Police have arrested Jordan Shortridge, grandson of Pastor D.R. Shortridge, for felony larceny. Shortridge has been accused embezzling $470,000 from his grandfather’s church, Dallas Church of God in North Carolina.
Pastor D.R. Shortridge has led the congregation for nearly 50 years, and the entire family is involved in the church.
“It’s sad for the community, it’s sad for the church body, and I hate it for the Shortridge family as well. But at the end of the day, none of us are above the law,” said Police Chief Robert Walls to Fox 8.
Jordan Shortridge Charged With Embezzling Money From Grandfather’s Church
According to Fox 8, “the whole Shortridge family is involved in the church,” and Shortridge had been mentioned on the church’s website as a drummer and member of the AV team. The information has since been taken down, and many pages on the church’s website are listed as “under construction.”
On Dec. 18, the Town of Dallas Police Department in North Carolina shared a press release updating the community on the investigation.
“We have to do what’s right,” said Police Chief Walls.
According to the press release, it was on Monday, July 31, that members of the Dallas Church of God went to the police to report “fraud/larceny/embezzlement” that happened between 2018-2023. The police department launched a criminal investigation that same day.
The church has been cooperating with the police and has submitted evidence. Walls said in the release, “Documents and financial statements that were provided showed that church funds, totaling over $470,000.00, were used for non-church related purchases including the purchase of items via PayPal.”
Back in 2021, “the Dallas Church of God accounting department began to find discrepancies in the church funds which resulted in an audit being conducted of the church’s financial transactions from their banking institution,” Walls stated in the press release.
“The audit established that there were unknown withdrawals and payments made through PayPal that led to the conclusion that there was some type of fraud/larceny/embezzlement occurring from the church funds beginning in 2018,” the statement went on to explain.
As the investigation progressed, “detectives were able to develop Jordan Blake Shortridge as the primary suspect in this case.” Shortage was arrested at his home on Dec. 8 and charged with “Felony Larceny.”
Walls commented that the police are still investigating why the church took so many years to report the financial discrepancies. “There could be more charges, there could be more people involved once this thing finishes out,” Walls explained.
