A longtime pastor at a church in Buffalo Grove is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he defrauded church members out of $2 million, which he claimed was going towards building rehab facilities.
Winston Batino, 55, of Chicago, was charged in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois with one count of fraud by wire, radio or television and one count of perjury.
A criminal information charging document said Batino conducted a fraudulent scheme beginning around February 2020 and continuing until around May 2025.
Batino fraudulently solicited, obtained and retained funds from victims, most of whom were members of Chicago Church of Christ, prosecutors said in documents.
Batino worked as a longtime pastor at the Chicago Church of Christ’s North Ministry Center in Buffalo Grove.
Prosecutors said Batino fraudulently represented to the victims that the funds would be used to invest in luxury rehabilitation facilities, which did not exist.
Batino carried out agreements with victims where he agreed to repay the entirety of their investments within a specified period of time, despite knowing he did not have the capability to make the payments, prosecutors said.
Batino assured the victims their funds would be invested for their benefit even though he knew he intended to use the funds for his own personal benefit, prosecutors said.
Batino used the funds to pay debts to other victims and for personal expenses, including gambling, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Batino intentionally misrepresented and omitted material facts to the investors about what he had done with their money in order to conceal his misappropriation.
At least 40 victims were defrauded out of at least $2 million as part of the scheme. The second count of perjury against Batino is due to his filing of false tax returns for 2021, court documents said.
The Eldership and Leadership of the Chicago Church of Christ said in a statement that “today marks a significant day” for those hurt by the actions of Batino, including many members of the church community.
Church officials said they first learned of Batino’s alleged misconduct in May 2025 and he has not been employed or part of the fellowship since that time.
His termination and disfellowship occurred immediately after the church became aware of his alleged scheme.
“While the path since discovering these actions has been deeply painful, the Church has remained fully committed to caring for those impacted and ensuring accountability. We strongly believe that to live as Christ is to live as people of the light. Guided by this principle from the very beginning, we have done everything within our power to bring all matters related to this case into the open,” the church leaders said in the statement.
Chicago Church of Christ commissioned an independent internal investigation by the law firm of Cheronis & Parente, led by former federal prosecutor Chris Parente.
Parente conducted an investigation into the fraud by interviewing numerous victims, congregational leadership and administrative staff, while reviewing the operations of the eldership and board of directors.
Parente’s investigative work concluded recently and his final report was submitted in late April 2026.
“This independent investigation corroborated the allegations of wrongdoing by Mr. Batino, detailing intentional steps he took to conceal his schemes from key church leaders. While we are grateful to report the investigation found that the Church was neither engaged in nor complicit in Mr. Batino’s actions, we remain deeply troubled and saddened by his breach of trust,” the church leaders said.
“In parallel with our internal review, we have actively and transparently cooperated with law enforcement over the past year. We welcome today’s arraignment as a critical milestone in the legal process as this case moves forward. Through the difficulty of this past year, our spiritual community has pulled together,” the leaders said.
“We continue to support the victims connected to this case and seek justice for the wrongs that have harmed so many. We will continue to pray for healing and cooperate fully with authorities throughout the legal proceedings,” they added.
Batino was arraigned on the charges during a court hearing on Monday in Chicago. He was released on an unsecured $10,000 bond, court records show.
A status hearing is scheduled for August 14.