Donations entrusted to one of Greenwood’s most treasured institutions helped finance its pastor’s gambling, personal expenses and gun purchases. Now, Historic Vernon AME Church is confronting a financial betrayal with consequences for a congregation carrying more than a century of Black history.
Former senior pastor Keith Rydell Mayes Sr., 63, pleaded guilty September 14 to federal bank fraud and tax evasion. Prosecutors say he embezzled more than $504,000 between March 2022 and November 2025.
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Church leadership says Mayes controlled those financial activities without its knowledge or authorization. Vernon remains operational under new pastoral leadership and has reviewed its financial practices. Rebuilding donors’ confidence becomes another responsibility for a church whose surviving structure holds an irreplaceable connection to Greenwood.
The neighborhood known as “Black Wall Street” was devastated in 1921. In its 2025 findings, the Justice Department described the massacre as a “coordinated, military-style attack” on Greenwood.
Survivors spent their final years demanding accountability. Hughes Van Ellis died in 2023 at 102. Viola Ford Fletcher, known as “Mother Fletcher,” died November 24, 2025, at 111, leaving Lessie Benningfield Randle as the last known living survivor.
Mayes oversaw church finances after taking the pulpit in October 2021. He opened an account under his sole control, using his home address, and directed donations into it. One donor contributed $365,000 in stock transfers. According to court documents, Mayes liquidated the stock and diverted most of the proceeds for personal use.
His plea agreement includes repayment and forfeiture of firearms and ammunition purchased with stolen funds. He also failed to report the illegal income, leaving more than $205,000 in unpaid federal taxes. Sentencing remains pending.
Their reparations lawsuit was dismissed in 2024. Tulsa subsequently announced a private trust initiative targeting $105 million for community repair, including housing and revitalization. For Vernon, recovering stolen resources and strengthening oversight are immediate parts of protecting the institution future generations will inherit.