Attorney General Keith Ellison (D-Minn.)
MINNEAPOLIS (KFGO/WCCO) – A husband and wife that purchased a troubled north Minneapolis gas station are being sued by Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Bishop Larry Cook and his wife Sharon are named in a lawsuit accusing them of misusing more than $2 million meant for a pair of non-profits they operate in Minneapolis.
Ellison’s office claims the Cooks used money meant for their dance studio and church to fund lavish lifestyles, luxury travel, and designer goods. He also accuses them of obstructing the investigation into the alleged crimes.
In 2023, the Real Believers Faith Center purchased Winner Gas Station on West Broadway, which is next to the church. The gas station is the focus of the alleged $1.3 million in misused funds.
The gas station had been plagued by crime and drug issues, which had been prominent in news stories during that time period.
Investigators say the gas station never was purchased by the church, and instead was purchased personally by Cook. He’s accused of using the church to pay for bills, and using the profits to fund this so-called luxury lifestyle. That money was meant for their two nonprofits.
There are no criminal charges filed, but there is a restraining order against them which freezes assets.
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