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Two Men Sentenced For Bilking Michigan Churches

Thou shalt not bilk a place of worship.

Two Maryland men convicted in a scheme that tried to bilk 21 black churches in Detroit and other Michigan cities of about $660,000 have been sentenced to prison.

Michael Morris of Waldorf was sentenced Wednesday to up to 20 years in prison. William Perkins of Oxon Hill was sentenced to up to 20 years.

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox says the pair were convicted of felony counts including racketeering and conspiracy to commit false pretenses.

According to court documents, companies gave Morris and Perkins funding for electronic kiosks delivered to churches in Detroit, Flint, Saginaw, Inkster, Ferndale, Highland Park, Port Huron and Ypsilanti.

Church officers believed they were leasing the video terminals, but learned they had signed purchase agreements instead.

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