Former Lifeway Employee Charged with Misuse of Funds

An inquiry by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has led to the arrest of a former Lifeway Christian Resources employee. Giancarlo Trejo, most recently the director of Global Ministry, is charged with multiple counts of financial misconduct. The TBI investigation, which began on Oct. 12, found that Trejo used his company credit card for personal expenses and travel, funneled fraudulent contacts to receive referral fees, and distributed complimentary Bibles while asking recipients to send payments to his personal account.

Lifeway learned of the alleged actions in May 2025 during an internal investigation that uncovered “serious violations” of the organization’s financial and ethical policies. Entity leaders and the board of trustees referred the matter to local law enforcement, and the Williamson County (Tenn.) DA’s Office is handling the case. On Oct. 7, a Williamson County Grand Jury indicted Trejo on one count of felony theft, three counts of felony computer offense, 10 counts of forgery, seven counts of computer offense, and one count of criminal simulation.

Giancarlo Montemayor, who joined Lifeway in September 2018 as manager of Spanish acquisition and production, served in a director-level role starting in 2021. James Carroll, chairman of Lifeway’s Board of Trustees, expressed shock and disappointment at the misuse of ministry funds for personal gain. He praised the swift response of executive leadership, which included terminating the employee, developing a plan to learn from the situation, and seeking board counsel.

Lifeway leadership and independent auditors are conducting a “comprehensive” review of company travel, expense, and procurement procedures. The statement noted that auditors confirmed the incident was isolated but emphasized the implementation of updated internal controls. These include enhanced expense reporting protocols and updated team training to ensure robust processes moving forward.

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