A self-described whistleblower, whose December 2019 complaint to the IRS set off a firestorm of debate about how The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints stashes and spends tens of billions of dollars, is now taking his fraud allegations to the U.S. Senate.
n a 90-page document submitted to the Senate Finance Committee and its Subcommittee on Taxes and IRS Oversight, David A. Nielsen shares what he says is “evidence of false statements, systematic accounting fraud” and violations of tax laws and other federal statutes by Ensign Peak Advisors, the Utah-based faith’s investment arm.
On Thursday, Religion Unplugged obtained and posted a copy of Neilsen’s new document, which it reported, “reframes and renews allegations about Ensign Peak Advisors and the…church” along with making several new accusations.
Besides the FBAR complaint (which is an inexcusable lie on the part of Ensign Peak), everything else feels exhaustingly repetitive and whiny, same as how he (or his brother?) wrote in the original leak in 2019. David doesn't make himself look good here.
Doesn't make the church look good either. Maybe that is the point. Force the church to explain why the one true church of Jesus Christ needs to secretly build up such an ungodly hoard of money.
Conclusion: He should have hired RFM to write the complaint. Would have been 10 incredible pages instead of literally 90 meh pages.
It takes practically superhuman restraint, it seems, for people disillusioned with the LDS Church not to go overboard in expressing their anger. Still, I wish more people rose to the occasion.
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
Let's assume for a moment the church doesn't worship money. What is motivating their investment decisions?
1) Saving for a rainy day when they will need as much money as possible to survive
2) A sense that the more money they bring in, the greater sign that is of God's favor
3) Growing a larger principle balance for the purpose of giving more interest away as charity
4) They're just on autopilot and have told the managers to make as much money as humanly possible
Speaking of Ensign Peak and church money-hoarding, this presentation is making the rounds today. For those with the patience to wade into big numbers and detailed investment analytics, take a deep breath.
Now I have been around multi billion dollar commercial investment funds for most of my career, and still find the sheer size of Ensign Peak to be absolutely staggering. The church is literally a top 100 shareholder in each of the 10 biggest companies in America! (and many others) That list is typically the realm of the battleship retirement aggregators like Fidelity and Wellington, the largest state pension funds, national wealth funds and more recently, the super size hedge funds. And now, it seems, Jesus of Nazareth is among the 100 largest stakeholders of US capitalism. I don’t know how else to put it - staggering, and more than a little sickening.
Speaking of Ensign Peak and church money-hoarding, this presentation is making the rounds today. For those with the patience to wade into big numbers and detailed investment analytics, take a deep breath.
Now I have been around multi billion dollar commercial investment funds for most of my career, and still find the sheer size of Ensign Peak to be absolutely staggering. The church is literally a top 100 shareholder in each of the 10 biggest companies in America! (and many others) That list is typically the realm of the battleship retirement aggregators like Fidelity and Wellington, the largest state pension funds, national wealth funds and more recently, the super size hedge funds. And now, it seems, Jesus of Nazareth is among the 100 largest stakeholders of US capitalism. I don’t know how else to put it - staggering, and more than a little sickening.
This post merits permanent enshrinement.
"He disturbs the laws of his country, he forces himself upon women, and he puts men to death without trial.” ~Otanes on the monarch, Herodotus Histories 3.80.
Yes. Dr. Moore stated the problem with the Fund v. Jesus better than I've read so far. Jesus of Nazareth must now love money and power according to our TBM friends. How else can it be justified?
Further, perhaps the New Testament should be rewritten? Now Jesus takes the money changers' place and then increases the prices he charges. The widow's mite while quaint isn't enough. Now her children are put into bondage to Jesus, until they work off what she owes. The rich young man now needs to sell what he has to Jesus so Jesus can continue to build his financial empire. Blessed be the rich ... for they shall be able to afford a prime spot at Jesus' new resort along the Red Sea.
Myth is misused by the powerful to subjugate the masses all too often.
I had a Marketing professor that would quote Phineas T. Barnum who said, "all publicity is good publicity". There are probably a few people at COB right now that might not agree. This is the latest headline from Forbes:
SEC Reportedly Probes Mormon Church Over $100 Billion Investment Portfolio Allegedly Saved For ‘Second Coming Of Christ’
I don't know if I have ever seen such a culty headline.
I had a Marketing professor that would quote Phineas T. Barnum who said, "all publicity is good publicity". There are probably a few people at COB right now that might not agree. This is the latest headline from Forbes:
SEC Reportedly Probes Mormon Church Over $100 Billion Investment Portfolio Allegedly Saved For ‘Second Coming Of Christ’
I don't know if I have ever seen such a culty headline.
"And he's buying a stairway from heaven..."
"There will come a time when the rich own all the media, and it will be impossible for the public to make an informed opinion." Albert Einstein, ~1949 "It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere." Voltaire
