Florida pastor accused of COVID-19 relief fraud makes court appearance from hospital bed

A pastor accused of fraudulently amassing greater than $8 million in COVID-19 reduction help again in 2020 made a court docket look Wednesday — from his hospital mattress.

Evan Edwards appeared in court docket by way of zoom from his hospital mattress. A choose mentioned that with a view to transfer ahead, they should know Edwards’ present medical situation and psychological state.

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Edwards’ lawyer, Brian Phillips, mentioned he’s submitting a movement for the discharge of Edwards’ medical data.

Phillips instructed the choose that he was solely in a position to get about three sentences out of Edwards, calling the communication difficult.

Edwards and his son, Joshua, had been arrested at their New Smyrna Seaside residence in early December.

A federal indictment mentioned Joshua Edwards falsified paperwork to use for a paycheck safety mortgage to get greater than $8 million.

The 2 used their household run, nonprofit church, known as Aslan Worldwide Ministry, to use for the mortgage, the indictment reveals.

In response to investigators, the church was a entrance, and by no means truly held companies.

Through the federal investigation, brokers reviewed the ministry’s web site and imagine it contained generic non secular data taken from different web sites.

Authorized paperwork filed within the U.S. District Courtroom Center District of Florida in Orlando present issues started to unravel for the Edwards household after they tried to buy a $3.1 million residence close to Disney World.

The household fled to Canada when the U.S. Secret Service started its investigation into the fraudulent ministry.

After returning to Florida, Evan Edwards and his son had been indicted on fees of conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud, financial institution fraud, making a false assertion to a lending establishment and visa fraud.

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