Pardongate: Frank Vennes Files Motion the Day After Election

Was it just coincidence that politically connected money-launderer Frank Vennes Jr. filed a motion in U.S. District Court to approve a plan to repay victims of the Tom Petters Ponzi scheme the day after Election Day?

Karl Bremer has the scoop at his Ripple in Stillwater blog and reposted here:


Was post-election filing of plan to settle with investors politically motivated?

By Karl Bremer

The day after Election Day, politically connected convicted money-launderer and Tom Petters associate Frank Vennes Jr. filed a motion in U.S. District Court to approve a “work-out plan” to repay victims of the Petters Ponzi scheme through the liquidation of most of his assets. In return, Vennes and his investment business, Metro Gem, would receive a release from all liability related to financial losses from the Petters scam—a scam that Vennes claims he knew nothing about.

Vennes invested heavily in Petters’ Company notes on behalf of his Metro Gem investors from 1995 to 2008. When federal agents swooped down on Petters in September 2008, Metro Gem had more than $130 million in unpaid investments in Petters notes.

Vennes’ court filings list his total debts at $55.4 million.

Vennes, a heavy-hitting political contributor to Republicans Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Governor Tim Pawlenty and former Senator Norm Coleman, as well as Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar, was implicated but never charged in the multibillion-dollar Petters Ponzi scheme. His millions of dollars in assets, which included gold and silver coins and figurines, artwork, Harley Davidsons, and properties in Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio and Florida, have been frozen and in receivership since the Petters scheme came crashing down over two years ago. Some properties already have been liquidated.




The Nov. 3 timing of Vennes’ first motion seeking relief in over two years is curious—especially given his close political and personal ties to Bachmann, who was engaged in an expensive re-election battle with Tarryl Clark until Nov. 2. Revisiting the story of Bachmann’s relationship with a convicted money launderer during the election would not have helped Vennes’ former beneficiary.

Pawlenty, who has been grooming himself for national political greatness after he leaves his part-time job as governor of Minnesota in January, also isn’t likely to be thrilled to see Vennes’ name back in the headlines.

Besides taking tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Vennes and his family, Bachmann, Pawlenty, Coleman, and former state GOP Chair Ron Ebensteiner all solicited a presidential pardon during the Bush administration for Vennes’ past federal crimes of money laundering, cocaine- and gun-running. That was after Vennes was released from Sandstone Federal Prison but before he became implicated in the Petters Ponzi. The issue raised questions about whether Vennes was engaged in a “pay-for-pardon” scheme.

Due to the negative publicity over her close relationship with Vennes after the Petters scandal broke, Bachmann first rescinded her pardon request and then gave to charity a portion of the campaign contributions she had received from Vennes that election year—despite the fact that Vennes is still presumed to be innocent. But even that proved to be problematic for the congresswoman. She first tried to donate the money to Minnesota Teen Challenge, where Vennes once sat on the board of directors with Mary Pawlenty, Tim Pawlenty's wife. But being a victim of Vennes’ involvement in the Petters Ponzi themselves, Minnesota Teen Challenge returned the money to Bachmann.

Coleman, Pawlenty and the state GOP did not return any of Vennes’ allegedly “dirty money.” None of the recipients of Vennes’ tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions have ever responded to inquiries about their relationships with the convicted money launderer.

Listed among Vennes’ secured creditors in his proposed work-out plan is Richard Scherber, executive director of Minnesota Teen Challenge. Documents filed with Vennes’ proposal show Scherber was owed $910,000 when the Petters scheme ended. Minus the returns he had received on his investments with Vennes, Scherber had an out-of-pocket loss of $423,759, according to court documents. Under Vennes’ proposed work-out plan, Scherber would receive only $173,741.

Also listed among Vennes’ secured creditors is locally owned First State Bank of Bayport, shown as a co-creditor on four individuals’ IRAs. Total out-of-pocket losses shown for those IRAs is $1.4 million. Under Vennes’ proposal, those IRAs would recover only $574,067 of their combined out-of-pocket losses.

“The work-out plan represents the best opportunity for Mr. Vennes’ creditors to receive meaningful financial recovery for their losses sustained as a result of the Petters fraud,” Vennes’ motion states.

Vennes notes that he is under “no compulsion” to enter into any agreements with creditors. Since he has not been charged with any crime, he is not facing a forfeiture or restitution order and says he could just as easily have filed for bankruptcy, leaving his creditors with little or nothing.

Vennes is the subject of a $2.7 billion “clawback” lawsuit in the bankruptcy proceedings of Petters’ estate. However, Vennes proclaims his innocence in the Petters Ponzi and has filed claims against Petters.

“Metro Gem, Inc., and I were victims of the Petters fraud,” Vennes states in court documents filed with his work-out proposal motion. “I was not a co-conspirator of Thomas J. Petters or anyone else in that fraud.”

Michele Bachmann And Crime

Bachmann's accusations that Democrats are using teachers to launder money, that the President is running a Ponzi scheme, that the Obama administration is "a gangster government" etc. makes me suspect that this is the Rovian tactic of attacking others on stuff which she is vulnerable.



Michele Bachmann has been connected to several criminals and crimes, solved and unsolved.



There's her connection to the U.S. Navy Veterans Association scam:

The USNVA ran largely under the radar in Minnesota until a Dump Bachmann investigation discovered that Thompson, the group’s founder and national commander, had donated $10,000 to Rep. Michele Bachmann at an April 7 Minneapolis fundraiser featuring former half-term Gov. Sarah Palin.



Thompson disappeared soon after the St. Petersburg Times began its lengthy investigation into him and his organization. He’s been missing ever since and is wanted in several states for questioning about the USNVA’s activities and finances. The Bachmann fundraiser is the last known location Thompson has been reported to have been at.

Bachmann's lobbyist pal Ed Cain was a lobbyist for the U.S. Navy Veterans Association. The USNVA fraudster who assumed the name "Bobby Thompson" is still at large.



There's also the unsolved vandalism of the Congress members' homes in 2008:

You can see pictures of the vandalism at Minnesota Democrats Exposed. Here are the other messages:



"Resign Now!"



"(arrow) Still a TARGET" (last word underlined twice)



"PSALM 2"



The biblical reference to Psalm 2 which appeared at the other crime scenes suggests that the perpetrator was religious - that's a clue that also rules out a lot of people. Psalm 2 does not offer much in the way of clues except the person who quoted it is an extremely angry individual who is invoking God's wrath.



The second message, however is very interesting. It is unlikely that the message is using the word "target" as a threat of violence. If the perpetrator intended to threaten to make a member of Congress a "target" of an assassination, I doubt that the investigation and the reporting on the investigation would have faded so quickly. In fact, WCCO reported that it was not a Federal crime.



However, if the word "target" was used in the legal sense, as in "target of an investigation", that may explain the motive of the perpetrator(s). The graffiti at Norm Coleman's residence used the word "criminal".



Now, take a look at the most baffling aspect of the crime - that Minnesota's two senators and four of its House members from both parties, right-wingers, moderates, liberals were victims of the faith-based vandalism.



Was there something else going on at the time that mixed religion, politics and a possible criminal investigation?



Something that Bachmann shared with Klobuchar, Ellison, Coleman, Ramstad and possibly Kline? It's a good clue because there's very little these victims have in common that would piss off a religiously-minded person.



I found this on the Petters-Fraud website:



"Meanwhile the Graffiti of a Politicians home has remained unsolved..."



I'd like to see this crime solved, wouldn't you?

Speaking of Tom Petters, there's Bachmann's connection to convicted felon Frank Vennes Jr.:

In 2008, it was revealed that Bachmann had received tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from Frank Vennes Jr. and his family. Vennes is a convicted money-launderer/cocaine runner/gun runner for whom Bachmann had requested a presidential pardon in 2007.



When Vennes became implicated—but never charged—in the Tom Petters multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme in 2008, it didn’t take long for Bachmann to abandon her principled “innocent until proven guilty” stance. She quickly rescinded her pardon request for her close personal friend, and then tried to further save face by giving away a portion of the money she had taken from Vennes and family—although it was only $9,200 of the $27,400 she had hauled in from the Vennes family from 2005-2008.



Bachmann first tried to give the money to Minnesota Teen Challenge, a favorite evangelical charity of Bachmann’s that once had very close ties to Vennes. He is a former board member of the organization. However, Minnesota Teen Challenge allegedly lost $5.7 million in investments in Petters companies that were made through one of Vennes’ companies.



Rich Scherber, executive director of Minnesota Teen Challenge, said his organization sent Bachmann’s $9,200 check back without even cashing it.



“We didn’t want to be involved if it was dirty money,” Scherber said at the time.



Bachmann eventually found a willing taker for her tainted Vennes money when she donated it to R3, a collaborative of Christian recovery groups that happens to include Minnesota Teen Challenge.

And there's Bathroomgate:

Senator Bachmann retired to the restroom and residents began moving toward the exit. Less than a moment later, piercing screams were heard from the ladies' washroom. "Help!!!! HEEEELLLLLLPPPPPP!!!!!" With everyone's attention riveted

on the door, Senator Bachmann emerged in a crouching run, crying, "I was being held against my will!" Two women were seen standing behind her, one tall and elderly, the other young and petite, both unassuming and bewildered.



The women reported afterward they had followed the senator into the restroom to continue to question her about

education. One had her hand on the door handle, ready to open it, which she immediately did when Senator Bachmann

became frightened and began screaming.

Bachmann alleged she was the victim of a crime in that bathroom:

Michele Bachmann's report to the Washington County Sheriff's Office (WCSO) of being "prevented from leaving the bathroom" after a town meeting in Scandia differs considerably from accounts of the story that she's given to the media, and even from Bachmann's own version of events as reported to the sheriff in a follow-up interview. That leads us at Dump Bachmann wondering what other "facts" may have been misconstrued--or misreported--by Bachmann in this bizarre tale.



According to Bachmann's initial report to WCSO, Bachmann "was preparing to leave near 1100 hours" and "used the rest room." But in her follow-up interview, Bachmann claimed she continued arguing with others for "an additional 15 minutes" after the meeting was over and "then walked out of the main room and into the bathroom in an effort to get away from the groups of people so they would leave the area." And in media reports,. Bachmann said she ended the meeting when "tensions elevated beyond reasonable levels."



Bachmann also reported that the women who "held her against her will" were "with the GLBT group, which is a gay and lesbian activist group," when in fact, they both were constituents of hers from Scandia, and she knew that.



So which is it, Senator? Did the meeting end at 11 a.m. as scheduled, and you merely "used the bathroom," as you state in your initial complaint? Or did you try to end the meeting 15 minutes early, and then run in the bathroom to hide from your constituents when they wanted the meeting to continue to its alloted time, as you admitted in your second interview?

Then there's this unsolved vandalism from 2006:

Vandalism and Theft of Lawnsigns at Forest Lake Senate District 52 Convention



Some time between 1:30 am and 7:00 am Saturday morning an individual or individuals decided to commit campaign terrorism at Forest Lake High School before the Republican Senate District 52 convention. It is our understanding volunteers for the Rep. Phil Krinkie (R-53A, Lexington) and Rep. Jim Knoblach (R-16A, St. Cloud) for Congress campaigns completed their campaign signs placement in the early morning hours and left only to return the next day to find all of their work gone and even some damage to the auditorium ceiling. In the place of the Krinkie and Knoblach signs was Bachmann ones.



A police report was filed and we understand the police are reviewing a video surveillance tape that shows the perpetrator or perpetrators. This is Sen. Michele Bachmann's (R-52, Stillwater) home district and early speculation is some of her zealous supporters may have been involved. We are not sure if the Bachmann campaign is involved, but it is just curious that the Krinkie and Knoblach signage was removed and replaced by Bachmann's it could be an indicator of the person’s preferences in this race. The Jay Esme campaign placed their signs before the start of the convention.



In addition to this we understand as the delegate slates for the Congressional convention were advanced the Bachmann failed to include loyal supporter Rep. Matt Dean (R-52B, Stillwater) on their slate. This was a great surprise to the delegates and a delegate who was offended by the result stepped down to make sure Dean had a spot.

Since former Bachmann staffer Luke Hellier has called on reporters to scrutinize candidates more closely, I hope reporters ask Bachmann about her connections to crimes.

Another Ponzi Plume Discovered in Minnesota? - When Will Bachmann Do Something About It?

The Strib reports on ANOTHER alleged Ponzi scheme surfacing in Minnesota. This one seems to have drifted into Minnesota from Colorado, adding to the existing plumes of toxic, financial fraud such as the Petters Ponzi Plume that threaten the business environment here in Minnesota.

Bachmann serves on the House Financial Services committee... why isn't she doing something to plug the hole that's spewing these toxic plumes of Ponzi?

Instead, Bachmann is making a fool out of herself about something that's happening in other states:

A full two months after the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the still unplugged gusher continues to poison the environment and the economy. But the politics of the ongoing disaster may have shifted some this week after the White House inked a deal with BP that will create an escrow fund of $20 billion to cover claims arising from the oil catastrophe.

Conservatives immediately pounced: Apparently, in trying to hold BP accountable, that socialist Barack Obama was overreaching yet again. Michele Bachmann called the fund "a redistribution of wealth," while Rush Limbaugh attacked the agreement as "extortion."

Well Congresswoman, right here in Minnesota and elsewhere there is a massive "redistribution of wealth" funneling money from investors to financial fraudsters. There are real victims of these financial frauds.

Bachmann needs to do something about these gushing plumes of Ponzi schemes washing up on the shores of Lake Wobegon... what's stopping her?

Did Ponzi $$$ Help Bachmann Get the GOP Endorsement in 2006?

This is a piece of Bachmann lit I picked up the 2006 6CD convention:



It boasts that Bachmann was the top GOP fundraiser in the last quarter of 2006.

But, she wasn't always doing so well raking in the campaign cash.

In this October 20, 2005 Dump Bachmann post, Eva reported that Bachmann was falling behind in fundraising:

Michele Bachmann's report is here.

Phil Krinkie is leading the fundraising race - having raised 142K for the reporting period ending September 30. He has 225K cash on hand. Michele Bachmann is trailing in this area having raised 85K with 166K on hand.

The question is whether Michele's ability to mobilize her base will outhustle Phil Krinkie's fundraising.

The other question is whether Michele plans to fall back on her senate seat if she doesn't think she can win party endorsement.

In 2008, Karl Bremer reported in the Minnesota Independent that Bachmann got some substantial $$$ from Petters associate Frank Vennes, his family and pals:

Bachmann wrote a letter of recommendation in December 2007 for a presidential pardon of Vennes for federal money laundering, cocaine distribution and illegal firearms sales convictions. Vennes pleaded guilty and no contest to the charges in 1987 and was sentenced to five years in prison, which he served in Sandstone Federal Correctional Facility in Sandstone, MN.

Six months after Bachmann recommended Vennes for a pardon, Vennes and his wife, Kimberly, who are not constituents of Bachmann’s, dumped $9,200 into Bachmann’s re-election campaign. The Venneses already were among Bachmann’s top individual campaign contributors when Bachmann solicited the pardon, having contributed $18,200 to her campaign committees between 2005-2007. Vennes’ brother and his wife, Greg and Stephanie Vennes, have contributed an additional $8,400 to Bachmann since 2005. And Vennes’ personal attorney, C. Craig Howse, has donated $5,000 to Bachmann’s campaign funds since 2007.

Bachmann was highly complimentary of Vennes in her letter of recommendation, which referred to her “personal” relationship with him but not her financial one:

“As a U.S. Representative, I am confident of Mr. Vennes’ successful rehabilitation and that a pardon will be good for the neediest of society,” Bachmann wrote to the U.S. Office of Pardon Attorney. “Mr. Vennes is seeking a pardon so that he may be further used to help others. As I know from personal experience, Mr. Vennes has used his business position and success to fund hundreds of nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping the neediest in our society.”

In addition, Bachmann noted that Vennes needed a pardon because he “still encounters the barriers of his past and especially in the area of finance loan documents.”

Bachmann has refused to explain what the finance loan documents of Vennes’ were that she referred to in her letter.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator says Tom Petters is still "in transit". The attorney for Tom Petters says Petters is cooling his heels in the Sherburne County jail in Elk River.

Here's some audio from the wire of Deanna Coleman. Tom Petters, Bruce Prevost and Frank Vennes Jr. at a meeting 9/9/08 talking about religion:





More audio of Frank Vennes talking about God and money here.

Bachmann Wants Ponzi Schemes Investigated

Bachmann wants more investigations of Ponzi Schemes:



Minnesota has been ground zero for Ponzi schemes the last couple of years. But, calling for investigations raises questions about Bachmann's ties to Petters associate Frank Vennes Jr.

At the end of this video, Bachmann says the role of Frank Vennes (who has not been charged) in the Petters Ponzi scheme has not been fully explained... that remains true to this day:

Hope Commons Property Taxes in Arrears

Last week, Karl Bremer broke the news on Dump Bachmann about Michele Bachmann not paying her property taxes (the Bachmanns are all paid up). Now, it seems the property once owned by a top donor who Bachmann wrote a letter recommending a pardon is also in arrears.

Hope Commons is in receivership allegedly because it was purchased with money obtained illegally through the Petters Ponzi fraud. Frank Vennes Jr. has not been indicted for his role in the Tom Petters fraud. For background on the sorry saga of Hope Commons read this DB post and this update with a video about Hope Commons.

According to the Hennepin County property records, the Hope Commons property at 2300 Chicago Avenue was purchasedfor $3,000,000 in 2006, the owner listed is Hope Commons LLC, a company that was registered in Florida by Frank Vennes Jr., with a mailing address in Plymouth, Minnesota.

The overdue 2010 2009 taxes for the Hope Commons property are $6,733.84 with a penalty of $269.35:



Another former Vennes property, 3515 2nd Avenue South in Minneapolis is in receivership is listed as "forfeited" with no tax due.



DB will have updates on this story as it develops.

UPDATE:: The Receiver, has this correction:

This property has not been part of the Receivership. Hope Commons LLC transferred ownership to Fidelis in, I believe, 2007, before the Receivership was formed. I have not taken any action to challenge that transaction.

Interesting.

The Feds say Vennes knew something about the scheme right about the time that Bachmann wrote the pardon letter (December 2007). Vennes was the registered agent list in this PDF from the Florida SOS. In this 2008 doc, (PDF), the manager of Fidelis is Joseph L. Smith.

Michele Bachmann lauded the Fidelis Foundation in her pardon request for Frank Vennes Jr.:

Bachmann wrote:

“As a U.S. Representative, I am confident of Mr. Vennes’ successful rehabilitation and that a pardon will be good for the neediest of society. Mr. Vennes is seeking a pardon so that he may be further used to help others. As I know from personal experience, Mr. Vennes has used his business position and success to fund hundreds of nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping the neediest in our society. The Fidelis Foundation, backed by Mr. Vennes, has directed over $10.7 million in total gifts in the last three years, and the Fidelis Foundation has ranked #6, #9 and #7 as the largest grant-making foundation in Minnesota over the past three years.”

The Fidelis Foundation is a Plymouth, Minn.-based nonprofit organization “organized to assist Christians in discerning, clarifying and implementing God’s call and direction in their life,” according to the group’s tax filings. Its chairman is G. Craig Howse, Vennes’ lawyer, and the organization leases office space from Howse for $1,300 a month.

Howse has donated $5,000 to Bachmann’s campaign committee since 2007.

The Petters-Fraud website has the superseding indictment of Tom Petters (PDF).

A list of wire communications are presented as evidence. Among them this mention of a wire transfer of $4,060,000 from the Fidelis Foundation to "PCI's account". PCI is Petters Company Incorporated.

Pardongate Update: Hope Commons Video Removed From You Tube

This is the description of the Hope Commons You Tube video uploaded June 23, 2008 by EasyStreetVideo (also no longer on You Tube) used to say:

Video with interviews describing the Hope Commons building project in Minneapolis, by the Fidelis Foundation. Includes interviews with Fidelis Foundation, Minnesota Teen Challenge, The Bethlehem Institute, Hope Academy, and Desiring God

But you can watch it here:



Hope Commons LLC was registered in Florida:



Note the address: 400 Ocean Trail Way.

This is what what the address looks like.

Nice beach.



Read more about the sorry saga of Hope Commons.

Living Word Church Victim of Minnesota's Ponzi Plague

It's clawback time for Pastor Mac.

Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

Living Word Christian Center, which received $2.2 million in donations from an admitted Ponzi-scheme operator, says it shouldn’t have to give the money back to the investors that lost money in the fraud.

Michele Bachmann is on the Financial Services Committee. She should be helping out Pastor Mac, Rich Scherber and all the other members of the clergy who were snookered by the Ponzi guys and do something about the plague of Ponzi schemes in Minnesota.

A Lesson for Bachmann and Other Anti-Gay Bigots - God will Punish You!

In last week's post about anti-masturbation crusader Pastor John Piper, I failed to mention that Piper was also the minister who last year claimed a tornado in Minneapolis was a warning from Jesus, who "controls the wind, including all tornados" to Lutherans not to "condone" homosexuality.

Here's another example of Piper's "theology":

The sexual disordering of our lives, most vividly seen in homosexuality (though not only there), is the judgment of God upon the human race because we have exchanged the glory of God for other things. Sometimes people ask, "Is AIDS the judgment of God on homosexuality?" The answer from this text is: homosexuality itself is a judgment on the human race, because we have exchanged the glory of God for the creature - and so is AIDS and cancer and arthritis and Alzheimer's and every other disease and every other futility and misery in the world, including death.

There's a lot more anti-gay stuff on his ministry's website. Here is Pastor Piper in a video titled "Homosexuality: God Gave Them Over".



That got me thinking... if something bad - something really bad happened to John Piper's ministry, wouldn't that be proof that God punishes anti-gay, theocratic bigots instead?

Here for example, is a parable that used to be on the Desiring God website, but is now preserved on Dump Bachmann...

Back in May, 2008, John Piper was all excited about a project in Minneapolis called Hope Commons:

The new place of ministry means moving the classes and library and offices to Hope Commons at 2300 Chicago Avenue South. This former hospital building will house Hope Academy (K-12), Minnesota Teen Challenge, TBI, and Desiring God and Children’s Desiring God. The building is free from a visionary donor. But the ministries must pay to build out the space. That is what we are praying toward now.

--snip--

I would like to be a part of this vision for the remainder of my life. I believe the church and the world need leaders shaped by this vision of God. I pray that you will find it compelling. If you would like to know more or to share in it, please contact Craig Howse, Director of Institutional Advance, Tim Tomlinson, Executive Director of TBI, or Tom Steller, Dean of TBI.

Now, here is the rest of the story (no longer on the ministry website, but cached here):

Important Building Update

Dear DG Friends,

We want to update you on some important, unexpected developments regarding the Hope Commons building, which is to house Desiring God’s new offices, and also to ask you to pray with us.

Hope Commons Construction Project Suspended

On October 7, five days after reaching our “Building Capacity” fundraising goal, we suspended construction in our leased space at Hope Commons until further notice. Our hope is that this suspension is temporary and we will resume the project soon.

We took this action after receiving information that the individual who purchased the building in 2006 was named at the end of September in the fraud investigation of Tom Petters and his associates conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Desiring God’s legal counsel reviewed the available facts and recommended we suspend construction until more is known.

Here is the essential information that prompted this action:

The anonymous donor (we do not make public the names of donors) who purchased Hope Commons and deeded it to a Christian nonprofit foundation is a close business associate of Mr. Tom Petters.

They're talking about this guy.

Mr. Petters has been charged with multiple serious crimes, including investor fraud, and is being sued by the United States government in civil court. Certain persons associated with Mr. Petters have already pleaded guilty to crimes involving fraud.

The purchaser of Hope Commons is named in the same civil action as Mr. Petters.

Our legal counsel is concerned that the ownership of and legal interests in Hope Commons could be adversely affected as a result of these developments, putting Desiring God’s occupancy and investment in Hope Commons at risk.

Please note that as of this time, it is our understanding that the purchaser of Hope Commons has NOT been charged with any crimes.

Again, we have NOT terminated our lease or the construction project. Suspending construction allows us to monitor the situation and research all of our options without continuing to spend donated resources on construction expenses in the event that a worse-case scenario unfolds. Our desire remains to move into Hope Commons as a tenant.

How Much Have We Invested in Hope Commons to Date?

At the time the project was halted, we were on schedule to move into the building in the second week of December. We have approximately $370,000 (37% of total project) invested in the project to date. Approximately 25% of the actual construction is completed. Because we may not be able to recoup these costs if the project is ultimately terminated, we intend to terminate the project only if there appears to be no other reasonable and viable option.

When Do We Expect to Know What Direction We Will Take?

We hope that in the next 30-60 days we will have enough information for the Desiring God Board of Directors to determine the best course of action. We will make a public announcement of our plans on the website and via other means at that time.

Please Pray With Us

Currently, the best course of action is not clear. Pray with us that the Lord will guide us and give us wisdom. And please join with us in praying that God will preserve Hope Commons as center for gospel-spreading ministry.

While this is a sobering and difficult situation, we are not anxious. We know that this does not take God by surprise. We trust him to provide for us and to use this to bring glory to his name. We are confident that:

“…he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What have you done?’” (Daniel 4:35)

Trusting in the Good Shepherd with you.

Jon Bloom
Executive Director

God wasn't surprised that Hope Commons was bought with proceeds from a Ponzi scheme? Why didn't God tell the FBI?

The comment on this You Tube video about Hope Commons:

Yeah, God is at work. He seized the place! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!