Whitney Foster Sentenced for Stealing Churches in Dallas

Whitney Foster, a 56-year-old Dallas pastor, was sentenced in May 2024 to 35 years in prison for stealing three church properties in the Dallas area through forged deeds. A Dallas County jury found that Foster, who led a small congregation called True Foundation Non-Denominational Church, used fraudulent paperwork to transfer more than $800,000 worth of real estate belonging to First Christian Church of Lancaster, Canada Drive Christian Church in Dallas, and the Church at Nineveh in Dallas into his own name or his church’s name.

How the Deed Scheme Worked

Foster filed forged deeds with the county clerk naming fake church leaders as the sellers and his True Foundation Non-Denominational Church as the buyer.¹ In the First Christian Church of Lancaster case, an arrest warrant affidavit described a purported seller named “Aaron Finley” who did not exist on the church’s board but claimed to be its chairman and “sold” the property to Foster for $10.²

Foster visited at least one of the churches before filing the paperwork. Rev. Melissa Bitting, pastor of First Christian Church of Lancaster, later said, “I cannot imagine the audacity of this gentleman to come and worship with us like he did one Sunday morning before he stole the property.”³ When investigators questioned him, Foster claimed his nonprofit had the right to take over the property of other nonprofits, saying, “It wasn’t Whitney buying it. Our church was getting it.”⁴

Some of the fraudulent filings predated 2017.² The scheme first surfaced in 2019, when First Christian Church of Lancaster noticed unauthorized changes to its property records and contacted Lancaster police, who referred the matter to the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.

What Happened to the Three Churches

The three congregations have ended up in very different places. First Christian Church of Lancaster, whose building was valued at roughly $700,000, recovered its property after a judge signed an order in February 2021 reinstating the church as the rightful owner. The congregation spent years and significant money sorting out the paperwork and legal fees.³ As Rev. Bitting put it: “You have to spend the money. You have to secure a lawyer. You have to take off time to go get the paperwork.”⁴

The other two did not get their buildings back. As of mid-2024, both the Canada Drive Christian Church and Church at Nineveh properties remained titled under Foster’s name or that of True Foundation Non-Denominational Church.¹ Assistant District Attorney Phillip Clark said the Canada Drive congregation was “completely booted out of their church building,” and Foster’s own congregation was still meeting at that property after the conviction.⁴ No court-ordered restitution was reported.

The Charges, Trial, and Sentence

A Dallas County grand jury indicted Foster on felony theft charges in April 2021.³ On May 20, 2024, a jury convicted him of theft of property valued at more than $300,000.⁵ Four days later, the jury returned a 35-year prison sentence and an $8,000 fine.⁴

During the punishment phase, prosecutors introduced evidence of seven additional fraudulent deeds with similar hallmarks, pointing to a pattern that may have reached as many as ten properties in all.² The case was prosecuted by ADA Phillip Clark, who specializes in deed fraud.⁶ Foster has filed notice of intent to appeal.⁵

Foster’s Prior Record

Foster already had a criminal history before founding True Foundation Non-Denominational Church. One account described his prior convictions as identity theft and arson;¹ another described them as fraud and arson.³ When or where those earlier convictions occurred was not reported. His congregation at the time of the deed fraud was small and had no building of its own before he began acquiring stolen properties.

Texas’s Response to Deed Fraud

The case highlighted how easily a forged deed can be recorded with a county clerk, allowing the filer to seize at least temporary control of someone else’s property. In response, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 16, which created new offenses of real property theft and real property fraud under the Penal Code.⁷ Stealing property worth $300,000 or more by fraudulent deed is a first-degree felony under the law, with enhanced penalties when the victim is elderly, disabled, or a nonprofit. The statute of limitations for deed fraud was extended from five years to ten, and starting January 1, 2026, county clerks must check photo ID from anyone filing property conveyance documents in person.⁸ Courts are now required to order restitution to the rightful owner, including attorney’s fees and repair costs, unless the defendant records a quitclaim deed returning the property and files proof with the court.

Dallas County property owners can sign up for the District Attorney’s deed fraud alert service, which notifies them when documents are filed against their property.⁶

1
NBC DFW. Dallas Pastor Sentenced for Stealing Church Properties
2
FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Dallas Pastor Whitney Foster Sentenced
3
MinistryWatch. Historic Church Regains Building From Deed Fraud
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MinistryWatch. Pastor Sentenced to 35 Years for Fraud Scheme in Stealing Church Deed
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Dallas Morning News. North Texas Pastor Convicted of Stealing Real Estate From Churches Sentenced to 35 Years
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Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. Whitney Foster Deed Fraud Press Release
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Texas Legislature. S.B. 16 Bill Analysis
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Texas Legislature. S.B. 16 House Bill Analysis