Recent revelations shed light on the purported illicit activities of Apostle Theophilus Oloche Ebonyi, the General Overseer of Faith On The Rock Ministry International, who was apprehended by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Investigations indicate that Ebonyi procured various assets, including a 23-room hotel, a pure water factory, two blocks of a Primary School, two bungalow offices in Nyanya-Gwandara, New Karu, Abuja, and a five-bedroom duplex in Karsana, Abuja, utilizing funds obtained through fraudulent means from his subscribers. Additionally, he established a live broadcast channel equipped with studio facilities for his Theobarth Global Foundation, financed by contributions from his subscribers.
In 2023, Ebonyi was detained by the EFCC for allegedly swindling his congregation and other Nigerians with counterfeit grants purportedly from the Ford Foundation, amounting to N1,319,040,274.31 (One Billion Three Hundred and Nineteen Million, Forty Thousand, Two Hundred and Seventy-Four Naira, Thirty-One Kobo).
Specifically, he stands accused of deceiving victims, including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and individuals, by promoting an intervention initiative through his NGO (Theobarth Global Foundation), falsely asserting that the Ford Foundation was providing a $20,000,000 (Twenty Billion United States Dollars) grant to aid the underprivileged in society.
Under this guise, he persuaded individuals to enroll as beneficiaries of the fictitious grant by charging fees for registration forms and clusters, each subscriber paying N1,800,000 (One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira only). Through this scheme, Ebonyi purportedly amassed N1,391,040,274.31. His victims encompass innocent and unsuspecting Nigerians and NGOs nationwide.
EFCC investigations revealed that there was no affiliation, grant, partnership, or transaction between Ebonyi and the Ford Foundation. The Foundation explicitly disavowed any association with him or his NGO, affirming no connection whatsoever. The Commission has also traced five properties acquired by Ebonyi as proceeds from his illicit activities.
Reportedly, Ebonyi continues to engage with his subscribers through various social media platforms, promoting his fabricated Ford Foundation grant.
