Burned by a Pastor! Please Help!

[justicerules]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee

Back in December 2009, we took out a loan to buy appliances because the church that we were employed under could not afford them at the time and we had been living without a kitchen for 10 months. We took a loan for $1500. The pastor insisted the money be ran through the church and that he would give us a check to buy two of the three appliances, and that our third appliance would be purchased in a few weeks. We never saw the third appliance. We resigned for many reasons including his financial corruptness. He gave us a tax document indicating that the money was a donation. He told us he would reimburse us but to write it off on our taxes as well. We did not do this since it would be tax fraud. He originally stated that he would pay us back for these appliances then recanted and said he wasn't paying us a dime and to take them. He as a result of us owning a domain name that is of use to him is threatening to sue us via his insurance company for stolen property. We have a paper from the bank we took the loan from and papers from home depot about our purchase. The check used was from the church. We do have witnesses that know what really happened. Will this keep us from his vindictive behavior? He resides in NY. We live in TN. Would this be criminal or civil?

 

[Antigone*]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Tennessee

Back in December 2009, we took out a loan to buy appliances because the church that we were employed under could not afford them at the time and we had been living without a kitchen for 10 months. We took a loan for $1500. The pastor insisted the money be ran through the church and that he would give us a check to buy two of the three appliances, and that our third appliance would be purchased in a few weeks. We never saw the third appliance. We resigned for many reasons including his financial corruptness. He gave us a tax document indicating that the money was a donation. He told us he would reimburse us but to write it off on our taxes as well. We did not do this since it would be tax fraud. He originally stated that he would pay us back for these appliances then recanted and said he wasn't paying us a dime and to take them. He as a result of us owning a domain name that is of use to him is threatening to sue us via his insurance company for stolen property. We have a paper from the bank we took the loan from and papers from home depot about our purchase. The check used was from the church. We do have witnesses that know what really happened. Will this keep us from his vindictive behavior? He resides in NY. We live in TN. Would this be criminal or civil?

Were the appliances for the church or for your home? Your post is very unclear.

 

[justicerules]

We were originally promised a home. A week after we moved from FL to NY, he said that fell through and we stayed in a one room apartment that was the secretary's of the church on church property. This apartment had no kitchen. He said he would build us an apartment on the other side by turning a sunday school building into a place for us to live. This process did not take 6 weeks like he said. It took 10 months. We finally move in and were still without a kitchen. He said the church could not afford the appliances right now, but if we would take out a loan for them now, he would repay us for them. So we took out a loan for them and still owe on them. In fact, the account went to collections. He is now saying they are the church's property and that we stole them.

 

[justicerules]

this happened back in April. We are not the only former employees he has done this to. He has been sued before in a similar situation and lost the suit.