Katrina Donation Flipped For Profit

'Take It Up With God!' Says Recipient Of Free House Donated By Church

(AP)  A church that wanted to do something special for Hurricane Katrina victims gave a $75,000 house, free and clear, to a couple who said they were left homeless by the storm. But the couple turned around and sold the place without ever moving in, and went back to New Orleans.

"Take it up with God," an unrepentant Joshua Thompson told a TV reporter after it was learned that he and the woman he identified as his wife had flipped the home for $88,000.

Church members said they feel their generosity was abused by scam artists. They are no longer even sure that the couple were left homeless by Katrina or that they were a couple at all.

"They came in humble like they really needed a new start, and our hearts went out to them," said Jean Phillips, a real estate agent and member of the Temple of Deliverance Church of God in Christ. "They actually begged for the home."

The church was also shocked by an ungrateful interview the couple gave with WHBQ-TV in Memphis.

"I really don't like this area," said Delores Thompson. "I really didn't, and I didn't know anybody, so that's why I didn't move in and I sold it."

Thompson, reached at a New Orleans phone number by The Associated Press on Tuesday, thanked the church for its generosity but said she saw nothing wrong in selling the three-bedroom, two-bath house.

"Do I have any legal problems? What do you mean? The house was given to me," she said. "I have the paperwork and everything."

She refused further comment and hung up.

The church had decided that it would do something special for one Katrina-displaced family, in addition to its other efforts to help evacuees. The church set up a committee to find the right family and conducted several dozen interviews.

Delores Thompson, who did most of the talking for her family, told the committee that she had lost her job as a nurse and that her husband had lost an import-export business in New Orleans, committee member Joy Covington said.

The committee also heard how the family had lost its home and most of its possessions and how the children, a 14-year-old girl and 16-year-old boy, were eager to get back in school. The family said it wanted to resettle in Memphis.

After the church settled on Thompson, real estate agent Phillips helped her pick out the house she wanted, and it was bought in Thompson's name. She took possession in February and sold it in September. Property transfer records for the resale list her as unmarried; the papers from the original sale list her as married.

"I feel like it was a sham or a ripoff," Covington said.

The church hasn't discussed legal action, but the members are upset because the house could have gone to a more needy family, Covington said.

Thompson claimed she and her family were living in an apartment supplied by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but did not invite Phillips over during the house search.

"She didn't want me coming over there," Phillips said. "She'd say, 'I'll meet you."'

Church member Edward Covington, the real estate agent's husband, said the family had been listed by FEMA as displaced. But he said the church took Thompson's word for it that their house was destroyed.

[gramto7]

As good as so many Americans are, there always has to be some that are a$$holes. The people that did this should be investigated. I hope that they are and that enough information comes to light to indict, try, and convict them of fraud!

[richzurb]

I believe the charge would and should be theft by decieption. Why is such sorrowful disasters always bring out some of the worst crooks that prey on the good nature of such loving people.

[gramto7]

Ozilot and Richzurb,
Thank you both for the corrections on what the charges should be. I knew it should be more than just fraud, but couldn't think of what it would be.

These people need to be convictedof and to the maximum allowed by law.

[lsajra99]

It's the bad apples like this who affect so many others who are in need. She doesn't realize how her actions are going to have a long-lasting impact on charity giving. Now, many agencies and organizations may be leery of offering this type of help to people who do truly have a need. This is so sad to hear about.

[ketch65]

Was the couple displaced or not?

Did they use the money to ultimately buy a home or not?

If they did then they used the funds as they were given to them for that purpose.

I don't understand why the demand to live in a specific home.

If a church was going to give me a home I'd want it done in secret anyways, not because of pride being hurt myself for living in a donated home, but for the sake of the faith, because giving out in the open, announcing it was cheers and trumpets is the act of hypocrits.

Things are to be kept private for a reason. I don't blame the couple for leaving, perhaps there are issues we don't know about!

If it's the issue of a profit being made, the gift was given, once the gift is given, it's at the hands of the one who has the gift now in hand to do with it, what they want!

Matt, ch. 6;;1-4

Do not do good things so that people will see you do them. If you do, you will get no reward from your Father in heaven.

So when you give money to poor people, do not send men in front of you to blow trumpets or horns. Some people do this in the meeting houses and on the streets so that people will praise them. They are not true to themselves. I tell you the truth. They have their pay already.

But when you give money to poor people, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

In this way, what you give to the poor will be secret. Your Father sees secret things and he will reward you.

[drew30319-2009]

ketch65: I don't believe the issue is one of privacy, but rather honesty. It appears that there was deception involved. Deception to the extent that these were people that were possibly:

- NOT homeless
- NOT a couple
- NOT out of work due to Katrina

There have been many allegations made against these people. Their comments have made them easy and likely targets for scorn and derision.

If they had indeed been needy it would be unlikely that they would respond so flippantly "take it up with God" when asked about their decision to sell a donated house that they never took the time to live in.

They had expressed to the community that they wanted to live in Memphis but now state %u201CI really don%u2019t like this area. I really didn%u2019t, and I didn%u2019t know anybody, so that%u2019s why I didn%u2019t move in and I sold it.%u201D

This sounds much more like manipulation then a change of heart.

If they are shown to have lied in order to play upon the sympathies of good samaritans then they should face the full force of any criminal or civil laws that have been broken.

Shame on them. Shame on their greed. Shame on their taking advantage of good, decent people.

Shame.

Drew Crecente, Director
Jennifer Ann's Group
www.JenniferAnn.org

[realvoiceusa]

The story fails to point out that these people also condemned the Federal goverment for their handling of the Katrina disaster - and they were touted as democrats. More like demon - crats.

[grumpas]

There always has to be one or two doesn't there??? Who take advantage of people's generosity for their own benefit! It's why I stopped giving to most causes years ago! I try and pick the charities I give to wisely! When I was working I worked with a girl who had 9 children! Her current boyfriend killed himself, she was evicted from her home and didn't have the money to look for a new one! I donated money where I work! So did a lot of other people! She promptly went down and bought two couchs with it! I couldn't afford a new couch neither could another woman who gave, but she could! I said never again! It may sound cruel but I turn my head anymore! I have a private charity I donate all my extra to these days...my daughter and her 3 children!

[henren]

Shame on the church committee who did not do a good job of checking out the worthiness of each potential recipient for this charity offering. I think once the gift is given, the recipient should not be judged by the giver to have squandered the gift or not. I agree with ketch65s point. And would the church feel better about it if Thompson had lived in the house one year then moved out? Two years? What%u2019s the difference, the joy (should be) in the giving, not the publicity garnered from it.

The church should ask themselves if such a large gift should ever be given to one person instead of helping lots of people in smaller ways.

[houser123]

It's called DUE DILIGENCE folks and apparently someone did not do it very well in this case. Before I would give anyone a new home, I would make sure (1) that they were who they said they were, (2) that thier circumstances mathced their story and (3) that title to the house reamined in my name for 5 years. There is a big differnce in allowing someone the live in a home cost free and having title to same. Next time, do a better job.

[karateman39]

The chruch should have done a more thorough check on who they were giving the house to. I don't know if they did this or not but if they didn't that's their own fault. In this day and age it's sad that a chrusch would need to do sucha thing.

As far as the woman flipping hte house, it's her perogative. The story doesn't go into much detail but if, after living in the house for a few months, she/they found it wasn't to their liking it is perfectly within their right to sell.

This all assumes the house was obtained in good fiath in the first place.

[emortimer]

ketch65 has it right.

My question is this... who's to say they are bad guys? Why criticize them? Who's to say they weren't homeless, or weren't in need?

Even if they were, why MUST they live there? What if there were strings attached? Did church members make them their "special project"? Did they drop by every other day checking in on them, asking them to come to church etc?

Even if not, even if it was a really nice place, nice church, etc, who's to say the family's calling to go HOME, is bad? And, shouldn't the church be happy? Perhaps that $75,000 home, sold for more, will now enable that family to rebuild their own home or buy a new home AT HOME, where family is, where heart is. The money isn't necessarily wasted... perhaps now the value of that money has doubled by allowing them the grace to go home without struggle.

[bigreddog222]

My question is did they live in FEMA provided housing while they owned the home that they could have moved into? Isn't that breaking the law?

If their story was true then the house was theirs to do with what they wanted.

If they lied, they deserve to be convicted!

so if I sell my christmas gifts is everyone of you going to get mad and call it illegal?

[cantshutup]

lol...sounds like karma for all christians!

[kozanne]

"If it's the issue of a profit being made, the gift was given, once the gift is given, it's at the hands of the one who has the gift now in hand to do with it, what they want!"

That's right, they can do whatever they want, even if it was NOT the right thing to do. Jesus talked about that in the Gospels, too.

I know what I would have done, and it would not have been what they did. But that's okay, let's see if anyone can find out where these folks ended up a year from now. They will reap what they have sown.

[sueneely]

The Lord knows the way of the righteous...the way of the ungodly is not fun to think about.
Let the Lord rule on this but let's just say" I wouldn't want to be in their..um..house".

[ms38654ob]

Two takes on this story.

1. From their side, if everything they said is true, I don't blame them a bit for not wanting to move into that neighborhood in Memphis, especially if they have teenage children. It's very high crime and loaded with gang activity. Best to sell out, take the money and go back to where they came from.

2. From a non-member of their church: The church got exactly what they deserved. No good deed goes unpunished. They didn't do their homework and got screwed for their efforts. Too bad so sad.

Next time, be more careful. Idiots, the lot.

I feel bad for those that donated for that house. I do not feel bad that they made such a big deal out of donating it and it blew up in their faces.

[themooniac]

What classy people, scaming a church. How pitiful, the lowest of the low.

[themooniac]

What classy people, scaming a church. How pitiful, the lowest of the low.

[floriditynow]

The home was a gift. End of story. What the gifted does with the gift, is their karma.

[floriditynow]

The home was a gift. End of story. What the gifted does with the gift, is their karma.

[bigreddog222]

Amen Oz.
the IRS will get them.. I hope. If someone reports them or if there is an agent reading this. They should pay their taxes.

[peaceforusa]

WOW! How low can people get? This was such a wonderful gesture the church made and the couple they chose were scum. They must have been real slick when they had their interview. It is this kind of action that will cause many people, churches, companies, etc. to stop donating/helping when people are really in need.
It is true, it was a gift but the couple deceived the church in the interview to receive that gift, so I am hoping that on that deceit they will be charged and made to pay back the money to the church and maybe some jail time for fraud. God will take care of decritful people like this couple. And what an example they are setting for those children.

[nikkicatt1]

The night the Katrina evacuees were being bused to Houston, I had to volunteer. As the New Orleanians were coming off the buses, we heard over and over, "What, no beer?" or "That's all you got - a sandwich and chips?" or "I don't want water - I want pop." When we set up cots we heard "Ain't ya gonna put us in a hotel." When FEMA gave them credit cards, they were used to go to "night clubs", purchase big screen TV's or other items. A freind of mine that has a gun shop siad he had some trying to purchase guns with them. As the year progressed, we saw a rise in violent crimes. Now that the middle class is returning to New Orleans, we are left with the gangs, muggers and thieves. So why does anyone think that these miscreadents could do anything else but lie, cheat and steal to get what they did not deserve in the first place. If they were so worried about the crime in the area, why did they accept the house in the first place? Because they knew they were going to sell. I think ALL the people from Louisiana should go back and let the governer worry.

[bigreddog222]

Katrina flushed the toilet of America into surrounding areas.

$75,000.00 does not buy a whole lot of house, and its not like they broke the bank when they bought the place, the church is got lots of money, most do

here is another gift that is being sold, right or wrong its for sale O.J Simpson If I did now sold on Ebay Item number: 250053281298 $10,000.00

[dcmgbusacbs]

HOUSE RECIPIANTS AND PURCHASER ON GOD'S "TO DO" LIST