Alleged church scammer nabbed by police

CEDAR RAPIDS - A man is accused of deceiving people and churches out of thousands of dollars.

According to the Linn County Attorney's Office, Alan M. Farha, 41, told several people and churches that his family was killed in Syria and he needed money for expenses related to their deaths. That story was false, authorities said.

No address was given for Farha.

The Cedar Rapids Police Department warned churches about the scam last week before Farha's arrest. In a news release, police said an individual had been attending area church services of various religious denominations and asking members to help him pay for plane tickets and luggage fees in order to fly to the Middle East where his parents had been killed in a roadside bombing.

Farha is suspected of having committed similar acts throughout the country, the police department said.

The Linn County Attorney's Office said Farha's criminal behavior began in Linn County in mid-April and continued until earlier this week. He has been arrested and faces one count of second-degree theft.

l Comments: (319) 398-8238; lee.hermiston@thegazette.com