Yep, I believe a similar thing happened here in the St Louis area recently.

As with many churches this is nothing but a social club and the president of the club got too greedy. It happens amongst social groups that hold certain values in common such as expensive jewelry. Other values might include, but are not limited to, snake handling, baby boy cock suckling, having multiple wives, having a nice car, I could go on and on. They do all have one common value, comfort. They are all comfortable with whatever BS they believe in.