http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-2/1143560707149240.xml&coll=6
Principal took donations, lost them in scam, cops say
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
By John Tunison
The Grand Rapids Press
OTSEGO -- Police say the former principal of Otsego Baptist Academy
scammed up to $80,000 in donations intended for the school, but he
apparently was being scammed at the same time.
James Arthur Millward, arraigned Monday in an Allegan County District
Court on two felonies, told detectives he sent thousands of dollars
overseas as legal fees to try to get a $15 million inheritance in
England.
His story -- a claim police are trying to verify -- adds to a twisting
tale of broken trust that includes a 1994 embezzlement at Paw Paw
Public Schools
Millward, 51, spent a year in jail then, but was hired by Otsego
Baptist Academy three years ago with knowledge of his past conviction,
Allegan County sheriff's Sgt. Ron Johnston said.
"People want to trust other people," he said. "They want to believe
people. The church is a common hiding place, not just for financial
predators but for others as well."
Otsego Baptist Academy is a ministry of First Baptist Church of
Otsego.
Millward is accused of soliciting donations over several months from
groups and individuals, including a Kalamazoo foundation that gave
about $10,000. He told donors the money would be spent on computers
for the school, police said
Instead, investigators said he wired more than $80,000 through Western
Union to a Nigerian location where the recipients would use it to
clear his supposed inheritance.
Johnston called the Nigerian program a classic scam.
Millward could not be reached for comment.
He submitted his resignation March 13. It was approved Friday. He
faces charges of embezzlement and using false pretenses to commit
fraud.
Steve Whicker, school board president, said school officials just
learned about the accusation in the past several days. They say
tuition payments and other school accounts were not at risk.
"(Jim) wasn't in any way to be a fund-raiser," said Whicker, who
called Millward a capable administrator. He also coached volleyball
and baseball.
"He is very passionate about the school. He poured lots of energy into
the school and loved the kids," Whicker said. "Many of them looked up
to him."
Millward was athletic director at Paw Paw Schools when he got into
trouble and was convicted of embezzlement in 1994. He was sentenced to
a year in jail.
Whicker said church officials knew of Millward's background when he
was hired, but he had good references and professed a changed life
through religion. The school also set up guidelines so he could not
handle finances.
Anyone who donated money to Millward is asked to call the Allegan
County Sheriff's Department at 673-0500.
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Yang
a.a. #28
AthD (h.c.) conferred by the regents of the LCL
a.a. pastor #-273.15, the most frigid church of Celcius nee Kelvin
EAC Econometric Forecast and Sorcery Division
Proudly plonked by Lani Girl and Crazyalec (aka aka Yang's little poltregeist *****)
The Bush 'balanced' budget: 2 trillion and worsening
The Bush 'economic' policy: 12.5 million FEWER jobs than Clinton and counting
The Bush Iraq lie: -2326 GIs, one friend's co-worker's son and mounting
Having Bush ***** up my country: Worthless
-----
"Ahhhhhh, yessssssss, ummmmmmm - Alito, Alito, Alito"
-duke (duckgumbo@cox.net), aka PedophilEarl J Weber, 59
year old mateless, heirless biological failure
of Afton Oaks Apartment, Baton Rouge,who pussied
out of the Vietnam draft, showing his gay side
despite his avowed anti-gay bigotry
Contact duke's priest and ask
him why duke is such a racist:
http://www.stpatrickbr.org/
Father Gerard "Jerry" Martin
stpatrickbr<AT>bellsouth<DOT>net
Saint Patrick Catholic Church
12424 Brogdon Lane
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70816
.
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