SAN BERNARDINO – (INT) – Terrance Owens Elliott, former San Bernardino City Council candidate and church pastor, is under federal indictment for committing several con jobs targeting long-time friends and a nonprofit corporation.

Elliott was arrested Thursday (March 6th). The indictment by a federal grand jury in Riverside was announced Friday.

Elliott claimed to have worked in San Bernardino city government and being involved with the police department as a chaplain. The indictment claims he defrauded several long-time friends out of approximately $150,263.

Later in a separate scheme, Elliott advised the victim on selling a house falsely claiming it would help to avoid having to pay a capital gains tax from the house’s sale.

Elliott used his relationships with a church and its board of directors to help manage the church’s litigation expenses and other costs involving a different church. He reportedly is a preacher with the Ship of Zion.

Elliott ran for City Council in 2022 to represent Ward 2 but lost in the primary.

Elliott, 60, residing in Crestline, is facing 11 charges claiming his victims lost more than 230-thousand dollars, the Justice Department said.

Story Date: March 14, 2025