[no-dr-onboard]

The shell company scenario certainly is bad, although it's not inherently limited to religious orgs. We see this a lot with the broad definition used for 501c3's. The dog I just picked up from the breeder has her business as a 501c3 because they occasionally contract with a veterans org to supply service dogs. 75%+ of her dogs don't fit that criteria and are just pets.

Another thing to note is that religious orgs, by-in-large, run off donations through tithes and offerings. I know we're all thinking of the O'Steens, TD Jakes and the other charlatans on TBN. The types that charter private planes, and have subsidiaries.

Truthfully, they're really the minority when we consider that they fall under the same umbrella as the countless sub-100 person congregations like 1st Baptist on MLK Jr Blvd in lower San Fransisco or Iglesia de Christo on San Mateo Blvd in Albuquerque.