Whitney Foster, 56, was found guilty of theft of property greater than $300,000 in mid-May and sentenced to 35 years in prison, according to court records. A Dallas County jury also ordered Foster to pay an $8,000 fine, court records show.Foster led a small congregation, True Foundation Non-Denominational Church, that did not have a physical place of worship, according to prosecutors.
Records with the Dallas County clerk showed someone claiming to be the chairman of the First Christian Church of Lancaster deeded the church to Foster for $10 in March 2019,. Foster told the TV station he thought the building was vacant and he put a $10 check in the mail. He believed he was within his rights to take ownership of the property because “you can acquire a property for $10 with nonprofits,” WFAA reported.
“Property ownership is a bedrock of our society — it provides security, a home, a place to love and welcome each other,” lead prosecutor Phillip Clark said in a statement.“Deed fraud cases are not simply disputes; they are lies and fraud — they are theft — and they are deeply damaging. I’m so grateful that the jury saw the truth in this case and held the defendant to account.