KETCHUM church allegedly defrauded by pastor

KETCHUM, Okla. (AP) _ The pastor of a nondenominational church near Grand Lake in northeast Oklahoma has been charged with embezzling up to $75,000 from the congregation. <br><br>More charges are likely

Thursday, August 23rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

KETCHUM, Okla. (AP) _ The pastor of a nondenominational church near Grand Lake in northeast Oklahoma has been charged with embezzling up to $75,000 from the congregation.

More charges are likely against Fred Thomas Simpkins, 37, according to Undersheriff Rick White of Delaware County.

Simpkins, pastor of Church on the Lake, is charged with embezzlement by a trustee. He is free on $10,000 bail. White said the alleged check-writing spree stretches into several other Oklahoma counties and at least two other states.

``He's got things in Tulsa and Kansas and Missouri and they're still putting things together,'' White said.