Conclusion and Call for Investigation
The available information indicates that John C. Feucht, known as Sean Feucht, is associated with multiple non-profit organizations, primarily Sean Feucht Ministries Inc., Light a Candle, and Burn 24/7. Sean Feucht Ministries Inc. experienced significant financial growth in 2020 and subsequently underwent an IRS reclassification, affecting the transparency of its financial reporting.
Both the ministry and Feucht personally hold a substantial number of real estate assets across different states, including parsonages in Washington D.C. and San Juan Capistrano, and personal residences in California, Montana, and Pennsylvania. The interconnectedness of these organizations and the significant real estate holdings warrant further scrutiny to fully understand their operations and legal implications.
Summary of Key Issues
- Financial Transparency Concerns: The substantial revenue increase in 2020 ($5.3 million) followed by reclassification as a church in 2022, which removed financial reporting requirements, creates significant transparency issues.
- Complex Organizational Structure: The overlapping nature of Feucht's organizations, with some entities functioning both as independent organizations and as programs under other organizations, creates confusion about financial flows and accountability.
- Questionable Real Estate Holdings: The ministry's ownership of multiple high-value "parsonages" alongside Feucht's personal ownership of numerous rental properties raises questions about appropriate use of non-profit funds and potential private inurement.
- Allegations from Former Insiders: Multiple former employees and volunteers have raised concerns about financial practices including donation diversion, restricted donor fraud, credit card misuse, and bulk cash smuggling.
- Discrepancies in Financial Reporting: Issues such as reporting no volunteers on 990 forms, questions about foreign operations like the child sponsorship program in India with no reported foreign bank accounts, and potential failures in required disclosures.
Recommendations
Based on the information presented in this report, we recommend:
- A formal investigation into the financial practices of Sean Feucht Ministries Inc., Light a Candle, and affiliated organizations
- Examination of the appropriate use of ministry funds for real estate acquisitions
- Review of the legitimacy of the church reclassification granted in 2022
- Investigation into potential private benefit and inurement issues
- Assessment of compliance with laws regarding international financial transactions and reporting
- Evaluation of board oversight and governance practices
The concerns raised in this report are not simply about technical violations but speak to the core integrity of non-profit religious organizations and their responsibility to donors, constituents, and the public. The allegations, if substantiated, would represent serious breaches of both legal requirements and ethical standards expected of tax-exempt organizations.