Reproduced below is the text of an article that appeared in the February 27, 2001 issue of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. It mentioned Donald H. Tiger's indictment and his reason for using aliases.

By STEPHEN HUDAK
PLAIN DEALER REPORTER

MEDINA - A former church accountant accused of forgery claimed he created multiple identities to protect himself and his family from zealots who differed with him theologically.

He said they tossed dead cats, squirrels and other animals at his apartment.

But Medina County prosecutors say Donald Tiger portrayed himself as Walter Noble, Richard Russell and Gregory Walburn because it could help him hide money and defraud others.

Tiger, 41, could be sentenced to a year in prison and lose his accounting license if he is convicted of using three phony driver’s licenses to open bank accounts and rent storage lockers.

Because of sharp differences with his lawyer, Kirk Migdal, Tiger represented himself yesterday after Medina County Common Pleas Judge Christopher J. Collier declined to delay the trial.

The judge ordered Migdal to sit beside Tiger to provide advice and assistance.

In opening remarks to jurors, Tiger said he was accountant, treasurer and trustee of the Restored Church of God until June, when church leaders falsely accused him of embezzling.

The church has its headquarters in Wadsworth and is based on strict interpretation of the teachings of the late Herbert W. Armstrong, a radio preacher and founder of the Worldwide Church of God.

Tiger described himself as a husband, father of two and a church deacon with degrees in engineering and accounting who made a big mistake accepting a job with the fledgling church.

He said he obtained fake licenses, phony birth certificates and other documents to hide from members of the Worldwide Church of God who stalked him after he split from them theologically.

Wadsworth police discovered the doctored papers last year when they searched Tiger’s home and storage lockers after church officials complained he had made a mess of financial records.

Church money and checks were never accounted for, but Tiger was never charged with embezzling because police could not prove he took anything. Assistant Prosecutor Scott Salisbury said Tiger was indicted for forgery because he intended to use his phony IDs for fraud.

Bank officials testified yesterday they would have challenged more than 100 financial transactions in the name of Gregory Walburn - one of Tiger’s aliases - if they knew he did not exist.

Salisbury said Tiger may have used phony names to hide his accounts and to work as an accountant in Ohio while he still collected unemployment compensation from Illinois.