EFCC Arrests Pastor over N1.3bn Fake Grants, Money Laundering

•Says Ford Foundation debunked his false claims of $20bn grant

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arrested the General Overseer of Faith on the Rock Ministry International, Apostle Theophilus Oloche Ebonyi, for defrauding church members and other Nigerians, claiming fake grants from the Ford Foundation  to the tune of N1,319,040,274.31.

Ebonyi  was arrested for defrauding his victims, comprising Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and individuals by advertising an intervention project through his NGO, Theobarth Global Foundation, claiming that the Ford Foundation was offering a grant of $20 billion to assist the less-privileged in the society.

A statement issued by the Spokesman of EFCC, Dele Oyewale, said he allegedly beguiled his victims to subscribe as beneficiaries of the phony grant by asking them to pay for registration forms and clusters.

“Each subscriber was made to pay N1.8 million and through this arrangement,  Ebonyi allegedly raked in N1,391,040, 274.31.  His subscribers are innocent and unsuspecting Nigerians and NGOs across the country,” it said.

Investigations by the EFCC showed that Ford Foundation had no arrangement, grant,  relationship or business with Ebonyi. 

“The Foundation pointedly disclaimed him and his NGO,stressing that it had no link whatsoever with them,” it said.  The statement said the commission had also traced five properties he acquired as proceeds of his criminal dealings.

“Ebonyi is still reportedly reaching his subscribers on some social media platforms to market his spurious grant from Ford Foundation,” the EFCC said.

He would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded, the anti-graft agency said.