The Brief
- Authorities arrested eight people in a Manatee County church donation fraud ring targeting mailed tithes across multiple congregations.
- Investigators confirmed more than $266,000 in total losses from hundreds of stolen donation checks deposited through mobile banking apps.
- Detectives are searching for seven additional suspects, with individuals tracked to the Miami area and Cuba.
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies arrested eight people after uncovering a widespread mail theft scheme that allegedly stole tithes from at least 17 Manatee County churches, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.
Manatee church fraud arrests
What we know:
The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office arrested eight people linked to an organized scheme that intercepted checks mailed to local houses of worship. Those facing charges are:
- Yucmercy Espinosa Obregon
- Luis Miguel Sanchez Santos
- Lisaida Castro Gonzalez
- Ismery Ferrer Alonso
- Luis Enrique Valdes Camejo
- Dayanis Leon Hernandez
- Duvier Hernandez Canizarez
- Isidro Gonzalez Gomez
Their charges include organized scheme to defraud, grand theft, uttering a forged instrument and criminal use of personal identification. Detectives said the suspects intercepted envelopes sent by churchgoers and deposited the checks into personal accounts using mobile banking to dodge detection.
Lakewood Ranch mail theft
The backstory:
An investigation was launched in Dec. 2025 after a pastor at Harvest United Methodist Church in Lakewood Ranch reported a sudden decline in incoming mail. MCSO said church members had approached staff to ask whether their regular tithes had arrived.…