KIRKLAND, Wash. — A Kirkland pastor accused of using his position to lure church members into a multimillion-dollar investment scheme pleaded not guilty in federal court in Seattle, where prosecutors allege he carried out a $13 million fraud.
Cristian Popescu, 46, of Bothell, was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Seattle on an indictment charging him with 10 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. Popescu is a citizen of Romania residing in the United States.
His trial is set for Dec. 21, 2026…