A Washington pastor has been indicted on 10 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering over an alleged $13 million scheme in which he is accused of scamming church members and using their investments to fund personal expenses and stock trades.
Cristian Popescu, 46, of Bothell, Washington, is the pastor of Passion for Christ, a Christian congregation in Kirkland. He pleaded not guilty in federal court in Seattle, and his trial is scheduled for Dec. 21, 2026, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Prosecutors allege Popescu used Followone Inc. to solicit investments by claiming it operated a successful online marketplace and social network. The platform was supposed to let users buy and sell goods and services, including cars, real estate, health care, food and travel, but investigators say it consisted of nonfunctional screens.
Popescu began promoting the company in 2015 and attracted more than 30 investors through false claims about its revenue and growth, according to the indictment. He allegedly said Followone was preparing for a Nasdaq listing and claimed it was worth $1.4 billion, despite knowing it had little or no value.
Prosecutors say Popescu used his position as a pastor to persuade church members to invest, telling them God had chosen them and their money would support the church’s mission.
He allegedly urged some to withdraw retirement savings, take out personal or home equity loans, and use money saved for their children’s college education.
The indictment alleges Popescu tried to make Followone look more successful by issuing misleading press releases, renting expensive office space in Bellevue and claiming it had 20 employees when only three worked there. He also allegedly used shell companies and fake invoices to disguise the movement of investors’ money.
Followone’s website outlined plans to add AI tools for car listings, real estate, health care, jobs, travel and advertising. The company said it planned to first use OpenAI’s API before developing its own AI models, with features planned for versions 2.0 and 5.0.
Prosecutors say Popescu transferred more than $4.5 million in company funds to accounts belonging to himself, his wife and other relatives. He also allegedly paid himself more than $1 million in wages from 2017 to 2024 and paid his wife about $300,000, despite her not working for the company.
When investors sought their money back, Popescu allegedly delayed repayment, saying it could interfere with the planned stock listing. Prosecutors also allege he invoked his religious position when investors questioned him.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating. Popescu was released on electronic monitoring while awaiting trial, despite prosecutors’ objections.
Wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, while money laundering carries up to 10 years. Any sentence would be decided by the court if he is convicted.