Stolen Identity, Stolen Benefits: FBI Raids Cult Mansion

FBI Raids House of Prayer Christian Church, Arrests Leader Accused of Fraud

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Columbia County deputies executed a raid on a West Lake mansion in Martinez, Georgia, on Wednesday. The operation resulted in the arrest of the leader of the House of Prayer Christian Church, a group that critics have labeled as a cult involved in scamming veterans out of their benefits.

The raid took place at 3816 Honors Way, with assistance from local law enforcement. However, this is a federal case involving allegations of financial and identity theft, as well as fraud. The founder of the House of Prayer was taken into custody and booked into jail, but his true identity remains unknown. He goes by the name Rony Denis, though federal authorities state he stole that identity in 1983.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the founder is one of eight leaders of the House of Prayer indicted for various fraud schemes and tax charges. The church has been under scrutiny for years, with multiple investigations and raids targeting its operations.

Background on the House of Prayer

The founder allegedly used his stolen identity to become a U.S. citizen in 2002 and established the House of Prayer in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the same year. The organization later moved its headquarters to Hinesville, Georgia, and expanded to about a dozen locations across the U.S., many near military installations.

In 2021, the FBI raided an Augusta location, seizing boxes full of documents. Although the House of Prayer shares a similar name with the United House of Prayer on Wrightsboro Road, they are not related.

Allegations Against the Church

Authorities and critics claim the House of Prayer specifically targets military members and veterans, exploiting their benefits through a series of fraudulent schemes. According to a federal indictment, the founder and his associates exerted extreme control over congregants, manipulating them into surrendering personal information, arranging marriages and divorces, and forcing them to live in properties tied to the defendants that generated rental income.

Members were reportedly humiliated for perceived rule violations, and a list of former members labeled as “traitors” was kept. Contact with relatives who left the church was also restricted.

Financial Exploitation

The indictment details how some veteran members were directed to enroll in the seminary, with tuition paid through GI Bill benefits. However, little to no instruction was provided, and the veterans’ benefits were allegedly funneled into church-controlled accounts.

The church also recruited members to act as “straw buyers” for real estate, concealing the true buyers' identities. Falsified VA loan applications and forged powers of attorney were used, leading to more than $5.2 million in rental income between 2018 and 2020. Some straw buyers faced damaged credit and foreclosures.

Additionally, the seminary allegedly violated a Georgia exemption by receiving millions in federal veteran benefits while lying about it.

Tax Fraud Charges

Denis is charged with aiding in the preparation and filing of false income tax returns for 2018, 2019, and 2020. Despite knowing the figures were false, he reported total incomes of $165,601 in 2018, $155,408 in 2019, and $247,433 in 2020.

The Estate Raided

The property raided on Wednesday is a nearly 11,000-square-foot home with eight bathrooms and seven bedrooms, last listed on Zillow for $1.96 million. It is owned by a limited-liability partnership known as Union GL Park. Divorce papers indicate the home was occupied by Denis.

Those Indicted

The indictment includes several individuals associated with the church:

• Rony Denis: Charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aiding and assisting in filing a false tax return.
• Anthony Oloans: Charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud.
• Joseph Fryar: Charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud.
• Dennis Nostrant: Charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud.
• Gerard Robertson: Charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
• David Reip: Charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and bank fraud.
• Marcus Labat: Charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
• Omar Garcia: Charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

Testimonies from Former Members

Jenessa Pappas-Wright, a former member of the House of Prayer Church in Hinesville, shared her experience. She described the church's teachings as "demonic and evil," claiming they manipulated and stole from people. She left the church in 2017 after witnessing what she called "deep and scary" practices.

Pappas-Wright participated in the Bible seminary for 9½ years without receiving a degree. She expressed hope that Denis would not go free, calling him an "evil, evil man."