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FBI brokers on Thursday stormed three church buildings throughout the South, all of that are positioned close to navy installations and have beforehand confronted accusations of being cults.
The Meeting of Prayer Christian Church in Killeen, Texas, was raided by federal brokers early yesterday morning. The church stands slightly below six miles from Fort Hood, essentially the most populous U.S. navy set up on the planet. Dozens of evaluations of the church on Google and Fb make allegations that the congregation is a “cult” which has habitually recruited Fort Hood troopers, in line with the Killeen Day by day Herald.
And on Thursday morning federal brokers executed a warrant on the Home of Prayer Church in Hinesville, Georgia, which is positioned round six miles from Fort Stewart. In a press release, the FBI advised WTOC it was conducting a court-authorized search warrant and that no arrests had been made.
The station additionally reported that the church has been the topic of controversy for years, with former members sharing allegations of abuse and leaders isolating worshippers from their households in 2017. Individuals who have protested the church prior to now have referred to as it a cult. “The priority is that he has made us merchandise,” former member Jessica Wright advised WTOC. “It’s now not a church. It’s only a fraudulent, money-making empire.”
A separate, third church was additionally raided in Georgia on Thursday. The Meeting of Prayer Church in Augusta—located lower than three miles from Fort Gordon—has additionally been accused of sinister actions. “The general public, they reduce off communication with their household,” Gladys Jordan, whose son continues to be a member of the Augusta church, mentioned in an interview with WRDW. “I miss him. It’s been six years. I don’t know something about him. If he will get sick, if he will get in a automotive accident, I don’t know something about him.”
In a press release to the Augusta Chronicle, a Fort Gordon spokesperson mentioned, “Fort Gordon was conscious of the group referred to as the Meeting of Prayer Church by our legislation enforcement channels however the set up had no bans towards the group or any official dealings with them (regardless of their web sites claims).”
The FBI confirmed to KWTX that the raids in Hinesville and Augusta have been linked, however it’s not but clear if the Killeen search was a part of the identical investigation.
In 2020, advocacy group Veterans Schooling Success referred to as for an investigation into allegations of abuses of the GI Invoice program on the Home of Prayer Christian Church’s seminaries. Veterans alleged that the church “targets veterans with a view to entry GI Invoice funding, VA incapacity compensation, and VA residence loans,” in line with a letter asking the U.S. Division of Veterans Affairs to probe the group.