Man Accused Of Using Religion To Pull Off Scam Gets 30-99 Years Behind Bars

PONTIAC (WWJ/AP) - A 53-year-old Detroit man accused of using religion to gain the confidence of people with mortgage problems and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars could very well spend the rest of his life in prison.

Anthony Carta on Thursday was sentenced to 30 to 99 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to seven felony charges. The case stemmed from an investigation by Attorney General Bill Schuette's Corporate Oversight Division.

Schuette's office says Carta's company Freedom By Faith Ministries has been ordered to pay more than $674,000 in restitution while Carta has been ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution himself.

"Anthony Carta scammed his friends and neighbors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars under the guise of faith," Schuette said in a statement. "While we can never undo the damage done to these victims, we have secured them justice and can make sure they're never victimized by Anthony Carta again."

Carta was accused of taking money from more than 100 people who were led to believe he would help them with their montages through his company. Authorities say Carta pocketed the cash, but did nothing to assist the customers.

Charges in the case included false pretenses and conducting a criminal enterprise.

Citizens who believe they may have been victims of Carta's Freedom By Faith Ministries mortgage assistance fraud are encouraged to file complaints with the Attorney General's Office at www.michigan.gov/ag.

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