On 26 June it was reported that Kong Hee, founder and pastor of Singapore’s City Harvest Church, had been arrested along with four others for allegedly misusing church funds. The five accused appeared in court on Wednesday, 27 June, to face charges.
Original accusations from a two-year investigation indicated that over $24 million in funds had been siphoned from church funds and used to finance the music career of Hee's wife, Ho Yeow Sun, whose most well-known song, "China Wine," boasts a decidedly sensual and inappropriate music video.Wednesday's court appearance revealed, however, that an additional $26.6 million was misappropriated. The Straits Times reports further details:
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 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. (Source)The Straits Times also reports that City Harvest Church is standing behind its pastor:
Mr Aries Zulkarnain [executive pastor] 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. (Source)The five accused are scheduled to appear in court on July 25. If found guilty, megachurch pastor Kong Hee could face life imprisonment.
*This article has been republished and originally appears here at Christian Research Network.
Further Reading
Singapore Pastor Kong Hee Arrested for Alleged Misuse of Church Funds
Steven Furtick Twists Scripture, Claims to Hear from God at Presence 2012
That's just so sad because Christians are set FREE from the love and subjugation of money. GOD owns everything and whenever someone steals they are stealing from GOD and showing that they don't trust in HIM as their Heavenly Father to provide for all their needs as HE sees fit. We have ALL we need in Christ!
ReplyDeleteI hope and I pray that Kong Hee will fear the Lord to genuine repentance.. The fact that he was caught is merciful of God in that he wasn't permitted to continue down this path of destruction and GOD didn't give him over to such sin..
"Ill-gotten treasures are of no value but righteousness delivers from death"--Proverbs 10:2..
May God have mercy and may God's grace be what all the people who have been hurt by this be all-sufficient!
I think it is very sad that a person who knows the Bible and teaches it should fall into such a sin as greed. Non Christians are reading all about it in the paper and I sincerely hope that it would not put them off in the givings and beliefs. It is certainly a sad situation.
ReplyDeleteIt would be a waste if he should be sentenced to life imprisonment. Singapore is very strict in their laws.
He is a good preacher, but he and his wife should preach to themselves.
Peggy G