Warning
Christians all over the world including Africa Should be ware that God is not done yet as regards e shaking the sandy foundations of the American prosperity gospel. I warn Christians all over the world especially in Africa to reject this false gospel. God is continuing to expose the filthy and rot in churches that have stubbornly continued to defend and promote this gospel. We are going to see more scandals exposed . Bishop David Kiganda a Ugandan Pentecostal prosperity pastor has called me an internet false prophet, but let us just watch and see. Please, Repent and return to the true gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
City Harvest's Crossover Project lies at heart of CoC inquiry
http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-1/Story/STIStory_815224.htmlPublished on Jun 26, 2012
At the centre of the inquiry by the Commisioner of Charities is the City Harvest Church's Crossover Project and the misrepresentation on the use of the charity's fund.
The project was set up in 2002 purportedly to use Sun Ho's secular music to connect with people and reach out to non-Christians.
By 2003, it drew flak, with an individual alleged in the media that the Charity was funding Sun Ho's music career. Although he apologised later and retracted his allegations, the church had stated that they had not funded her music career.
However, unknown to the executive members of the board, the church's funds were used to run the project, said the CoC. At least $23 million was used over three years, the CoC said.
Funds from the church were diverted to finance the project under the guise of donations to its affliated church in Kuala Lumpur between December 2007 and May 2010.
The church - City Harvest Church Kuala Lumpur - then transmitted the monies to support the project in the United States (US).
Donations and tithes to the church were also transferred into a private fund known as the Multi-Purpose Account used to fund the project. Between April 2007 and March 2010, the funds used for purported expenditures of pastor Kong and his wife amounted to approximately $600,000 and $3 million respectively.
Pastor Kong's company sold over $3 million worth of merchandise to the church, but did not disclose his interests. Although he refunded the royalties, amounting to about $770,000, he was reimbursed for them from church funds.
Prosecutors shed light on alleged misuse of church funds
http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-1/Story/STIStory_815567.html
Published on Jun 27, 2012
Prosecutors shed light on the alleged misuse of City Harvest Church funds on Wednesday morning as it brought church founder Kong Hee and four senior church members to court on charges of criminal breach of trust and falsifying accounts.They were said to have diverted $24 million of the church's building fund to finance the music career of singer Sun Ho, who is Kong's wife. This was said to have been carried out through a series of purported bond investments in two companies, Xtron Productions and PT The First National Glassware.
The prosecution believes that the investment were sham transactions. $13 million was diverted to Xtron, with the remaining $11 million of church funds going to the other company.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Christopher Ong and Grace Goh told a district court that not only had they allegedly diverted $24 million through questionable financial transactions, some of them had conspired to misappropriate another $26.6 million of church funds to avoid scrutiny.
'It is the Prosecution's case that these further monies were circulated... to create the false appearance that the purported sham bond investments had been redeemed, when in fact the 'redemption' had been financed using these further monies misappropriated from church funds,' they said.
CAD charges are against individuals, not the church: DPM Teo
http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-1/Story/STIStory_815199.html
Published on Jun 26, 2012
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also Home Affairs Minister, has weighed in on the arrests of the five senior members of the City Harvest Church on Tuesday morning, following a Commercial Affairs Department investigation into financial irregularities at the church.DPM Teo said: 'I would like to stress that the charges filed by CAD are against five individuals from the City Harvest Church (CHC) regarding the use of Church funds. They are not filed against CHC itself. The CHC is free to continue its church services and activities.'
He said that the CAD carries out investigations upon receiving information that a criminal offence may have been committed, and it had previously also investigated the National Kidney Foundation and Ren Ci.
'As the matter is now before the courts, we should let the law take its course and avoid speculation or making pre-judgements that may unnecessarily stir up emotions,' he said
Harvest case: Allegedly total of $50m misused
http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-1/Story/STIStory_815914.html
Fresh revelations of another $26.6m allegedly used in cover-up bid
Published on Jun 28, 2012
By Leonard Lim
City Harvest Church's
Kong Hee and four others were charged on Wednesday with allegedly siphoning
church money, amid fresh revelations that they conspired to cheat the church of
over $50 million.It emerged on Wednesday that $26.6 million was allegedly used to cover up an initial $24 million which they had taken from the church's building fund and put into sham investments.
These investments in turn were actually being used to finance the music career of Kong's wife Ho Yeow Sun.
Kong, 47, who showed up at the Subordinate Courts holding Ms Ho's hand and surrounded by a phalanx of supporters, faces three counts of committing criminal breach of trust as an agent.
If found guilty, he could be jailed for life.
He and the other four accused are to return to court on July 25. All five posted bail of $500,000 each, with Kong's bail put up by his 42-year-old wife's parents. The passports of the five charged have been impounded.
Their appearance in court on Wednesday came a day after the Commercial Affairs Department swooped in on them in their homes early on Tuesday morning, wrapping up a two-year probe.
On the same day, the Commissioner of Charities revealed that financial irregularities amounting to at least $23 million had been discovered and eight church members, including the five, had been suspended.
On Wednesday, court documents showed that this alleged conspiracy was carried out through bond investments in two companies.
These were Ms Ho's artist management firm Xtron Productions, and PT The First National Glassware, also called Firna and owned by a church member.
Through supposed investment in Xtron bonds, $13 million was allegedly misappropriated from the building fund of one of Singapore's largest churches.
Another $11 million was said to have been channelled to sham investments in Firna bonds.
The prosecution revealed on Wednesday - to a courtroom packed with nearly 200 City Harvest members and supporters - that a second series of transactions was allegedly devised to misappropriate a further $26.6 million.
The prosecution said: 'These further monies were circulated... to create the false appearance that the purported sham bond investments had been redeemed, when in fact the 'redemption' had been financed using these further monies misappropriated from church funds.'
This 'round-tripping' meant that more of City Harvest's building fund cash was used to repay the sums owed to itself.
The $26.6 million cover-up bid came about after the church's auditor had raised questions about the purported bond investments.
Like Kong, who is represented by Edwin Tong of Allen & Gledhill, church management board member John Lam Leng Hung, 44, faces three similar charges.
The others charged - Kong's deputy Tan Ye Peng, 39; church finance manager Sharon Tan Shao Yuen, 36; and investment manager Chew Eng Han, 52 - were slapped with more charges.
Chew and Tan Ye Peng each face 10 charges - six for criminal breach of trust and four for falsifying accounts.
Sharon Tan was charged with four counts of falsifying accounts and three for committing criminal breach of trust as an agent.
The first offence draws a maximum of 10 years' jail, and or a fine. The second, which Kong's charges come under, is punishable with a life sentence, or jail of up to 20 years and a fine.
The total sum of $50.6 million that the five conspired to cheat the church of makes the City Harvest case the biggest financial scandal involving a registered charity. It eclipses the $12 million that the National Kidney Foundation sued Mr T. T. Durai and three others for, and the $50,000 unauthorised loan Ren Ci hospital's Ming Yi was jailed for.
On Wednesday, more than 200 people gathered outside the courthouse before Kong, their spiritual leader and the founder of City Harvest, arrived with his wife.
Minders had to cut their way through the media scrum from the street to the building, with the couple taking small steps and keeping their gaze fixed ahead amid non-stop camera clicks.
City Harvest, established in 1989 with 20 members and now about 33,000-strong, later issued a statement on its website.
It said church operations and cell group meetings will continue, including weekend services at Singapore Expo and Jurong West.
The case has triggered a maelstrom of reactions online, for and against the church. The president of the National Council of Churches of Singapore, Bishop Terry Kee, on Wednesday sought the understanding of fellow Singaporeans, urging them 'not to react against the church or churches here'.
limze@sph.com.sg
City Harvest disputes '$50 million cheating charges'
http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-1/Story/STIStory_816456.html
Church stands by its 5 leaders who were charged
By Leonard Lim
City Harvest Church
on Thursday night disputed allegations that its leaders had conspired to cheat
the church of $50 million.In a strongly worded statement, it maintained that it did not lose any funds and no personal profit was gained by those involved in the transactions.
Executive pastor Aries Zulkarnain, 39, said: 'It has been suggested that the church has been cheated of $50 million.
'This is not accurate. The $24 million, which went to investment bonds, was returned to the church in full, with interest. We didn't lose the $24 million, nor did we lose 'another $26.6 million' as alleged.'
He added: 'The church did not lose any funds in the relevant transactions, and no personal profit was gained by the individuals concerned.'
When asked to respond to the church's statement, a spokesman for the Attorney-General's Chambers said on Thursday night: 'We wish to reiterate that as criminal charges are now before the court and will be subject to adjudication by the court; and that as such, neither the prosecution nor any other party should comment on issues which will be subject to adjudication and on which evidence will be led in court.'
Similarly, the police, responding to the same statement, said: 'Generally, in law, the offence of criminal breach of trust of monies is established once there is misappropriation of the monies with the requisite intent, regardless of whether there have or have not been subsequent attempts at restitution by the accused.'
On Wednesday, City Harvest's founding pastor Kong Hee, 47, and four others were charged with conspiring to cheat the church to finance the music career of Kong's wife, Ms Ho Yeow Sun.
Court documents allege that $26.6 million of church funds was used to cover up an initial $24 million, which had been taken from the church's building fund and put into sham bond investments.
These investments, in turn, were allegedly used to further the music career of Ms Ho, 42, popularly known as Sun Ho.
Kong and the others were charged with varying counts of criminal breach of trust as an agent. His deputy, Tan Ye Peng, 39, finance manager Sharon Tan Shao Yuen, 36, and investment manager Chew Eng Han, 52, were also accused of falsifying the church's accounts.
Church management board member John Lam Leng Hung, 44, was the fifth person charged and, like the rest, will return to court on July 25.
In the church's statement on Thursday night, Mr Zulkarnain also said that the church 'stands with' the members involved.
He said Kong remains the church's senior pastor, and that the Commissioner of Charities (COC) has confirmed that Kong and his deputy Tan can continue to preach at the church.
Speaking on behalf of the church's board, Mr Bobby Chaw, the pastor in charge of missions, said that City Harvest had, over the last two years, taken action to comply with the code of governance set out by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).
Half of the board were replaced with new members, for instance.
Mr Chaw added that RSM Chio Lim - an accounting and business advisory firm - had been engaged to do a full internal audit.
'We have been putting their recommendations into action, and will continue to do so. We appreciate the need to maintain good corporate governance, and we are continually working with MCYS to do so,' he said.
He expressed disappointment with some of the media coverage, particularly in relation to reports following Tuesday's statement on the COC inquiry into the church.
'In some instances, they seem to have pre-judged us. We will be dealing with this in due course,' he said.
Mr Chaw said he was also surprised that the COC had, on the same day, suspended eight church members - including the five charged and Ms Ho - without prior notice.
'We have been cooperating with COC for two years since the start of the case, so these sudden suspensions came as a surprise to us,' he said of the probe.
The statement added that the church's Crossover Project was 'not about one person's singing career', but 'a mission that is fundamental' to the congregation.
Started a decade ago, the Crossover Project's intention was to use Ms Ho's secular music to extend the church's reach.
Support for the church leaders and the project continued online among the congregation, even as other commentators posted scathing remarks.
City Harvest Church responds to allegations
http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-1/Story/STIStory_816542.html
Published on Jun 29, 2012
Mr Aries Zulkarnain, the executive pastor and a founding member of the church since its start 23 years ago, says that the church stands with the members involved.
'The people currently in the news are our pastors and trusted staff and leaders who have always put God and CHC first. As a church we stand with them and I believe fully in their integrity. Pastor Kong is still our Senior Pastor.'
Mr Zulkarnain says that COC has confirmed that Mr Kong Hee, the senior pastor, and Mr Tan Ye Peng, the deputy senior pastor will continue to preach at the church.
He emphasizes that church activities are not affected by the case. 'City Harvest Church will continue to do its work. Our services and cell group meetings will carry on as usual. As a church we will continue to take care of our members and our community. We will not stop doing God's work.'
With regard to the allegations, Mr Zulkarnain says, 'It has been suggested that the church has been cheated of $50 million. This is not accurate. The $24 million, which went to investment bonds, was returned to the church in full, with interest. We didn't lose the $24 million, nor did we lose 'another $26.6m' as alleged. The church did not lose any funds in the relevant transactions, and no personal profit was gained by the individuals concerned.'
Speaking on behalf of the Board, Bobby Chaw, the pastor in charge of missions at CHC, says that actions had been taken the past two years in accordance with the MCYS' code of governance.
'We replaced 50 per cent of our Board with new members. We engaged RSM Chio Lim to do a full internal audit and we have been putting their recommendations into action, and will continue to do so,' says Mr Chaw. 'We appreciate the need to maintain good corporate governance, and we are continuously working with MCYS to do so.'
However, Mr Chaw expresses his disappointment with some of the media's coverage so far, particularly in relation to the COC inquiry.
'In some instances, they seem to have pre-judged us. We will be dealing with this in due course,' he says.
He adds that the church was also surprised that COC chose to implement the suspensions of the members involved without prior notice. 'We have been co-operating with COC for two years since the start of the case, so these sudden suspensions came as a surprise to us.'
The church's Advisory Pastor, Rev Dr Phil Pringle is in Singapore to stand with CHC. He is the senior pastor of C3 Church, Sydney, and the C3 Global Network of Churches. Dr Pringle expresses his support for the leadership.
'I have known City Harvest Church, Kong, Sun and Ye Peng for a long time. CHC is not just a local church in Singapore. It has 49 affiliated churches and 6 Bible schools all across Asia. It has impact on international ground, and it has proven through many years that it serves the global community, both spiritually and practically through humanitarian works.'
Dr Pringle says he, along with CHC's Advisory Chairman Dr A R Bernard, who is the senior pastor of Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, New York, fully believe in and endorse the church's Crossover Project as a mission to reach the world.
The church states that the Crossover Project is not about one person's singing career; it is a mission that is fundamental to the congregation of CHC. The Crossover Project is an outreach that uses Sun Ho's singing and music to engage people and places that would never otherwise hear the Gospel. As a result of the Crossover Project, many churches have grown worldwide and the faith of many has been strengthened. Impact has been made on the needy in Haiti, disaster victims in China, the depressed and suicidal in Taiwan, and the sick children in Honduras, among others.
Dr Pringle says, 'The Gospel is the Good News and Christians are meant to share it. CHC has done this through the Crossover Project, which lies at the very heart of our religious beliefs.'
City Harvest stands by Kong Hee, others: Executive pastor
http://www.straitstimes.com/The-Big-Story/The-Big-Story-1/Story/STIStory_816083.html
Published on Jun 28, 2012
The executive pastor of City Harvest Church has responded to recent developments which saw five of its leaders charged in court on Wednesday for alleged misuse of church funds.Mr Aries Zulkarnain said in a statement on Thursday evening that the church stands by the five, which includes founding pastor Kong Hee, 47.
He added that Kong, who faces three charges of criminal breach of trust as an agent, and deputy pastor Tan Ye Peng, 39, who faces similar charges, will continue to preach at the church.
Speaking on behalf of the church board, Mr Bobby Chaw, the pastor in charge of missions at the church, said City Harvest had over the last two years taken action to comply with the code of governance set out by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCYS).
'We replaced 50 per cent of our Board with new members. We engaged RSM Chio Lim to do a full internal audit and we have been putting their recommendations into action, and will continue to do so,' said Mr Chaw. 'We appreciate the need to maintain good corporate governance, and we are continuously working with MCYS to do so.'
