DENVER (Legal Newsline) - Colorado Attorney General John Suthers announced a settlement on Tuesday with Full Spirit Ministries and its principals to resolve allegations that the organization misused assets and made false statements when soliciting donations.
Under the terms of the consent decree, Reverend Richard Thebo, the founder of Full Spirit Ministries, and Darren Thebo, Richard Thebo's son, must pay $14,000 in restitution to the Denver Rescue Mission. Denver Rescue Mission is acting as Full Ministries' successor in interest.
Full Spirit Ministries, which also does business as Open Door Mission, must gift all of its assets to the Denver Rescue Mission as part of the agreement. Additionally, Reverend Thebo and Darren Thebo are barred from establishing, founding, forming or operating any charity in Colorado.
Andrew and Patsy Kaminski, two board members at Full Spirit Ministries, are also barred from serving as trustees, officers or directors of any charity or soliciting on the behalf of any charity. The Kaminskis may continue to run the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship, their prison ministry.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit Suthers' office filed against the organization alleging that Thebo misused the assets of the charity and made false statements while making solicitations for donations. Full Spirit Ministries allegedly told consumers the donations would help the homeless when they were actually used to pay Reverend Thebo's personal expenses such as improvements to his home and to buy tools for Darren Thebo's business, Thebo Construction, LLC.
Reverend and Darren Thebo must pay $12,000 in additional civil penalties if they violate the agreement.
Suthers settles with Full Spirit Ministries
