Upon meeting him, Greg Souders didn't suspect a thing.

The bi-vocational pastor at Crossroads Fellowship Church in Thomasville, on the job as a critical care paramedic for South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta, had responded to a call from a Lowndes County deputy in January 2004. The officer had pulled over an African American couple and the gentleman needed to be checked for problems relating to high blood pressure.

The happenstance meeting would result in a yearlong ordeal for Souders. At the time he had no way of knowing that Carl Heslop, the man being attended to, was under investigation in defrauding churches stretching from Canada to Oklahoma and Texas, over to Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. In the process churches had been bilked out of as much as several hundred thousands of dollars.

 

Earning pastors' trust

"He's very smart, knowledgeable and intelligent," says Special Agent Mike Giddens of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. "If he gets someone to trust him, he can reel them in quick."

According to Giddens, Heslop has a history of approaching churches under the guise of a group Heslop calls the Pioneer Caribbean Team. Pastors are talked into donating money to help build facilities for Bible colleges in Heslop's native Jamaica. At the same time, he will also invest the church's money in crops such as sweet potatoes, which should bring a hefty return to the congregation.

The catch, though, is a return on the investment never materializes.

While Heslop's blood pressure was being monitored at the traffic stop, Souders chatted with Carl's wife, Telly. Souders mentioned his church and told the couple that if they ever needed anything to stop and visit the church.

A couple of weeks later they did.

Heslop told Souders how he was from a prestigious family in Jamaica and his father was the head of a large church. He also informed Souders how God wanted him to partner with Crossroads Fellowship.

"He was probably one of the most believable, personable, likeable guys you'll ever meet," reflects Souders. "There was no obvious deception in him."

That night, Heslop shared with Souders and his wife, Patricia, his dreams of building a Bible college in Jamaica. He said Crossroads was unique and reiterated his desire for the respective ministries to partner together.

Fortunately, no funds from the church were ever given to Heslop. Souders recounts the biggest drain over the course of last year as the mental exhaustion from dealing with the situation.

"During that year Carl and I played phone tag mostly. He offered to fly church members and myself to Jamaica to meet people and for me to preach."

Each time the dates were marked down, they would be cancelled, resulting in Souders' juggling his own personal ministry schedule in Thomasville.

In October Heslop called Souders and asked him to meet in a conference room at the University of Florida in Gainesville to discuss a ministry partnership.

In subsequent correspondence, Heslop encouraged Souders to partner with his ministry.

"I think God wants you to be financially free so you won't have to work in the ambulance service."

"God wants to do something great in your life and bless you financially."

 

Operating elsewhere

Unknown to Souders, Heslop was also currently in touch with Pastor Jim Fleming of Collierville Bible Church in Collierville, Tenn., located 32 miles southeast of Memphis.

Heslop had found the church in the Yellow Pages. He presented himself to Fleming as an influential businessman wanting to partner with the church for a community development in the Caribbean planting Bible schools and churches.

Heslop encouraged the church to come to the Caribbean and work with his ministry, asking them to contribute $4,000 to pay for an hour of private jet time to meet with the Pioneer Caribbean Team.

Although suspicious - "We all had our antennae up," says Fleming. - the kicker in not cooperating with Heslop came when he was spotted in Collierville on a week he was supposed to be in Jamaica.

Collierville Bible Church's dealings with Heslop didn't last long - only about a month - before a final phone conversation in which Fleming told Heslop of the church elders' collective decision to not work with him.

"You could not ask for a person more gifted to deceive the body of Christ," comments Fleming.

 

A search and an answer

Growing more cautious over the whole affair, Souders was searching for information over the Internet and even checking with the Jamaican government, but to no avail. He got a break when a search finally produced a link to Fleming's church in Collierville, which had posted a notice about Heslop. A phone call to Fleming confirmed Souders' suspicions.

On Dec. 20, Heslop called and said how he was looking forward to Souder and his wife coming to the Caribbean over Christmas. Souders was already preparing to post a notice on Christianitytoday.com as a warning about Heslop.

Two days after the notice was posted, Special Agent Giddens called the pastor.

After the posting, Souders received one final angry phone call from Heslop in the first week of January. During the conversation Souders recounted Heslop saying, "I could tell you that I've been doing this in 35 states and what are you [or your government] going to do about it?"

Heslop went on to tell Souders how he has proof of indiscretions committed by pastors around the country and will make it public due to the pastor's actions.

"You're going to give an account for what you've done," Heslop told Souders.

 

Take precautions

Giddens says the total number of Heslop's victims is unknown.

Last seen in Dallas, Texas in early February, Heslop is currently a fugitive. Giddens' is investigating 15 cases involving Heslop.

Giddens says church leaders need to be wary of Heslop. "He victimizes pastors. They trust God and they trust this guy. He knows how to preach. He's very convincing. He stays in peoples' homes and cooks dinner for them. He always wants everything in cash, so there's no paper trail."

There are steps churches can take as precautions, advises Giddens.

"Churches are generous by nature. These guys prey on your faith. Beware of individuals from other countries with investment opportunities. Make sure there are several people involved before making investments."

For more information, or to report a possible sighting of Carl Heslop, contact Special Agent Mike Giddens in Orlando, Fla. at (407) 540-3881 or michaelgiddens@fdle.state.fl.us.