The General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry International, Apostle Theophilus Oloche Ebonyi, has been arrested for defrauding his church members and other Nigerians to the tune of N1. 3 billion.
According to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ebonyi used fake grants from the Ford Foundation to defrauded his victims.
EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, February 5.
“Ebonyi was arrested for defrauding his victims, comprising NGOs and individuals by advertising an intervention project through his NGO (Theobarth Global Foundation) claiming that the Ford Foundation was offering a grant of $20,000, 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 only. Through this arrangement, Ebonyi allegedly raked in N1,391,040, 274.31. His subscribers are innocent and unsuspecting Nigerians and NGOs across the country.
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. The Commission has 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.
He would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded,” the statement reads.