Pastor arrested in $1M fraud case

Pastor arrested in $1M fraud case: "evangelical pastor whose ex-followers say he fleeced them of hundreds of thousands of dollars was arrested yesterday in connection with a nearly $1-million fraud case at a zoo.

Provincial police arrested Mwinda Lezoka, 47, along with two alleged associates, Ruth Eugène, 38, and Jasmin St. Louis, 43.

All three face fraud charges in connection with $978,000 allegedly diverted from Parc Safari in Hemmingford from 2005 to 2008.

Lezoka and Eugène are also accused of forgery.

Eugène, the zoo's former accountant, was a member of Lezoka's congregation, the Bethel Christian Community in Ahuntsic, at the time.

Police charge the trio made 37 illegal electronic transfers from Parc Safari's account to outside recipients, including Actions Béthel du Canada Inc.

The Sûreté du Québec said it opened an investigation into the case in July 2009. Fifteen investigators worked on the probe, it said.

Lezoka also faces a string of lawsuits for unpaid bills, bounced cheques and bad debts."