The Ultimate Betrayal: Former Pastor of Historic Tulsa Church Pleads Guilty to $500K Fraud
The former senior pastor of Tulsa’s Historic Vernon AME Church has just pleaded guilty to federal bank fraud and tax evasion charges after embezzling more than $504,000 in church funds. He now faces federal sentencing for defrauding the congregation that trusted him.
Surviving the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre was a testament to the resilience of Vernon AME Church. However, the historic institution now faces the painful aftermath of the ultimate betrayal.
In October 2021, Keith Rydell Mayes, Sr. was hired as senior pastor of Vernon African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Tulsa, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. His responsibilities included organizing church functions, overseeing church finances, and managing church donations and the disbursement of funds at the church that survived white rioters and rebuilt itself from the devastation of 1921.
It didn’t take long for Mayes, 63, to start diverting the church’s tithes and offerings to line his own pockets. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mayes’ ruse began when he opened a new bank account labeled “Administrative Expenses.” He was the only authorized user, and his personal home address was listed as the account’s mailing address.
That was where Mayes funneled voluntary donations from both trusting church members and charitable organizations. But his crimes didn’t stop there. A church donor and their financial advisor contacted Mayes regarding a stock donation to the church. Afterwards, Mayes opened a new brokerage account in the church’s name to receive the donation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said, receiving $365,000 in stock transfers from that donor in 2021 and 2022. He liquidated the donation and transferred it to the “Administrative Expenses” account.
Prosecutors say Mayes embezzled more than $504,000 from at least March 2022 through at least November 2025, News On 6 reported. The money he embezzled was used to fund his gambling addiction, purchase firearms, and pay for his personal expenses, per the Attorney’s Office.
The former senior pastor pleaded guilty to bank fraud and tax evasion, and took a plea deal requiring him to forfeit the firearms and ammunition purchased with the fraudulent funds. He must also repay $504,313.88 for his embezzlement activities, including $205,765.60 to the IRS after he failed to pay taxes on the stolen money, according to the plea agreement.
For a congregation with roots deeply planted in Black American resilience, the betrayal is a bitter blow to a legendary landmark. Founded in 1905, Vernon AME Church stands as a sacred cornerstone for Black America after white mobs burned 35 square blocks of the thriving Black Wall Street community during the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, killing upwards of 300 people.
During the brutal attack, raging white rioters destroyed Vernon’s original sanctuary. However, the church’s basement survived. At the time, Black residents found safety and refuge there as terror unfolded outside. In 1925, the church was rebuilt, and remains the only intact Black-owned structure still standing from the original Black Wall Street era.
Today, the man hired to protect that sacred ground finds himself facing up to 35 years in prison. Mayes is currently released on bond, and supervised by the United States Probation and Pretrial Service. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for a later date.
