Arrest made in alleged scam targeting Christians

Gillian Flaccus
Associated Press Writer
5/3/2008

SANTA ANA, Calif. - Federal authorities have arrested a man accused of running an investment scheme that netted more than $25 million by targeting Christian investors nationwide.

Jon G. Ervin, 61, of Mission Viejo, was arrested Friday on a charge of wire fraud. He later appeared in federal court, where he was ordered held on $1 million bail.

Ervin's public defender, Leon Peterson, didn't immediately return a call seeking comment.

Ervin was named Thursday in a criminal complaint filed in federal court. The same day, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission filed lawsuits against Ervin and his company, Safevest LLC, and obtained federal orders freezing their assets. the rest