Edwards Family The Edwards family, at one time, seemed like
modern-day Robin Hoods. But they made the dark choice to steal from the rich and keep
it for themselves in 2020. With the world in chaos from COVID-19, you'd
think a family of Christian missionaries, such as the Edwards, would be on the front
lines, willing to help their fellow man.
The Edwards had different plans, and the only ones they would try helping were themselves.
So they decided to cash in on the Paycheck Protection Program to the tune of millions
using their religious organization ASLAN International as a front for their operation.
Just how did the Edwards family scam their way from $100 dollars to $8.4 million?
Missionaries Dr.Evan Edwards, along with his wife, Mary,
and their two children Joshua, and Joy, were Christians with a calling. Before they were
scamming Millions, The Edwards were a missionary family willing to help others find Christianity
even when that meant endangering their own safety. They devoted their lives to preaching
the bible and even moved to Turkey to reach those who seemed unreachable.
Spending more than 20 years in Turkey even gave Evan the inspiration for his tell-all
book" It's a Happy Life: The Keys to Successful Enjoyable Living." Facing extreme danger and
even large-scale conspiracies to thwart their mission to help others, it’s all there in
the action-packed spiritual guide.
ASLAN International ASLAN International is the foreign ministry
the Edwards family claimed as their nonprofit religious organization. Founded in Ohio in
2005, it wasn't until 2018 that they would file to conduct business in Florida.
According to Evan, he moved his family to Turkey in the mid-2000s to spread Christianity.
Turkey is not the most welcoming country when it comes to religious freedom, particularly
Christianity, in the mid-2000s. Knowing what we know now about the Edwards family, is everything
about his death-defying life in Turkey a lie?
Where did it all go wrong? The Edwards family had supposedly spent all this time in Turkey,
enduring harsh conditions to spread God's word and help others. However, their time
in Turkey isn't documented online if it isn't coming from Evan's mouth.
You'd think a Christian preacher who allegedly distributed half a million bibles in a predominantly
Muslim country would have made a Turkish headline somewhere, right? Evan claims his family was
there to help "poor people in crisis." Yet, they come back to America and scam millions
in relief efforts from citizens in need.
At first glance, their website landing page seems a lot like other ministries or religious
outreach programs. That is until you keep scrolling and the obnoxious length of each
of their pages becomes apparent. That paired with the cut and paste bible verses that fill
every page without reason or direction immediately raises red flags.
Links to what should have possibly been other branches of their organization only lead in
circles. Only to lead back to the aimless verses and what looks like stock images of
happy religious folks. With little proof of real work, the bare minimum for business offices,
and possibly the worst home page in the world, ASLAN international filed for a PPP loan and
got one. The Edwards were supposed to use that money to pay the 400 employees listed
on the application. But there was only one problem, they miscounted. The only "employees"
of ASLAN international were the four family members. But that was probably just a typo.
When you step back and really look at the picture coming together in this case, the
holes in the Edwards stories start to show. What really happened in Turkey? Have they
ever even been to Turkey?
Bank Accounts Several accounts were opened at different
banks using different names. A setup was already being put in place to pull off their multi-million-dollar
scam. They only put 100 in each new account though, is that all they had? The paper trail
doesn't stop there. Each family member had to do their parts to pull this scam off. This
included tax forms, fake business documents, and financial records.
Further investigation reveals that the $100 in each account may have had more to do with
the minimum required opening deposit than their actual cash on hand. Either way, those
accounts went From minimum to overflowing after a few government deposits.
These deposits were funded by loans made available in The CARES ACT relief package. The United
States put this package together to address the growing economic crisis brought on by
the COVID-19 pandemic.
PPP This particular program the Edwards applied
for is called the PPP Loan. This loan was meant to help small businesses continue paying
their employees during the pandemic. It offered super-low interest rates and the possibility
of complete loan forgiveness if the proper criteria were met. PPP loans, when used properly,
gave many small businesses a fighting chance and kept workers employed even though they
couldn't come to work. Unfortunately, it was also like blood in the water, and the sharks
came swimming. Scam artists, not just the Edwards, began to circle and once again take
from those in need.
Though the program stopped taking applications in May of 2021, it received more extensions
and funding throughout its availability. This came to 519 billion dollars allocated for
the loans, with 140 billion remaining unclaimed as of June 27th, 2021.
This was the perfect opportunity for the Edwards to shoot their shot at filling their pockets
with money meant for the down-and-out businesses of America.
Disney Lifestyle Money can quickly go to people's heads, and
the Edwards family was no exception. You would think Evan Edwards would guide his family
to stay humble in their crimes, maybe keep a low profile. But, instead, they went big.
The American Dream of going to Disney World wasn't enough for Evan and his family; they
wanted to live there—at the Golden Oak at Walt Disney World, yes, We said at Disney
World.
The 5 Bedroom 5 ½ bath estate boasts 4,697 sq—feet of luxury and opulence. The price
tag was reflective of that at the cost of over 3 million dollars. There was no time
to think it over either; the Edwards had already made an $800,000 down payment as of July 2020.
Was that the motive here? They just wanted to live in Disney World?
The Edwards are not the only ones who raked in millions in PPP loans; the list of those
who received this government loan may surprise you. From Kanye West to Pearl Jam, the rich
and famous utilized the government program for their various businesses, just like the
not-so-rich and famous. Global restaurant giants like P.F Chang's even received a PPP
Loan. Other religious groups and leaders, Such as Joel Osteen and several branches of
the Scientology church, came under scrutiny for their use of these government dollars.
Federal Curiosity Growing concern and media coverage of PPP
loan Fraud brought unwanted attention to the loan's rushed process flaws. The Feds finally
addressed the issue and promised to start cracking down, spelling bad news for the Edwards
and others who thought they were free and clear of their crimes.
The Edwards had a plan for how to move the funds and disguise the money. However, it
wasn't a well-thought-out plan. First, the financial institution processed the PPP loan
application for ASLAN International and deposited it into their account. Keep in mind; this
account went from about 100 bucks to $8.4 Million overnight.
Then the bank hopping began. The Edwards family started transferring money into a handful
of different accounts they'd recently opened. One account held the $800,000 down payment
meant for their Disney dream home.
Clearly, the Edwards were not seasoned criminals, and all these red flags were about to catch
up with them. Their scheme unraveled fast. The FBI froze their accounts while investigating
their business and financials.
The investigation led them to the business address for ASLAN International; It was completely
deserted. Agents spoke with other tenants in the business park, and they barely knew
who the Edwards were. They said they hadn't seen anyone enter the alleged business and
didn't believe it was ever occupied. If the Edwards weren't at work, maybe they'd be at
home?
So, take a wild guess who they found at the family's Smyrna Beach home in Florida—nobody.
The house was deserted, and it looked like nobody had been there for some time. Neighbors
confirmed they hadn't seen anyone at the residence since September 9th. The Feds left, and the
Edwards showed up again, daring to ask their neighbors if the FBI had come by. Great way
to start a friendly neighborhood conversation. Right?
The Edwards were on the run, and they weren't just worried about the FBI. Not only were
the Feds now investigating the Edwards family, so was the Edmonton Police Service in Canada.
Greed got the best of Evan; he'd applied for another PPP-style loan in Canada for $2,000.
The Edwards family was pulled over on September 17th, when Florida highway patrol stopped
them for speeding. All four members of the family were in the car. They claimed to be
heading to a conference in Texas yet could not produce any specifics of their trip for
the officer.
A search warrant was issued to search the vehicle. Low and behold, the car was full
of evidence, mostly shredded evidence—probably done with the shredder purchased only 2 hours
after the Feds had shown up at the Edwards house to interview them initially. The FBI
also found packed luggage, multiple laptops, tablets, and even trash bags filled with shredded
documents.
Canada The Edwards had millions in their bank account
and the Canadian border in their sights. While they did make it to Canada, they did so without
a Penny. The US Government recovered the PPP money. The Edwards have kept a low profile
since, and no Disney World trips have been planned recently. Maybe a lesson learned?
Though no charges have been filed or arrests made, the investigation is still ongoing.
However, the Feds have assured the American people they are working with several other
branches of law enforcement. This joint operation is to address PPP Fraud and recover over 300
million dollars in stolen funding.
Where does this leave the Edwards family? Will they be in hiding forever? Possibly.
We do know the ever-changing, adventurous life the Edwards family depicted has left
confusion in its wake. Who are they really? Maybe one day we will know their real story.
The US and Canada do have an extradition treaty. If the Edwards are formally charged in America,
they can't hide for long. Penalties for PPP fraud vary depending on each situation. If
found guilty, members of the Edwards family could face up to 20 years in prison.
Some people can't resist the lure of free money. Randy A. Frasinelli of Pennsylvania
applied for another fraudulent PPP loan while he was already awaiting trial for PPP fraud.
Guess it's best to go down swinging, huh?
Thankfully in the case of the Edwards family, the Feds caught on just in time. As a result,
the government could retrieve all the money from the PPP loan and stop any significant
purchases from wiping out the funds. As for the Disney World home, it was bought by somebody
else, most likely, with legal money.
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