'We all have agreed to pray for her': Citrus County lead pastor says ex-wife misused church funds
Share this @internewscast.com

CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — The senior pastor of Gulf to Lake Church revealed that his former wife was arrested last week for allegedly misappropriating church funds over a span of more than seven to eight years.

As per the records from the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office, 74-year-old Nancy Bertine was apprehended on July 24 under a warrant for orchestrating a plan to defraud $50,000 or more, alongside grand theft of $100,000 or more, or the deployment of a semitrailer by a law enforcement officer.

“She had inappropriately used a church credit card for a significant amount, which had been under investigation,” stated Lloyd Bertine, the senior lead pastor of Gulf to Lake Church.

Bertine spoke with News Channel 8 over the phone Sunday and said he’d been married to Nancy until they divorced in January. He added that he did not know she had been misusing funds for nearly a decade.

“What happened was falsifying the records of what was being purchased and that’s why we never knew,” Bertine said.

Bertine said congregation leaders found out about what had occurred around Feb. 1, which launched an investigation from local law enforcement and the subpoenaing of records from Amazon.

The church hosts two services each Sunday, at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and offers livestreams as well.

Bertine told News Channel 8 a trustee of the church told the congregation the news on Sunday. However, only those who attended the service in person received the details, as those controlling the livestream were told to turn off the stream for the announcement.

“It was just to inform the congregation of what we found that Nancy had done, what we had done about it, and contacting law enforcement,” Bertine explained. “We all have agreed to pray for her and pray that something will be learned.”

Bertine said Nancy has given written notice that she will repay the funds and has money in her account to do so.

“She has the money from selling our house that she can use to repay everything.”

News Channel 8 did ask follow-up questions for Bertine and congregation leaders, such as how exactly they found out about Nancy’s alleged misuse and how much money in total was spent, and is awaiting a response.

News Channel 8 also reached out to the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office for additional information and is also waiting for a response from them.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Passengers Evacuate Plane via Emergency Slide Due to Smoking Jet, Suspected Landing Gear Issue at Denver Airport

Passengers evacuated a smoking aircraft at Denver International Airport using an emergency…

Tilton Unites to Remember Local Resident Lost in Hit-and-Run Incident

TILTON, Ill. (WCIA) — A Vermilion County village rallied together for a…

Video: Crowd seems to apprehend and restrain suspect in Michigan Walmart stabbing incident

(NEXSTAR) Dramatic video shows the moment a group of bystanders confronted an…

US and EU Reach Agreement on 15% Trade Tariffs

(The Hill) President Donald Trump and President of the European Commission Ursula…

Is Chicago’s Strategy to Curb Smoking on Trains Too Lenient?

() Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says he wants to do something about…

US and EU Reach Agreement on 15 Percent Tariffs in New Trade Deal

(The Hill) — A trade deal was announced on Sunday by President…

Rishabh Pant sidelined from India’s fifth test match against England due to injury

MANCHESTER – India’s Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the final…

Israeli Strikes in Gaza Result in at Least 34 Fatalities, According to Officials, Amid Partial Easing of Aid Restrictions

DEIR EL-BALAH – At least 34 Palestinians lost their lives in Israeli…

US and EU Agree on Trade Deal Enforcing 15 Percent Tariffs

(The Hill) — On Sunday, President Donald Trump and Ursula von der…

CK Hutchison from Hong Kong Looks for Chinese Investor for Panama Ports Partnership

HONG KONG – A conglomerate based in Hong Kong, which is in…

Press Conference Highlights — July 27, 2025

KRISTEN WELKER: This Sunday: Mounting pressure. REP. HAKEEM JEFFRIES: What are they…

Watch: Suspect Detained by Group After Michigan Walmart Stabbing

(NEXSTAR) — Intense footage captures the moment when a group of bystanders…