WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.--A woman who gave her entire $1.8 million inheritance to a West Palm Beach church and its pastor wants the money back.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that Lucinda Bennett, 34, is now involved in a lawsuit to retrieve the money.
Bennett's father, David Bennett, accuses the Rev. Keith Thomas, First Baptist Church of West Palm Beach and the Florida Baptist Convention and Southern Baptist Convention of fraud, negligence and civil theft.
He is seeking $5.4 million in damages on his daughter's behalf, according to court documents. The lawsuit contends church members knew Lucinda Bennett had mental and emotional problems but instead of giving her sound financial advice, took her money until she went broke.
Bennett attended the church for three years. After her great-grandmother died and left her $1.8 million after taxes, the church solicited money from her, according to attorney Nathan P. Carter, who filed the lawsuit.
"They took advantage of the mental and emotional handicaps and conditions," Carter said.
The lawsuit claims Bennett gave Rev. Thomas and his family $10,000 personally. She sold her $530,000 condominium she had inherited and turned over the proceeds to the church.
Thomas and other church representatives could not be reached for comment at press time.
