A federal judge said it was a "troubling" case while upholding a plea agreement focused on restitution. Former Bishop Staccato Powell, 65, pocketed more than $14 million in loans obtained by fraudulently mortgaging church properties. White said that although paying such restitution would not be possible for most defendants, Powell’s situation is different. Shortly after being elected bishop in 2016, Powell formed a business entity called Western Episcopal District, Inc. of which he was the CEO. AME Zion Church traces its history to 1796 and has about 1.4 million members worldwide.