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Police: Man Running Christian Charity Lies About Burglaries

Detectives Also Skeptical Of Shooting Story

POSTED: Monday, January 7, 2008

A man who once claimed a bible in his chest pocket saved him from a robber's bullet is in legal trouble himself after police say he lied about several burglaries to a Christian charity program he runs.

Bill Henry, who owns America's Heart -- an organization that ships Medical Supplies to third-world countries -- was arrested Monday morning on a charge of falsified police reports.

The arrest occurred as Channel 4 was back at America's Heart talking to Henry about his latest mission -- shipping medical supplies to Afghanistan.

"It's a passion to help people who are legitimate," Henry said.

Later in the day, police questioned the legitimacy of Henry's claims.

"He's staged several burglaries and perhaps even a shooting to sway public opinion in his favor," said Lt. Michelle Cook of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office intelligence unit.

Henry said two men shot at him during a robbery in November 2006. He said one bullet whizzed by his head and a second struck and lodged in a Gideon bible in his breast pocket.

"Apparently somebody does not love me very much," Henry told Channel 4 in late 2006.

Cook said investigators have been looking into Henry's claims for several years and they now believe Henry staged multiple burglaries because he and other tenants at the warehouse were in court, each trying to get control of the building.

Police claim Henry had a friend of his take goods from the warehouse and sell them in Miami to make it look like a robbery.

"There is a lot of money involved in this warehouse deal," Cook told the local station's Jim Piggott. "He wanted the warehouse."

The arrest report said it appears Henry was attempting to falsely accuse others associated with the building of committing criminal acts in an effort to obtain an advantage in his civil dispute.

"The investigation revealed Bill Henry orchestrated the events before the alleged theft of the medical equipment," the arrest report says.

Others involved with Henry's not-for-profit group who were at the warehouse on Monday said they were aware of Henry's arrest, but not of the events surrounding it.

Dr. Asadulah Majaddi said he was surprised by Henry's arrest and he stands behind him.

"I have all the confidence in the world to him," Majaddi said. "He is a most legitimate individual. He has a passion to help needy all over the world. He is there to help."

Late Monday, Henry was still being held on $50,000 bond.

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