STATEMENT FROM PASTOR JOHN V. SLYE, JR. GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH

"A Case of Misidentification"

May 29, 2008 (Arlington, VA) Recently the news media reported a financial scam in California that involved a company called Safevest, L.L.C. and someone claiming to be a Pastor living in Arlington, Virginia. This person's name is John V. Slye, Sr. and he is my father. He is not, and has never been, a Pastor at Grace Community Church. When news reporters went looking for a John Slye, they found me instead. Unfortunately, rather than checking to see if they had the correct John Slye, many of them assumed I was the person they were looking for and named me and Grace Community Church in their articles and broadcasts.

I, John V. Slye, Jr., and Grace Community Church, have nothing to do with the scandal or the dealings of Safevest, L.L.C. in any manner whatsoever. I have not been named, contacted, or questioned by any of the legal authorities involved, or the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. I have been working diligently in correcting this case of misidentification, and printed as well as broadcast news media have made public retractions and apologies about their mistake. On behalf of The Slye family we are very sorry for the pain that this scandal has caused those who have been victims of it.

The irony of this sad situation is that Grace Community Church is the furthest thing from a scam. We are open and honest about our financial dealings. We have regular audits; never take up an offering or ask people to contribute anything financially to the church; none of the Pastors at Grace know what anyone gives; and we focus our energy on how the church can give money away to those in need.

In conclusion, the recent news attention has been a very painful experience not only for my family, but for the church, staff and Board at Grace. We hope that this statement will help to clear up any confusion about this matter. I am available to answer any questions members of the community or the press may have.

John V. Slye, Jr.
Pastor
Grace Community Church

Click here to watch USA Channel 9's report, clearing up the confusion in this story
Click here for a transcript of the Channel 9 report