Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), say they have arrested the General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry International, Apostle Theophilus Oloche Ebonyi, allegedly for defrauding church members and other Nigerians to the tune of N1,319,040,274.31 by by claiming to have grants from the Ford Foundation, a claim he knew to be fake.
Ebonyi was arrested allegedly for defrauding his victims, comprising Non Governmental Organisations and individuals by advertising an alleged intervention project through his NGO (Theobarth Global Foundation) and claiming that the Ford Foundation was offering a grant of $20,000,000 to assist the less-privileged in the society.
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 N1,800,000, and through this arrangement, Ebonyi allegedly raked in N1,391,040,274.31.
“His subscribers were innocent and unsuspecting Nigerians and NGOs across the country,” EFCC said.
However, investigations by the EFCC showed that the 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,” the Commission reported.
The EFCC said it had also traced five properties acquired by the suspects as proceeds of his alleged crime.
“He would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” EFCC stated.
