Listen Live
Magic Baltimore Listen Live
Magic 95.9 Featured Video
CLOSE

The Associated Press reports,”A judge sentenced Michael Winans Jr., a member of gospel music’s Winans family to nearly 14 years in prison for an $8 million financial scam that was promoted in church pulpits,

Michael Winans scheme was selling bogus Saudi Arabian oil bonds robbing some people of their life savings, causing divorces and fractured many families.

Winans said,“I want to apologize to everyone. … These were decisions that were negligent and irresponsible.” He said he had no “malicious intent” but confessed that he continued to collect money even after he learned that the bonds were bogus.

Winans attracted more than 1,000 investors in 2007 and 2008, although he didn’t know them all because many were recruited by others through word of mouth. He promised 100 percent returns in two months, then, used the money for personal expenses or to pay off earlier investors. About 600 people are still owed $4.7 million.

Michael, 30, is the grandson of Delores “Mom” Winans and David “Pop” Winans Sr., and the son of Michael Winans Sr., a member of The Winans quartet of brothers.

Tara Hurt told the judge,“There are lots of marriages that have been destroyed. I know family members who aren’t speaking to each other.” U.S. District Judge Sean Cox noted that Winans made his pitch from church pulpit and stated,”Fraud on good, decent church-going people — that was very, very troubling to me.

Winans released his own album in 2011, “My Own Genre.”