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Federal prosecutors have sued the founder and several leaders Prayer House American Christian Churchaccusing the Georgia-based department of operating a decades-long, $22 million fraud program targeting U.S. military and veterans.
After prosecution, the FBI conducted a raid on Wednesday Augusta, GeorgiaThe church has arrested leaders on years of charges that the church acted like a cult and predated on military communities across the country.
FBI Atlanta Public affairs expert Jenna Sellitto confirmed to Fox News Digital that it carried out a raid in a house in Columbia County, Georgia and conducted authorized arrests related to a church investigation.
Selitoto said she could not immediately release the detainee.
Hopcc leaders and prayer church assembly split in Augusta, Georgia. (Google Maps)
The allegations came in June 2022 when the FBI attacked at least three churches related to the Christian churches of Georgia and Texas Prayer House, which are located from Fort Gordon, Fort Stewart and Fort Hood.
Following the 2022 raid, the Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a motion for confiscation, nearly $150,000, claiming that the church and its Biblical Seminary swept hundreds of military personnel over $22 million.
The indictment filed a lawsuit Thursday in southern Georgia, accusing church founder Rony Denis and church leader Anthony Oloans, 54, Joseph Fryar, 51, Dennis Nostrand, 55, Gerard Robertson, 57, 57, 57, 57, 52, Veterans Affairs (VA) educational benefits and false tax returns.
Denis’ true identity is still unknown, but he obtained U.S. Citizenship According to the indictment, in 2002, it was accused of exercising strict control over members through intimidation, manipulation and compulsive obedience.
Church leaders allegedly collected more than $5.2 million in rental income from 2018 to 2020, according to the indictment. (iStock)
Leaders allegedly help manipulate by maintaining members’ personal information, controlling their financial status and planning divorces and property transfers.
Prosecutors date at least to 2004, accusing the church of carefully planned “straw buyer real estate purchases”, using the names of church members to obtain mortgages under false pretexts, and then transferring the properties to entities under its control.
According to the indictment, church leaders allegedly collected more than $5.2 million in rental income from 2018 to 2020, while allowing mortgage defaults.
Prosecutors also accused leaders of cheating VA by mistakenly proving students through the Bible Seminary affiliated by HOPCC.
The Prayer House Christian Church has a location near Fort Stewart, Georgia, which was also attacked by authorities in 2022. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum)
Funds aimed at educating veterans were transferred to church leaders and affiliated entities, the indictment said.
Among other crimes, Dennis allegedly filed false joint tax returns in 2018, 2019 and 2020, resulting in hundreds of thousands of fraudulent refund claims each year.
In a motion to designate the case as a complex, prosecutors claimed they reviewed more than 175 bank accounts, conducted dozens of witness interviews, conducted five search warrants in four states, and seized more than 100 electronic devices and 80 boxes of documents.
“The defendants are accused of enriching themselves using trusts, faith, and even the services of members of our country’s military,” said Paul Brown, an agent with the FBI Atlanta FBI. “This prosecution clearly shows that coercion, manipulation and fraud under the guise of religion will not render wrongful acts unaccountable.”
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According to court documents, the alleged fraud scheme has issued more than 200 grand jury subpoenas, which spans nearly two decades and involves 150 to 200 properties.
Denis is represented by attorney Steven Sadow, the chief attorney for President Donald Trump, Georgia Election disruption cases. Sador was unable to comment immediately.
The Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to Fox News’ requests for digital numbers to seek additional information about Dennis’ citizenship and identity.
