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AME Church alleges former retirement services exec embezzled tens of millions

The African Methodist Episcopal Church has sued a former executive who oversaw its pension plan’s investment portfolio, charging that he and others embezzled money and defrauded AME clergy and church employees who were relying on its annuity plan for their retirement.

The legal action follows the filing of class action suits that alleged the church mishandled the pension funds, with one claiming at least $90 million is missing. The denomination, in turn, alleges that Jerome V. Harris and others are to blame for the tens of millions in financial mismanagement.