Gospel for Asia sued for fraud.
Dr. Yohannan donated Rs. 1 crore towards Ganga cleanliness campaign
http://www.brnow.org/News/February-2016/Gospel-for-Asia-sued-for-fraud
February 18 2016 by William McCleery, WORLD News Service
http://www.narendramodi.in/dr-k-p-yohannan-metropolitan-bishop-believers-church-kerala-calls-on-pm-428298
http://www.christianpost.com/news/nrb-terminates-gospel-for-asias-membership-over-financial-accountability-issues-158590/
(PHOTOS: SCREEN GRAB VIA YOUTUBE; GFA)
(PHOTO: SCREEN GRAB VIA HH ARCHITECTS)
Dr. Yohannan donated Rs. 1 crore towards Ganga cleanliness campaign
http://www.brnow.org/News/February-2016/Gospel-for-Asia-sued-for-fraud
February 18 2016 by William McCleery, WORLD News Service
http://www.narendramodi.in/dr-k-p-yohannan-metropolitan-bishop-believers-church-kerala-calls-on-pm-428298
A Dallas-based law firm filed a class-action lawsuit Feb. 8 against Gospel for Asia Inc. (GFA), alleging the Texas-based international ministry has engaged in fraud and racketeering.
GFA has claimed that hundreds of millions it has received in donations have gone to help the poor and preach the gospel. The lawsuit, though, alleges that ministry leaders were “covertly diverting the money to a multi-million dollar personal empire.”
GFA has claimed that hundreds of millions it has received in donations have gone to help the poor and preach the gospel. The lawsuit, though, alleges that ministry leaders were “covertly diverting the money to a multi-million dollar personal empire.”
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Gospel for Asia officials did not immediately return phone calls and emails Feb. 9-10 requesting comment.
The lawsuit, filed by the Stanley Law Group on behalf of Matthew and Jennifer Dickson of Rogers, Ark., asks a U.S. District Court to order money returned to unwitting donors whose well-intentioned contributions were, according to the lawsuit, misappropriated.
The lawsuit accuses GFA founder and leader K.P. Yohannan of funneling millions of dollars into a variety of for-profit businesses and a lavish 350-acre compound that is home to GFA’s sprawling headquarters in Wills Point, Texas.
GFA promised donors their contributions would be used for specific purposes the donors themselves selected, the lawsuit notes, such as buying blankets or camels for poor families or motorbikes for missionaries, especially in regions of South Asia, where the ministry concentrates most of its work. GFA did not keep such promises, the lawsuit contends.
“K.P. Yohannan and his Gospel for Asia inner circle have been exploiting the goodwill and generosity of devout Christians around the country for years,” said the plaintiffs’ lead attorney Marc R. Stanley in a prepared statement. “Gospel for Asia should return all the money it’s taken from donors who thought they were contributing to charity.”
Last year, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) booted GFA from its membership after an investigation found the ministry did not meet ECFA’s guidelines.
The ECFA found GFA hoarded as much as $259 million during some months rather than spending the donated funds on church-planting, missionary work, or charitable relief for the poor.
Former GFA board member Gayle Erwin resigned his board position Oct. 3, 2015, the day after the ECFA revoked GFA’s membership.
Erwin recently said he grew suspicious when Yohannan became reluctant to discuss details of ministry practices with him and other board members.
“There came a time when he stopped talking and everything became a veil of darkness,” Erwin said. “And for that I confronted him a lot.” Yohannan eventually lashed out at Erwin, according to the former board member. “I was pretty much insulted in every way possible. … In talking with others, I have found out that’s how he leads. He is a bit of a bully.”
The class-action lawsuit applies to tens of thousands of donors who donated a combined hundreds of millions of dollars to GFA, said attorney Martin Woodward of the Stanley Law Group, who added that the lawsuit aims to hold GFA accountable: “When a charitable organization promises donors that all contributions will be spent only as the donors direct, that organization is obligated to keep its word. Gospel for Asia made all sorts of explicit guarantees to donors and then broke its promises. This case is about righting those wrongs.”
The lawsuit, filed by the Stanley Law Group on behalf of Matthew and Jennifer Dickson of Rogers, Ark., asks a U.S. District Court to order money returned to unwitting donors whose well-intentioned contributions were, according to the lawsuit, misappropriated.
The lawsuit accuses GFA founder and leader K.P. Yohannan of funneling millions of dollars into a variety of for-profit businesses and a lavish 350-acre compound that is home to GFA’s sprawling headquarters in Wills Point, Texas.
GFA promised donors their contributions would be used for specific purposes the donors themselves selected, the lawsuit notes, such as buying blankets or camels for poor families or motorbikes for missionaries, especially in regions of South Asia, where the ministry concentrates most of its work. GFA did not keep such promises, the lawsuit contends.
“K.P. Yohannan and his Gospel for Asia inner circle have been exploiting the goodwill and generosity of devout Christians around the country for years,” said the plaintiffs’ lead attorney Marc R. Stanley in a prepared statement. “Gospel for Asia should return all the money it’s taken from donors who thought they were contributing to charity.”
Last year, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) booted GFA from its membership after an investigation found the ministry did not meet ECFA’s guidelines.
The ECFA found GFA hoarded as much as $259 million during some months rather than spending the donated funds on church-planting, missionary work, or charitable relief for the poor.
Former GFA board member Gayle Erwin resigned his board position Oct. 3, 2015, the day after the ECFA revoked GFA’s membership.
Erwin recently said he grew suspicious when Yohannan became reluctant to discuss details of ministry practices with him and other board members.
“There came a time when he stopped talking and everything became a veil of darkness,” Erwin said. “And for that I confronted him a lot.” Yohannan eventually lashed out at Erwin, according to the former board member. “I was pretty much insulted in every way possible. … In talking with others, I have found out that’s how he leads. He is a bit of a bully.”
The class-action lawsuit applies to tens of thousands of donors who donated a combined hundreds of millions of dollars to GFA, said attorney Martin Woodward of the Stanley Law Group, who added that the lawsuit aims to hold GFA accountable: “When a charitable organization promises donors that all contributions will be spent only as the donors direct, that organization is obligated to keep its word. Gospel for Asia made all sorts of explicit guarantees to donors and then broke its promises. This case is about righting those wrongs.”
NRB Terminates Gospel for Asia's Membership Over Financial Accountability Issues
http://www.christianpost.com/news/nrb-terminates-gospel-for-asias-membership-over-financial-accountability-issues-158590/
February 25, 2016|11:50 am
image: http://images.christianpost.com/full/94385/nrb-jerry-johnson-k-p-yohannan-gospel-for-asia.png
(PHOTOS: SCREEN GRAB VIA YOUTUBE; GFA)
National Religious Broadcasters President and CEO Jerry A. Johnson (L) and K.P. Yohannan, founder and international director of Gospel for Asia (R).
The National Religious Broadcasters has terminated the membership of embattled missions agency Gospel for Asia, which was hit with a bombshell class action lawsuit alleging fraudulent use of donor money earlier this month, due to financial accountability issues
In response to the allegations of fraud against the agency Thursday morning, Johnnie Moore, president of public relations firm The KAIROS Company, speaking on behalf of GFA, said the agency is working hard to put an end to "false accusations" continually being made against it.
"Gospel for Asia is 100% focused on continuing its work around the world while working very hard to put an end to the false accusations being continually made against the ministry. Gospel for Asia can document the legal and ethical use of funds donated and clearly answer every question," he noted in an email to CP. "Thankfully, many of Gospel for Asia's friends and supporters have chosen to stand with the organization and provide greater and great degrees of prayer and support as the ministry works to put this all to rest, for good."
A copy of a letter acquired by The Christian Post Wednesday signed by NRB President and CEO Jerry A. Johnson, and addressed to K.P. Yohannan, founder and international director of GFA, dated December 31, 2015, highlights that despite the strong relationship shared by the two organizations, NRB was forced to part ways with GFA.
"This is a follow-up to my letter dated October 12, 2015 and our subsequent email correspondence regarding the NRB membership requirement for GFA to be compliant with our Constitution and Bylaws, Part II – Financial Integrity, Accountability, and Transparency – Not-for-Profit Members," began the letter from the NRB, which is a non-partisan international association of committed broadcasters and Christian communicators.
"This requirement points out that 'operating with financial integrity is part of a faithful witness for Christ before a watching world. As such, National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) requires its members to conduct their financial operations in a manner that ensures integrity, accountability, and transparency," it continued.
"While you have stated (as recently as your email of December 30) that you are diligently working to obtain the necessary information and to comply with the standards, you have not been able to do so at this time. Therefore, it is with a heavy heart that I must advise you that NRB must terminate your membership at this time," wrote Johnson.
image: http://images.christianpost.com/full/93662/gospel-for-asia.png
image: data:image/png;base64,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
Gospel for Asia's headquarters in Texas.
The NRB president further advised Yohannan that once he can demonstrate that he can meet the organization's financial accountability standards, GFA could reapply for membership. "You may reapply for membership when you are able to demonstrate that you meet our financial accountability standards."
"We are grateful for your past support and participation in NRB, and we are hopeful Gospel for Asia can come in compliance in short order to allow you again to have active participation in NRB," Johnson ended.
The NRB membership termination came approximately three months after the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability cut ties with GFA last October for violating five of the ECFA's seven core standards.
Moore said the NRB membership termination was a direct result of GFA's loss of accreditation from the ECFA. He asserts that GFA and the NRB still maintain a good relationship.
"Gospel for Asia has enjoyed – and continues to enjoy – a wonderful relationship with the NRB and a personal relationship with its leadership. Unfortunately, the NRB's membership requirements are tethered to ECFA accreditation. When Gospel for Asia was no longer accredited by ECFA it automatically was no longer qualified for membership with the NRB. It was a topic of much discussion among the organization's leadership where some NRB leaders thought it indicated a need to evaluate its membership requirements," said Moore.
When asked if GFA planned on reapplying for NRB membership, Moore said, "perhaps."
Earlier this month Dallas-based Stanley Law Group filed a class action lawsuit against GFA alleging that the missions agency and several of its affiliates fraudulently solicited hundreds of millions of dollars in charitable donations, and misdirected the money into Yohannan's personal empire.
Listed as defendants along with Yohannan are his son, Daniel Punnose, a member of the Board of Directors of GFA; his wife, Gisela, also a Board member; David Carroll, who serves GFA in multiple capacities, including Chief Financial Officer; and Pat Emerick. Emerick, according to the suit, is a United States citizen who resides in Ontario, Canada. He serves as the director of the Canadian affiliate of GFA.
Matthew and Jennifer Dickson are listed as the main plaintiffs in the lawsuit, which charges defendants with violations of RICO and the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act, as well as fraud and unjust enrichment.
The suit also covers: "All persons in the United States who donated money to GFA within the applicable statutes of limitations."
And this class of individuals, according to the lawsuit, could amount to no less than "tens of thousands."
"The members of the class are so numerous and geographically dispersed that individual joinder of all Class members is impracticable. While plaintiffs are informed and believe that there are not less than tens of thousands of members of the class, the precise number of class members is unknown to plaintiffs," argues the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs allege that Gospel for Asia, Yohannan, and other GFA officials misrepresented to donors how, when, and where charitable donations would be spent, and funneled vast amounts of the hundreds of millions of dollars the organization has collected into for-profit businesses and an expensive headquarters.
The lawsuit charges that the exact number of persons in the potential class of plaintiffs can be "ascertained from defendants' books and records."
"Class members may be notified of the pendency of this action by recognized, court-approved notice dissemination methods, which may include U.S. mail, electronic mail, Internet postings, and/or published notice," it further notes.
Between 2007 and 2013, GFA has solicited over $450,000,000 in donations from the U.S. alone, where the majority of GFA's donors reside. Donors include people who made a one-time or a recurring sponsorship.
image: http://bttrack.com/Pixel/Check/315002?%%CACHEBUSTER%%
The suit charges that despite repeated, explicit guarantees from GFA to donors, only a fraction of the donated money supports the people and causes for which it was donated, as the defendants redirect funds for their own purposes.
Moore said, GFA, one of the largest missions agency currently operating in the United States, "is in the final stages of interviewing multiple [law] firms, and will have acquired its specialized counsel within a week."
Editor's Note: Johnnie Moore is an editorial advisor of The Christian Post but only represents GFA in CP's coverage of the organization's financial accountability issues.
Contact: leonardo.blair@christianpost.com; follow me on Twitter @leoblair
Can You Get Your Money Back From Gospel for Asia?
March 17, 2016 by
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/warrenthrockmorton/2016/03/17/can-you-get-your-money-back-from-gospel-for-asia/
GFA’s Chapel in Wills Point, TX, source: HH Architects website
One former donor to Gospel for Asia has been so concerned about being a good steward that the donor tried to get payment stopped on a credit card used to send payments to GFA. It appears that the card company has been challenging GFA over those charges.
The donor does not want to be identified but has provided evidence of the charges.
The donor disputed the last three charges to the card and this week was credited for one month’s charges. The card company is still disputing the other charges.
According to my source, a representative at the company said GFA did not provide documentation to verify that funds were used for the designated purpose. Instead, GFA gave the card company a letter sent to the card holder in 2014. The letter reminded the card holder that a recurrent payment had been set up to support GFA causes.
The representative told my source that a second disputed case had been filed by another donor against GFA this week.
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