HOUSTON – Three locals associated with Jesus Survives Ministries have admitted to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
William Dexter Lucas aka Bill Lucas, 60, and Deborah Jean Lucas, 64, both of Bryan, pleaded guilty today while Brian Corpian, 45, Houston, entered his plea Dec. 2.
All three have admitted to making false statements and using false documents regarding the church to fraudulently obtain loan proceeds. Jesus Survives Ministries is a defunct church in which all three claimed to be pastors. Bill Lucas claimed to be lead pastor.
For almost the last decade there were no church services or pastoral services through Jesus Survives Ministries. Since 2014, the three made false statements regarding their payroll at the church in submitting car loan applications for purchases of cars on which they had no intent of making payments. Both Bill and Deborah Lucas were able to obtain cars through these false applications.
Within days following the enactment of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Bill Lucas applied for multiple Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from numerous banks. In them, he made false statements and provided false documents regarding Jesus Survives Ministries. Bill Lucas falsely claimed that Jesus Survives Ministries had gross revenues of almost a million dollars in 2019. Deborah Lucas and Brian Corpian signed some…
