Minister’s Alleged Mistress Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion
The alleged mistress of the Rev. Henry Lyons has pleaded guilty to two federal tax evasion charges for her part in a scheme to swindle companies doing business with the National Baptist Convention USA.
Bernice Edwards, acquitted last month of state racketeering charges, agreed Thursday to pay $200,000 in back taxes on $500,000 of unreported income.
She faces up to 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine at sentencing, which had yet to be scheduled.
Prosecutors said Lyons, the president of the influential church, and Edwards diverted money from companies into secret bank accounts, using the cash to buy expensive homes, cars and jewelry.
During trial testimony, Edwards, 42, said she earned the money in her job as public relations director for the black church organization but said she couldn’t recall reporting hundreds of thousands of dollars as earnings to the Internal Revenue Service.
Lyons, 57, was convicted last month of state racketeering and grand theft charges. Last week he pleaded guilty to federal tax evasion and fraud charges and resigned his position with the convention.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
