No good deed goes unpunished, or so it seems

According to a Feb. 27 Article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the Founders of Angel Food Ministries, a Christian non-profit, that acted as a wholesale grocer, buying and distributing food boxes through churches and charities nationwide, have pled guilty to federal charges. The charges included, "conspiracy, wire fraud, theft from an organization that received federal funds, interstate transportation of stolen property, tampering with witnesses, and obstruction of justice," according to and August 2012 post on the blog Charity Watch .

I mention this because in 2009, as an act of community service, I helped distribute Angel Food groceries at a Compassion Christian Center 1030 Fourth St in Bakersfield. At the time, I was proud of my participation in the event.  Later in 2009, federal authorities shut down Angel Food Ministries and indicted its founders. Pastors Joe and Linda Wingo, their son Andy and a business associate Harry Michaels.

They will be sentenced on May 29.  Like so many, I feel disappointed and used. Four years ago I felt I was doing a good deed, while the Wingos were using the money the skimmed from their non-profit to "
According to the indictment, the Wingos used Angel Food funds to make a $280,000 down payment on a Beechjet 400A aircraft, make other down payments on real estate and buy a $65,000 classic car. And they took more than $1.48 million from the nonprofit by giving bonuses to themselves and to others," according to a Dec. 9, 2011 article in The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Capitano Tedeschi,

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 sources: Bill Rankin and  Shelia M. Poole spoole@ajc.com  Friday, Dec. 9, 2011 Angel Food Ministry benefited founders, feds say Kickbacks, cover-ups, lavish purchases in indictment retrieved Mar. 20, 2013 http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/angel-food-ministry-benefited-founders-feds-say/nQPNL/
By Christopher Quinn - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013 Founders of Angel Food Ministries plead guilty retrieved Mar. 20, 2013 http://www.prod.myajc.com/news/news/local/founders-of-angel-food-ministries-plead-guilty/nWbyw/
You Can't Have Your (Angel Food) Cake and Eat It Too August 2012 issue of the Charity Rating Guide & Watchdog Report retrieved Mar. 20, 2013 http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/Angel_Food_Minist