A Georgia man posing as a missionary is accused of “misdirecting” approximately $30m from Christian donors who believed they were buying Bibles for their Chinese brethren, according to prosecutors.

Jason Gerald Shenk allegedly used $1m from the scam to gamble in an online casino, buy diamonds, gold, and to pay the company running his family’s farm, according to NBC News.

Mr Shenk, 45, raised the money from churches, charities, and individuals in Ohio and North Carolina. The donors were reportedly told the money would be used to purchase Bibles and other religious literature for ministries in China.