Sparta woman nets charges in alleged fundraising scam

A Sparta woman was arrested Monday on 13 charges of obtaining property by false pretenses after allegedly utilizing a fundraising scam to raise money for her own personal use, according to warrants filed by Det. Lt. Wayne Crouse of the Sparta Police Department.

According to warrants, Patricia Nicholson Edwards, 48, of N.C. 18 South near Whitehead, took up funds for the food bank, a charitable organization, and then kept the money for her own use.

Several warrants identify the 'charity' Edwards said she was raising money for as "Food Bank, GM Circle," while others list "GM Circle/FBC," "GM Circle," "GM Circle/First Baptist Church," "Sparta Baptist Church Food Closet," "GM Circle/PNE" and "First Baptist Church Food Closet."

Edwards was arrested on Oct. 21 (Monday) and was later released under a $5,000 bond. Her first appearance in court has been set for Nov. 5. Crouse said that Edwards told those she solicited for funds that they were going to be donated to the First Baptist Church, located on Main Street in Sparta.

"She claimed that she was collecting donations for the food bank housed at the First Baptist Church in Sparta," said Crouse. "The investigation revealed that there was no donation drive underway by First Baptist Church.

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