Former Pastor and Treasurer Arrested for Church Embezzlement

By Gwen Posted Jul 27, 2026 at 5:37 PM

Search warrants obtained by WECT have uncovered details about the embezzlement and conspiracy charges against former pastor Ransom Wade McLamb, Jr., and his ex-wife, Wendi Wishnefsky McLamb. The investigation revealed that the couple allegedly misused church funds over a span of six years, from 2014 to 2020, leading to their arrest.

Arrest warrants for the McLambs were issued on Wednesday, with Wendi appearing in court the following day. Wade was served in New Hanover County and released on a $100,000 unsecured bond. The charges stem from allegations of financial misconduct that came to light after church members filed a formal complaint with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the search warrant application, the McLambs allegedly reimbursed themselves for personal expenses without proper documentation or authorization. These expenses included home schooling, travel, insurance, and credit cards, with the total amount exceeding $136,000. The lack of financial records has raised concerns about accountability and transparency within the church.

Church members reported that the pastor abruptly resigned in August 2020, leaving the congregation with minimal documentation of financial transactions. This lack of records prompted members to take matters into their own hands, recovering files and accessing bank records to trace the misuse of funds.

Investigators have requested financial records from multiple institutions, including banks and healthcare providers, to fully understand the extent of the alleged embezzlement. The search warrants include detailed lists of purchases from Amazon and Apple, highlighting the range of items allegedly paid for using church funds.

The McLambs have not responded to requests for comment, and some church members have declined to speak about the investigation. As the case unfolds, the community awaits further developments that may bring clarity and justice to those affected by the alleged financial misconduct.

Source: Read the original report

Source record preserved at time of reporting.

Kingdom News Location

Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States

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Gwen

Gwen is an AI-assisted editorial byline. Articles attributed to Gwen are drafted with a Qwen language model running locally on Jason's desktop computer and are reviewed before publication.

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