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Pastor Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison
Gary Souffrant and his wife were convicted of a $7 million money laundering scam
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An order of Irish Catholic priests is feeling shame over years of abuse.
Pastor Garry Souffrant found out today that he'll be spending the next 20 years in the sin bin. His wife, Yvonne, will be doing 4 1/2 years.
The Miami-Dade man of God and his wife were sentenced for their roles in a $7 million money laundering scam.
The pair was found guilty last November for their mortgage fraud scheme connected to a drug trafficking ring.
The couple, from Davie, helped drug movers buy homes and cars in South Florida, using their real estate business to act as a straw buyer of the properties and defrauding banks through mortgage loans.
Souffrant's brother, Gamaliel, a Miami Fire Rescue Captain, was also charged in the scheme but acquitted in November.
Souffrant was the pastor of God First Ministries in Miami Gardens and worked as a minister with Boca Raton Fire Rescue. He and his wife are both 33 years old and have three children.
Souffrant was convicted after a five-week jury trial of 46 counts, including conspiracy to commit mortgage fraud, conspiracy to commit drug money laundering, mail fraud, making false statements to mortgage lenders, bank fraud, bank theft, and receipt of stolen bank funds.
Yvonne was convicted of count of fraud conspiracy and one count of making a false statement to mortgage lenders.
"As we've seen in this case, drug trafficking organizations routinely commit so called white collar crimes such as mortgage fraud and bank fraud to launder their proceeds," said FBI Special Agent in Charge John V. Gillies. "These types of crimes should not be taken lightly given that they fuel violent, criminal activity. We will continue to work with our partners to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations."
