CANTON ‒ A Stark County man and his nonprofit organization have been indicted, accused of stealing approximately $375,000 in charitable donations over three years, Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said in a press release.
Jamar Fleming, 41, and Agape Ministries, a nonprofit he founded in Canton, both face felony charges of aggravated theft and telecommunications fraud in Stark County Common Pleas Court.
According to the indictment, from June 2022 through May 2025, Fleming diverted donated funds for personal use while serving as the organization’s CEO and pastor. The nonprofit operates mentorship programs for at-risk youth in Canton.
Fleming also faces charges of failing to file income tax returns for 2022, 2024 and 2025, as well as filing incomplete, false and fraudulent returns for 2023.
The Attorney General’s Charitable Law Section conducted the investigation and was appointed by the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute the case.
The Repository called and texted a telephone number associated with Fleming on the morning of June 18, offering the opportunity for him to comment. A voicemail message said the mailbox was full and no message could be left. No immediate reply was received to the text.
Indictments are criminal allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless proved guilty in a court.
Fleming was an unsuccessful candidate for an at-large seat on Canton City Council in 2021. At the time, he was a pastor at Agape Ministries and CEO of the nonprofit mentoring organization Men of Tomorrow. He served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and studied business at Palomar College in California before transferring to Malone University for theology.
Originally from South Carolina, Fleming was a Ward 9 resident at the time of his candidacy. He was involved with housing projects as a board member of Crossroads United Methodist Church, served as a mentor for the Stark County Community Initiative to Reduce Violence, acted as a liaison between protesters and the Canton Police Department in 2020, and had previously worked with the Stark Social Workers’ Network.
Ohioans who suspect a charitable organization of fraud or misuse of funds can file a complaint at charitable.ohioago.gov or by calling 800-282-0515.
(This breaking news story will be updated as more information becomes available.)
Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Canton nonprofit leader and Agape Ministries accused of theft
Reporting by Nancy Molnar, Canton Repository / The Repository
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By Nancy Molnar, Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
