Former Vernon AME Pastor Pleads Guilty to $504K Fraud
Former Tulsa Pastor Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $504,000 From Vernon AME Church
A former senior pastor of Tulsa's historic Vernon AME Church has pleaded guilty to federal charges after admitting he embezzled more than $504,000 in church funds and failed to pay taxes on the stolen money.
The Vernon AME Church pastor fraud case involves Keith Rydell Mayes Sr., 63, of Tulsa, who pleaded guilty Monday to bank fraud and tax evasion. Federal prosecutors say Mayes diverted church donations for more than three years and used the money for gambling, personal expenses and firearms.
Mayes has agreed to repay $504,313.88, including $205,765.60 owed to the Internal Revenue Service, and forfeit firearms and ammunition purchased with the embezzled money.
Vernon AME Church Pastor Fraud Case Involved Hidden Bank Account
Mayes was hired as senior pastor of Vernon AME Church in October 2021, giving him responsibility for several church functions that included overseeing finances and managing donations, collections and disbursements.
Shortly after joining the church, Mayes opened a new bank account under the name "Administrative Expenses." He was the account's only authorized signer and used his personal residence as its mailing address.
Federal prosecutors say Mayes then solicited and deposited voluntary donations from church members and charitable organizations into that account.
The scheme continued from at least March 2022 through November 2025, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
One of the largest transactions involved a church member who wanted to make a substantial stock donation.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office account of Mayes' guilty plea, Mayes opened a brokerage account in the church's name after speaking with the donor and the donor's financial adviser. He ultimately received $365,000 in stock transfers during 2021 and 2022.
Mayes liquidated the stock, placed the proceeds into the church's banking system and then embezzled most of the money for his own use, according to court documents summarized by federal prosecutors.
By the end of the scheme, Mayes admitted taking more than half a million dollars from the Tulsa congregation.
Keith Mayes Used Stolen Church Money for Gambling and Personal Expenses
Federal investigators traced the diverted church money to several categories of personal spending.
Court documents show Mayes used the money to support gambling habits, cover personal living expenses and purchase firearms.
He also failed to report the embezzled money as income to the IRS.
That resulted in more than $205,000 in unpaid federal taxes and ultimately led to the tax evasion charge included in his guilty plea. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.
The Northern District of Oklahoma U.S. Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case through Assistant U.S. Attorney David D. Whipple. The federal office handles criminal and civil cases brought by the United States within the Northern District, which includes Tulsa.
The case involves one of Tulsa's most historically significant churches. Vernon AME Church, located in the Greenwood District, survived the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, and its basement is among the few structures from the district that survived the destruction.
The fraud allegations involve Mayes individually and do not accuse the church or its congregation of wrongdoing.
Former Tulsa Pastor Must Repay $504,313 and Awaits Federal Sentencing
Under the plea agreement, Mayes has accepted substantial financial consequences for the money taken from Vernon AME Church.
He agreed to repay the full $504,313.88 connected to his embezzlement activities, with $205,765.60 designated for the IRS to cover unpaid taxes on the illegal income.
Mayes also agreed to forfeit firearms and ammunition purchased with the fraudulently obtained money.
Following his federal court appearance, Mayes was released on bond and placed under supervision of the United States Probation and Pretrial Services while awaiting sentencing.
A sentencing date has not yet been announced. The Justice Department's Northern District of Oklahoma case announcement says a federal district judge will schedule the sentencing hearing for a later date.
Unlike a criminal charge that remains an allegation, Mayes has now formally pleaded guilty to bank fraud and tax evasion.
The Vernon AME Church pastor fraud case ultimately involved more than three years of diverted donations, a hidden bank account, hundreds of thousands of dollars in stock contributions and more than $504,000 taken from the historic Tulsa congregation.
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