Pastor and Wife Sentenced in Drug Money Laundering, Fraud

A South Florida minister and his wife were both sentenced to prison for their roles in a $7 million mortgage fraud and money laundering scheme that gained its power through drug trafficking funds.


Pastor Garry Souffrant and his wife Yvonne, both 33, were sentenced in Miami federal court to prison terms of 20 years and 4 ½ years respectively.

Last November, the pair was convicted of conspiring to defraud major banks through the purchase of 32 residential properties throughout several counties in Florida during the height of the real estate boom.

Garry Souffrant, father of three and former pastor of God First Ministries in Miami Gardens, was also found guilty of conspiring to launder drug money.

Souffrant's brother, Miami Fire Rescue Captain Gamaliel Souffrant, 44, was also charged with the crime but was later acquitted.

The couple assisted drug traffickers to purchase homes and luxury vehicles through their family real estate business, Progressive Real Estate of Broward, according to authorities.

The couple acted as straw buyers for the dealers, hiding the source of their funds to purchase the properties.

They also diverted mortgage loans to fund the scheme and their personal expenses.

Garry Souffrant was convicted, following a five-week long jury trial, of 46 counts, including conspiracy to commit mortgage fraud, conspiracy to commit drug money laundering, mail fraud, making false statements to mortgage lenders, bank fraud, bank theft, and receipt of stolen bank funds.

Yvonne was convicted of one count of fraud conspiracy and one count of making a false statement to mortgage lenders.

All of the properties purchased by the couple have been handed over to the lenders, which include Bank of America, Washington Mutual and Wachovia.