and so much more…..dear jesus, thank you for the great lessons learnt here!
my pleasure Endree, I’m here to serve.
So Dean,
We have made some progress on various threads in establishing that your wife does not in fact have a genuine PhD, and that, contrary to the claim in your bio on the web, you are not even remotely possessed of the skills and gifts that would qualify you as an author (“emerging” or otherwise).
I note that you bio also states, inter alia, that you are “a sought-after speaker in […] business settings […]”. I know that your esteemed mentor, Phil Pringle, has only the barest modicum of real-world employment experience (having worked variously as a garbage collector and a postman), and I was wondering how it is that you have found yourself in the position of speaking in “business settings”. Who has “sought after” you for such speaking engagements, and on what basis? Do you have extensive corporate experience? What is your particular area of subject matter expertise in a business context? Have you perhaps worked as a CEO, CFO, CIO, COO, or in any such senior positions? Have you served as a board member for any public companies? Do you have any recognised qualifications in related fields such as management or accounting? Are you a member of any relevant professional bodies? Above, the thing that I want to know is this: exactly what is it that you tell your audience when you are speaking in a “business setting”?
I am very interested in this area, as I have personally seen a glaring example of a particularly pathetic pentecostal “pastor” who promoted himself on the web as a business speaker, but who, in fact, is singularly ignorant regarding the subject, having spent the best part of his life preaching a false gospel and chasing shadows. It appears that along with touting fake educational credentials, it is de rigueur for today’s upwardly mobile “church leaders” of pentecostal stripe to be found networking with and advising the well-heeled movers and shakers from the big end of town (maybe Jesus was similarly aspirational, but for the life of me I just can’t think of any Biblical references that are apposite – maybe you can help me out with an apropos verse or two).
Anyway, forgive me for saying so, but I’m having a great deal of trouble reconciling the quality of your commentary here with anything that even faintly resembles the erudite discourse and commanding presence of a man who could be taken seriously by businessmen – real men from the real world – much less gain their respect and have their collective ear. Do let me know what you think – perhaps I’m guilty of setting the bar too high.
Zorro,
Why do you doubt Dean’s business expertise. He is after all in the prosperity business. He teaches you how to multiply your money 10 folds and a100 folds, not just double it. That is why his expertise is sought after, except that it is not by business corporation, but by those with itchy ears seeking to know the secret of getting rich through his ‘prosperity gospel’.
Dean, I’m curious – if, infact there has been a direction given to C3OF about not looking at websites such as this one (ie refer to cut in live streaming), what kind of edict has Phil personally issued to senior pastors around the globe, or at least Australia?
I have it on very good authority that Phil is telling other senior pastors a very different “story” that is being told in court; of course it implies all of Kong’s actions were legitimate, and involve (these details sketchy) something about not being able to get the bonds back.
So I’m not trying to implicate you here Dean (honestly), though I’d like to know why you are involved here, if there has been a direction given by Phil? If there hasn’t been, all good. Maybe he should come on and see that if Kong is found guilty, he’d better get ready to explain to c3 as a whole the truth and that their love offerings for Kong taken up at Presence are non-refundable. Because I would be VERY ticked off if I gave to that.
And of course, there’s a chance he might be acquitted. But there’s a lot of evidence that doesn’t look good; and from someone who works in the justice field, I know that Prosecutors won’t charge and attempt to prosecute someone unless they are reasonably sure of a conviction.
The scandal involves 2 main issues, one before the court and the other before the church. While the legality or illegality of the funding is being argued in court, still the real issue to the church is why was money channelled to fund a half naked wife of a senior pastor dancing in a lewd manner in the name of ‘evangelism’ ? The judgement for this is independent of the outcome of the court hearing.
He often says don;t listen to the nay Sayers, not go to their websites.
This man did me wrong years ago so I have no problem sharing this story. Avery Ted “Buck” Cashion is a retired US Army finance officer. I got to know him from the 1980’s while in the US Army and having to serve under him as my unit commander. He should have been sent to the Fort Leavenworth military prison already back then. While running a US Army finance office in Wiesbaden, Germany during the late 1980’s, Cashion had this money-making scheme which he executed flawlessly. He used US Army vehicles and military-provided fuel, mess hall equipment, and a few select military soldiers as his labor – coupled with food bought tax-free and at discounted prices from the US Army commissary – to run his “business” as a food vendor at Frankfurt (Germany) Galaxy American football games. He paid no taxes to the German or American governments on any of the profits. He and the few military soldiers which he used, then personally pocketed all of the money (over $300,000 and of course no doubt, never paid any personal federal income taxes on this money either as this was an all-cash business).
Buck is married to Joan (Lusk) Cashion, the daughter of a Navy Admiral, who was also initially charged but now somehow walked away from everything. Lucky you, Joan.
Let me tell you something, Buck: You are lucky that you only went to prison for the first time at age 62 and then only got three years – because you should have gone to prison back when you were 35 and rotted away in Leavenworth for a long time. In fact, you should not even have any kind of military pension after what you did. What “goes around then comes around” as they say, so have a nice life as any of us soldiers who served under you at the 117th FSU are not remotely surprised at any of this!
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Ridgecrest, NC neighbors came together today to defeat the proposed rezoning of the former Madison’s Inn to a group home housing 40 “interns”. The board voted unananously (7-0) to reject the application. Many on the zoning commission noted that this was a business or a for profit school. Further, most zoning board members noted that this was significantly different than the 10 rooms to house interns that was applied for back in December. Nick Dimitris, convicted felon and “pastor” was opposed by nearly 20 Ridgecrest neighbors. One pastor in attendance testified calling Dimitis’s actions “despicable”. We couldn’t agree more.
http://www.blackmountainnews.com/story/news/2017/07/13/christian-academy-loses-appeal-zoning-change/103676514/
Nick Dimitris– latest scam
http://www.blackmountainnews.com/story/news/2017/04/26/new-neighbor-causes-concern-small-ridgecrest-neighborhood/100717450/
https://www.facebook.com/unitedlifeacademy/