mpire holdings

[Jerry Levine]

'Christian' Scam Took $200,000, Couple Says




NASHVILLE (CN) - Three brothers who call themselves Christian businessmen - including a preacher and a country singer - took $200,000 from a couple in a Ponzi scheme, the couple claims in Federal Court.
Jerry and Deborah Smith sued Mpire Holdings, MRT LLC, MRT Holdings, The Momentum Group, and Mark Manuel, Greg Manuel, Mike Manuel and James Clements.
The Manuel brothers allegedly sold the Ponzi scheme as a foreign exchange deal.
Plaintiffs claim the Manuels, of Franklin, Tenn., push themselves as Christian businessmen.
They claim Mark Manuel participated in a number of Ponzi schemes and has been investigated by the attorneys general of Texas and Tennessee. "Mark Manuel is a self-professed expert of multi-level marketing who operates under a veil of Christianity and who promotes himself and others and dupes trusting investors through a self-created image of being a good Christian spreading the word of God," the complaint states.
Greg Manuel is a church pastor who "promotes himself as not only an evangelist, but also as a distinguished entrepreneur and business development consultant," the complaint states.
"Mike Manuel is a Christian country music performer, who operates a record label out of Nashville, Tennessee, with his brother Mark Manuel called Mission Country Entertainment," it states.
Clements, of Plantation, Fla., allegedly manages MRT.
The Smiths are represented by Bruce Griffey of Celebration, Fla.