The moneychangers who have been instrumental in St. Ann Catholic Church obtaining a brand new chapel

About 10 months ago, we had written a post en en titled “Good Catholic men making a killing in the cash advance business.”

That post actually struck a neurological. It had a huge selection of views round the time We posted it in September 2014, and because then it’s drawn more views than just about just about any post that is past.

Yesterday and after this, how many views spiked, into the wake for the Star publishing on its internet site an account concerning the government that is federal a huge, online payday lending procedure run by Timothy Coppinger and Frampton T. Rowland III.

To provide you with a basic concept of this range regarding the procedure, between 2012 and 2013, Coppinger’s businesses issued $28 million in pay day loans and withdrew significantly more than $46.5 million from people’s bank accounts.

Here’s how dirty were the transactions of these businesses: almost all the victims hadn’t really used for loans but had shared sufficient private information about by themselves to provide lenders usage of their checking records. The lenders then deposited “loans” within the people’s reports and systematically withdrew “interest” re re payments. Numerous victims didn’t understand for the long time that these were being fleeced.

Coppinger had been among the “good Catholic boys” I had written about back 2014. He originates from a household that is a pillar of Visitation Catholic Church, 51st Terrace and Main.

One other family members we penned about was the Hodes family members, additionally of Visitation. Like Coppinger, Chris and Vince Hodes had Visitation Catholic School and Rockhurst tall and soon after went to the pay day loan business.

The Hodes household, additionally of Visitation, has owned a rather plumbing that is successful company (they will have related companies, too) since 1943. No body through the Hodes family members must have any need whatsoever to be into the payday financing company. There ought to be a lot of company, and earnings, to help make everyone delighted for a lifetime.

You don’t have actually to become a psychologist to know just what drove these “good Catholic boys” towards the business that is seamy of payday loans — GREED.

But there’s more to the whol story — and much more Catholics with greedy fingers — than Tim Coppinger and Vince and Chris Hodes.

Coppinger and Vince Hodes are now actually people in St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Prairie Village. So might be Coppinger’s payday-lending partner, Frampton (“Ted”) Rowland, and Stephen and Julie Zanone.

The Zanones had been principals in a business called MMG, that your state of Maryland fined and banned from working in Maryland year that is last these people were charging you interest as much as 1,000 % or higher on payday loans…Maryland legislation limits yearly rates of interest to 24 or 33 per cent, according to the style of loan made. (Missouri requires a law that is similar probably won’t get one when in the future due to the conservatives’ stranglehold in the General Assembly.)

Coppinger, this year picture, keeping a trophy for winning a poker competition at St. Ann’s Catholic Church

Stephen and Julie Zanone

To be reasonable, none regarding the individuals we have actually known as have actually faced charges that are criminal. However they have to reply to the Kansas City community, and five of them — Coppinger, Rowland, Vince Hodes plus the Zanones — have to respond to to their faith community, St. Ann’s.

You may think that individuals that are making oodles of cash by gouging individuals in serious straits will have the gumption to help keep a profile that is low. That does not be seemingly the outcome using the five individuals called within the past paragraph.

A couple of years ago, St. Ann’s established a money campaign aided by the goal that is primary of funds to create a chapel right beside the church, fast cash car title loans near me which will be on Mission path, between 71st and 75th roads. The church has raised almost $7 million toward its objective of $8.5 million, additionally the chapel happens to be built, however the inside is certainly not quite completed.

Whenever churches have actually money drives, they usually designate “lead givers,” or they usually have “steering committees” to lead the drive and set the example for any other parishioners or congregants. We discovered today from a source that is second-hand but a supply that We trust — that the lead givers at St. Ann included Tim Coppinger and their spouse; Vince Hodes along with his spouse; Ted Rowland and their spouse; therefore the Zanones.

I believe it really is reasonable to assume that most of them made pledges that are significant the campaign. In addition, as much as I understand, Rev. Keith Lunsford, the pastor, had no qualms about accepting funds from those who made millions regarding the backs of the indegent.

The Pitch and investigative reporter David Hudnall have actually led the way in which regarding the payday-lending tale, and Kansas Citians could be grateful Hudnall has taken straight straight back the curtain with this unsightly situation.

Their very first expose came in December 2013. He began that whole story having a discussion for the influx of “new money” at St. Ann, which parishioners had started to notice. Hudnall anonymously quoted one parishioner as saying:

“People regarding the finance committee while the college board had been speaing frankly about the morality of using that cash. However in the end, i do believe they simply seemed one other method.”

When Hudnall asked Fr. Lunsford in regards to the income rise, Lunsford stated, “I don’t have any knowledge that is firsthand of at St. Ann mixed up in payday-loan industry.”

Listed below are my observations…

First, Lunsford will need to have had their eyes shut and their arms over his ears. Needless to say, he didn’t have “firsthand” knowledge. Coppinger and Rowland weren’t going to approach him and say, “Father, we’re making a king’s ransom in the cash advance company, and we also wish to share the bounty with all the church.”

But all Lunsford had to do — and probably did but wouldn’t acknowledge — was to consider the origin!

Just like the parishioners, he previously to have heard that a number of their individuals were neck deep in the cash advance company, in which he needs to have had the courage to confront them then turn their straight straight straight back on the filthy lucre.

2nd, each time we examine that brand new, multi-million-dollar chapel, i am going to think of Jesus (yes, he additionally rates bold-face kind) angrily denouncing the moneychangers when you look at the temple and chasing them down having a whip he fashioned away from cable.

The Gospel of Matthew quotes Jesus as saying, ” My house will probably be called the home of prayer; but ye are making it a den of thieves.”

Yesterday’s moneychangers are today’s lenders that are payday. Woe betide them.

The chapel that is new St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Prairie Village

JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and life that is daily KC


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January 21st, 2020


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