Elizabeth O.
General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry Apprehended for Fraudulent Grant Scheme
His arrest stems from allegations of defrauding church members and other individuals in Nigeria, amounting to a substantial sum of N1,319,040,274.31 (One Billion Three Hundred and Nineteen Million, Forty Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy Four Naira, Thirty One Kobo) through the use of counterfeit grants falsely attributed to the Ford Foundation.
According to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, in a statement released on Monday, February 5, 2024, Ebonyi was arrested for deceiving his victims, including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and individuals, by promoting an intervention project through his NGO, Theobarth Global Foundation. He claimed that the Ford Foundation was providing a grant of $20,000,000 (Twenty Billion United States Dollars) to support the less-privileged in society.
Also to entice his victims into becoming beneficiaries of the fraudulent grant, Ebonyi allegedly convinced them to pay for registration forms and clusters. Each subscriber was required to pay N1,800,000 (One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) only.
Through this scheme, Ebonyi purportedly amassed a total of N1,391,040,274.31. His victims consisted of unsuspecting Nigerians and NGOs across the country.
EFCC investigations revealed that there was no arrangement, grant, relationship, or business association between Ebonyi and the Ford Foundation.
The foundation explicitly disclaimed any connection to Ebonyi and his NGO, emphasizing their lack of involvement. Additionally, the Commission has identified five properties acquired by Ebonyi as proceeds from his illicit activities.
Additionally, Ebonyi continues to contact his subscribers through various social media platforms to promote his fictitious grant from the Ford Foundation.
However, once the investigations are concluded, Ebonyi will face charges in court for his alleged crimes.
