Episcopal priest, fmr. head of foster care ministry pleads guilty to $10M wire fraud
Quick Summary
- Episcopal priest Robert N. Smith pleads guilty to $10 million wire fraud.
- Smith faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, with sentencing scheduled for July 15.
- Smith was suspended in 2022 and will undergo an Episcopal Church disciplinary process.
An Episcopal priest who was the former head of a foster care ministry in Kansas has pleaded guilty to being involved in a fraud that cost the nonprofit around $10 million.
The Rev. Robert N. Smith, who led the Salina-based Saint Francis Ministries from 2014 to 2020, pleaded guilty last Thursday to one count of wire fraud, the Episcopal News Service reported.
Smith, who faces the possibility of as much as 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, was scheduled by U.S. District Judge Toby Crouse to be sentenced on July 15.
The Episcopal priest was suspended in 2022 when he first faced charges in the wire fraud case and will soon face an Episcopal Church disciplinary process, known as Title IV, according to ENS.
In November 2022, a federal grand jury in Topeka indicted Smith and William Byrd Whymark of Mount Kisco, New York, for allegedly defrauding SFM over multiple years.
Smith faced one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering; Whymark was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, 10 counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering.
According to authorities, Smith used his position at SFM to enter into an agreement with a company owned by Whymark in 2018. From there, Smith allegedly authorized multiple payments for overinflated, fraudulent invoices from Whymark, totaling more than $10 million.
In 2020, the SFM board reportedly became aware of Smith’s activities and forced him to resign. Smith was initially suspended, though the suspension was lifted when an initial investigation failed to find evidence of wrongdoing.
In November 2022, after Smith's indictment was announced, Bishop Paula Clark, head of the Episcopal Diocese of Chicago, where Smith was a canonical resident, announced that Smith was suspended "from any and all priestly and ministerial duties."
The bishop also ordered Smith to have "no direct access to credit cards, bank accounts, or any other funds held by the church."
"The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago takes allegations of clergy misconduct very seriously and cooperates fully with legal authorities," ENS reported at the time.
Last November, Whymark pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering, which can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. He is slated to be sentenced on April 30.
