HUNTSVILLE, AL – Workers at a local radio station believe they’ve been scammed out of thousands of dollars by a so-called bishop in Virginia.
The man apparently owes thousands to people across that state and now he’s struck Huntsville. Bishop Kendrick Turner allegedly bought more than $3,000 worth of air time from Huntsville gospel station WDJL. The workers there say they never saw a dime.
WZDX News learned from our sister station in Virginia that this has been the story with Turner for more than a decade.
WDJL Owner Dorothy Sandifer claims Turner agreed to a three-year contract and two commercials with her radio station, but the payment never came.
“I just assumed that him being an apostle, a man of God, that he would keep his word because he’s supposed to be representing God,” Sandifer said.
After allegedly giving them the run-around promising payment, Turner blocked the station’s number. Being out more than $3,000 is a big hit to the small station.
“Seven days a week is a lot,” Sandifer said about Turner’s air time. “It’s a lot. Most people might buy a good contract for a year and it might be like coming on once a week. So yeah this was major. I was excited.”
“How many hours of work would you say you’ve put into all the contracts and everything?” asked WZDX News.
“I would say over 40 hours of work, just writing contracts, following up with him,” said WDJL Employee Tanique Fletcher. “It’s a major hit for the studio.”
According to Virginia court documents, Turner owes thousands of dollars in judgements to people who took him to court, including almost $14,000 in Virginia Beach alone.
WZDX News’ sister station in Portsmouth has reported multiple incidents similar to the gospel station’s. Sandifer plans on taking the same route with a lawyer, but says she’s still holding on to hope.
“I hope he will repent and confess and do what’s right and make it right with God and with the people that he has really hurt,” she said.
Turner could not be reached and did not respond to multiple attempts to contact him.
