Jamal Lawson Sentenced to 52 Months for Promising Churches $650 Million in Loans He Never Funded

Case from 2014 (U.S. Attorney's Office release: Jan. 22, 2014). Published on Scammers.com Oct. 16, 2026; case status is current as of that date.

Jamal E. Lawson Sr. was sentenced on Jan. 22, 2014, to 52 months in federal prison. He had taken advance fees from churches and small businesses nationwide, including three Chicago churches, for loans he never provided, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced [1]. Over 18 months in 2009 and 2010, prosecutors said, he promised more than 30 victims more than $650 million in loans and funded none of them.

How the scheme worked

According to prosecutors [1]:

1. The ads: Lawson advertised low-interest loans to churches and small businesses through companies including Evangel Capital Group LLC, Evangel Capital Partners Ltd., Ascendant Capital Partners LLC, Ascendant Commercial Mortgage, Destiny Capital Group LLC and Destiny Capital Partners Ltd.
2. The "approval": After an application came in, he told borrowers their loans, from about $300,000 to $206 million, were approved with firm closing dates. He had no ability to fund them and no outside lender lined up.
3. The fees: Borrowers were told to pay advance fees of about $1,250 to $35,000 for appraisals, loan documents, title reports and audited financials, by check or transfer to accounts he controlled. He promised refunds if the loans fell through.
4. Where it went: He spent the money on travel, clothing, food and cars.

In Chicago, three churches paid between $3,950 and $4,000 each in fees for promised mortgage loans of $742,000 to about $3 million. Other victims were in Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon and Virginia. Prosecutors said the churches lost money raised from parishioners and missed chances to pursue legitimate funding.

The person sentenced

Jamal E. Lawson Sr., 44, Duluth, Ga., formerly of Dayton, Ohio

• Convicted: at trial in August 2013 on three counts of mail fraud.
• Sentence: 52 months in prison and $227,252 restitution, imposed by U.S. District Judge James Zagel [1].

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated.

Red flags

• A lender that "approves" a large loan quickly and then demands fees before closing.
• Fees paid to the lender's own accounts for appraisals, title work or audits instead of to independent vendors.
• Loan offers aimed at congregations from companies with no lending track record.

What to do if you're targeted

1. Check a lender's license with your state banking or financial regulator, and ask for references from borrowers whose loans actually closed.
2. Pay third-party costs directly to the appraiser or title company you choose.
3. Report advance-fee loan schemes to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov/report.

Case status (as of Oct. 16, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 16, 2026	Source
Jamal E. Lawson Sr., Duluth, Ga.	N.D. Ill. (Judge Zagel)	Convicted at trial Aug. 2013 on three counts; sentenced Jan. 22, 2014, to 52 months; $227,252 restitution	[1]

The sentence was imposed in 2014; we have not found a source on Lawson's current custody status.

Sources

1. U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Illinois, "Man Sentenced To 52 Months In Prison For Swindling Churches And Business Owners Nationwide In Advance-Fee Fraud Scheme," Jan. 22, 2014. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndil/pr/man-sentenced-52-months-prison-swindling-churches-and-business-owners-nationwide

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