Pentecostal Church Sues Executives Over Alleged Embezzlement and Misuse of Funds

Mary Cosby, a star of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” along with her husband, Robert Cosby, and their Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, has filed a lawsuit against two executives of the church’s business arm. The complaint alleges that the executives, Annie L. Johnson and Shawn Turner, embezzled millions of dollars from the church and its affiliated for-profit company, United Security Financial Inc., over an extended period.

The lawsuit, filed in 3rd District Court in Salt Lake City, seeks damages totaling nearly $6.3 million. It accuses Johnson, the president of United Security Financial, and Turner, the company’s secretary, of a range of misconduct, including forging Robert Cosby’s signature, using church funds for personal gain, and intimidating employees. The Cosbys and their church are also named as plaintiffs, with Mary Cosby identified as the church’s vice president, first lady, and evangelist.

Among the allegations, Johnson is accused of transferring a church-owned radio station, valued at over $4.3 million in 2017, to her son, who sold it to a third party. The proceeds from the sale are alleged to have returned to Johnson. Additionally, the complaint states that Johnson used a Faith Temple account to fund a mortgage on a property in Indiana, which was never repaid, resulting in a total payoff of $421,912.40.

The lawsuit further claims that Johnson subjected USF employees and Faith Temple representatives to intimidation, threats, verbal abuse, racial degradation, and physical abuse. It alleges that Johnson instructed employees to cash company checks and give her the money, which she claimed would be passed to the church but was instead used for personal purposes. The complaint estimates that at least $350,000 was taken through this method, described as a form of money laundering.

Attempts to contact representatives for Johnson and Turner were unsuccessful as of Wednesday. The case highlights the complex financial and leadership dynamics within a Pentecostal church and its affiliated business operations, raising questions about accountability and transparency in such institutions.

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