Suche
Georgia scandal: Church leader charged with long-standing fraud!
Eight church leaders in Georgia are on trial for a 21-year fraud scheme involving real estate and VA benefits.
Georgia scandal: Church leader charged with long-standing fraud!
Rony Denis, a prominent church leader, is in the public eye due to serious fraud charges. Together with seven other members of theHouse of Prayer Christian Churches of America(HOPCC) and theHouse of Prayer Bible Seminary(HOPBS), he is accused of being involved in a long-standing fraud scheme. This was approved by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Georgia is investigating allegations dating back to 2004.
The indictment lists several serious offenses. Denis and his co-conspirators are alleged to have organized a conspiracy to defraud financial institutions. To achieve this, they recruited members of their organization as so-called “straw buyers”. This tactic served to obscure the true buyers and the associated financial transactions.
Counterfeits and illegal transactions
As detailed in the indictments, the defendants forged loan applications and closing documents and used forged powers of attorney to obtain required approvals. They also set up several limited liability companies that enabled them to acquire properties and convert them into rental apartments.
These rental apartments proved to be lucrative. Between 2018 and 2020, the properties generated more than $5.2 million in rental income. In addition, between 2011 and 2022 there were also attempts to use the U.S. Defrauding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and military veterans by applying for religious exemptions.
Reporting the financial consequences
Through these fraudulent activities, HOPBS received over $3 million in educational benefits specifically for its Georgia locations, as well as a total of more than $23.5 million for all five locations. The diversion of these funds into the accounts of the seminaries and the associated church not only resulted in the enrichment of the defendants, but also had serious consequences for some veterans, who thereby exhausted their benefits without actually completing their programs.
The extensive reporting of these frauds demonstrates the complexity and scope of the illegal activities carried out by this group over a period of more than two decades. The legal action now taken against Rony Denis and his associates reflects the authorities' commitment to take decisive action in the fight against fraudulent practices. This approach could have far-reaching consequences for the churches affected and their members.