Wayne Evans
Wayne Evans, a member of a Branham-connected family network through his father Welch Evans and his marriage to Madelyn Wheeler Evans, became central to a major financial scandal involving Voice of God Recordings, the organization that distributes William Branham's sermons and transcripts. Federal allegations stated that Evans secretly controlled Huntington Construction and diverted approximately $1.597 million from the Tohono O'odham Nation, with the funds allegedly used in connection with Voice of God Recordings, which had already been named in a racketeering suit before settling for $820,000. Evans later pleaded guilty to embezzling $1.6 million and filing a false income tax return, while his wife Madelyn fought questioning related to his actions in a matter that reached the United States Supreme Court, further tying the Evans family and Voice of God Recordings to one of the most significant financial controversies in the Branham "Message" movement.
Wayne Evans is the brother of Ronald Evans, son of Welch Evans, a close friend, and supporter[1] of William Branham. In 2001, Evans was indicted for embezzling funds[2] from the O'odham Indian Nation to fund Voice of God Recordings, which distributes William Branham's sermons and transcripts. Evans, Voice of God Recordings, and others were the target of a racketeering suit filed in 1997. Voice of God Recordings settled out of the suit. Voice of God Recordings, also named defendant of the suit, decided to settle for $820,000
The first count of the indictment alleged, in part, that beginning on or about December, 1994, and continuing through on or about September, 1997, in the District of Arizona, Wayne C. Evans, did embezzle, steal, knowingly convert to his use or the use of another, and did willfully misapply and permit to be misapplied, approximately $1.597 million of the moneys, funds, credits, goods, assets and other property belonging to or intrusted to the custody or care of the Tohono - 6 - O’odham Indian Nation, by causing those funds to be paid to himself through use of Huntington Construction, an entity which he secretly and covertly controlled.
Wayne's wife Madelyn, is the daughter of Carl Wheeler, one of William Branham's close associates and deacons. Madelyn was also named in the suit, filed a motion to avoid being questioned individually about the actions of Wayne. The matter went all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States.[3] Evans pleaded guilty to embezzling $1.6 million and filing a false income tax return in October 2011.[4]
Wayne Evans was named in the Intent to Sue documentation prepared by Gerald Lee Walker and Sarah Branham.