Fount Church NYC Pastors Cleared of 1.4 Million Fraud After Massive Forensic Investigation

Fount Church NYC Pastors Josh and Georgie Kelsey Cleared of $1.4 Million Fraud Allegations After Forensic Investigation

An independent forensic investigation conducted by global law firm Dentons has cleared the founding pastors of Fount Church in New York City of all allegations of financial fraud, embezzlement, and misappropriation of funds.

Pastors Josh and Georgie Kelsey had been accused of racking up $1.4 million in personal expenses on a church credit card after former board member David Chan submitted his own categorization of expenses to accounting firm CapinCrouse without the church's involvement.

The Dentons investigation, led by a certified public accountant and former FBI special agent with 20 years of experience investigating complex financial fraud, reviewed more than 11,000 individual credit card transactions spanning eight years of church financial records.

The forensic review found that 81% of expenses, totaling $1,137,768, were connected to legitimate church business. Another 15%, or $214,277, required further analysis but were not categorized as fraudulent. Less than 1% of expenses, amounting to $12,545, could not be fully documented.

There isn't a trace of evidence of fraud, misappropriation of funds or embezzlement.

That was the conclusion reached by the Dentons investigators regarding the pastors' financial conduct.

Legitimate expenses identified in the investigation included software subscriptions, music equipment, venue fees, ministry travel, pastoral meals, and supplies. The $1.4 million in AMEX charges had been used across all departments of Fount Church by multiple staff members and volunteers throughout a nine year period.

Board chair Frank Wheatley stated that the original allegations were based on "fundamentally flawed" information. Chan's spreadsheet assigned his own expense categorizations without any reference to the church's accounting system.

Josh Kelsey voluntarily reimbursed the church $31,852 for inadvertent personal expenses discovered during the review.

The church has since implemented significant governance reforms. The board was reconstituted under Wheatley's chairmanship with independent membership effective January 12, 2026. All executive spending is now subject to review and approval by independent board members. The church has also committed to annual certified financial audits through the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

Independent Investigation Exonerates Fount NYC Pastors of Financial Misconduct Claims

The 455 page investigative report prepared by Dentons includes 400 pages detailing the 11,000 credit card transactions that investigators say exonerate the Kelseys. However, the church has declined to publicly release the full report despite multiple requests from media outlets including The Roys Report.

CapinCrouse's preliminary review, which sparked the original controversy, had flagged various expenses including over $9,000 for surfing, $6,500 for golf, and $118,000 for food. The Dentons investigation reportedly provides context and documentation for these expenditures that the initial review lacked.

The Crusader's Opinion

False accusations can destroy ministries. When a disgruntled former board member can single handedly create a narrative of fraud using his own made up expense categories, and the media runs with it before any real investigation takes place, we have a serious problem. The Kelseys were dragged through the mud for months based on what turned out to be fundamentally flawed information. Let this be a reminder: the church must hold its leaders accountable, yes, but it must also protect them from bad faith attacks. Real accountability means transparent governance, certified audits, and independent oversight, all of which Fount Church has now implemented. That is the path forward, not trial by social media.

Take Action

• Encourage your church leadership to pursue annual certified financial audits and transparent governance structures through the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).
• If your church lacks independent board oversight of pastoral spending, raise the issue constructively with your church leadership and suggest implementing financial controls.
• Pray for Fount Church NYC and for Josh and Georgie Kelsey as they rebuild trust and continue their ministry work in New York City.
• Support organizations working to strengthen church governance and financial integrity. Visit ECFA.org to learn about best practices for your local church.
• Consider donating to ministries advancing the Gospel in challenging environments at www.TheShepherdsShield.org.