Federal authorities say the business manager at a Cleveland, Tn., church has been embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the church.
Information on David M. Apps was disclosed in connection with a recent search warrant at his home at 9309 Mountain Shadows Road and a storage unit he was using at 7822 E. Brainerd Road.
The FBI said Apps, who became the business manager for Broad Street United Methodist Church on Jan. 14, 2014, bought $60,000 in firearms including more than 60 guns and accessories over an 11-month period.
The affidavit said he is being investigated for wire fraud and money laundering.
It says he caused unauthorized checks to be issued to him and also used a church credit card to pay for storage unit rentals, the firearm acquisitions, airline tickets for him and his family, hotel stays, expensive watches and other personal items.
The FBI said the embezzlement went on from July 2014 to October 2021.
The affidavit says he was terminated last Nov. 3 after the embezzlement was discovered when there was a large entry in the pastor's discretionary fund that caused a negative ending balance. At that point the church treasurer began a review of the church finances.
The affidavit also says that in early 2019 Apps told church officials that he under treatment for prostate and brain cancer at Vanderbilt. He was given some church funding in connection with that claim.