P.T. Barnum was right.

Have you heard about the latest preacher scam? Franklin Frisby says God has entrusted him with hundreds of billions of dollars (it's all in a Swiss bank somewhere). He's going to distribute that money ($50 million each) to people who pay him dues. Some suckers have been doing that for five years or more. How many do you think have received their $50 million?

Frisby says he knows the money is good. He knows "a guy who works for the FBI who knows the CIA, and he knows the banking business." He confirms everything is real. But Frisby didn't tell us his FBI guy's name. See, it hasn't been distributed yet because it's coming from the "international foundation department" of the U.N. And you know what that U.N. red tape is like. The thing is, the U.N. doesn't have an international foundation department.

Well, you see, according to Ingrid Jeffrey who is a consultant for Frisby, this money was "accumulated by governments in World War II." She says she's well-qualified to authenticate all this -- she has a 164 IQ and a Ph.D. in finance from California State University at Fullerton. The thing is, Cal State at Fullerton doesn't offer a Ph.D. in finance. And they never heard of her.

Tamara Guy is a spokesman for Frisby in North Texas. She says the FBI, the CIA, and everybody else has checked Frisby out and he's OK. And what's her source for this information? Frisby, himself.

Yes, folks, this man has grown rich by taking P. T. Barnum at his word.

"Pastor's Pitch: pay dues, reap millions." The Dallas Morning News; January 31, 2010; p. 1A.