The Cleric was said to be reaching his subscribers on some social media platforms to market his spurious grant from Ford Foundation.
The General Overseer of Faith On the Rock Ministry International Church in Ebonyi State, Apostle Theophilus Oloche, has been arrested for allegedly defrauding church members and other Nigerians.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) accused him of defrauding his victims, comprising non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals over N1.3 billion as registration fees for grants from the Ford Foundation.
This is contained in a statement by EFCC spokesperson in Ebonyi, Dele Oyewale, noting that the Cleric had advertised an intervention project through his NGO (Theobarth Global Foundation), claiming that the Ford Foundation was offering a grant of $20,000,000.000 to assist the less-privileged in the society.
The Cleric was said to be reaching his subscribers on some social media platforms to market his spurious grant from Ford Foundation.
The Ebonyi Pastor allegedly beguiled his victims to subscribe as beneficiaries of the phony grant by asking them to pay for registration forms and clusters.
But the anti-graft agency said its investigations showed that Ford Foundation had no arrangement, grant, relationship or business with Oloche.
“He allegedly beguiled his victims to subscribe as beneficiaries of the phoney grant by asking them to pay for registration forms and clusters.
“Each subscriber was made to pay N1,800,000 (One Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira only). Through this arrangement, Oloche allegedly raked in N1,391,040,274.31. His subscribers are innocent and unsuspecting Nigerians and NGOs across the country,” EFCC said in the statement issued by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale.
“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.”
“Oloche is still reportedly reaching his subscribers on some social media platforms to market his spurious grant from Ford Foundation,” EFCC added.
The anti-graft agency said the cleric would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.