According to the BBC, a member of SPAC Nation Church said she was pressured to commit benefit fraud by a trustee. Another member had a £5,000 loan taken out in her name without her knowledge. SPAC Nation is an evangelical Pentecostal Christian organization based in South London. It became infamous in 2017 after they held public events in high-end locations, such as the Grand Sapphire Hotel.
One insider told reporters that the church “has to be shut down“. Representatives for the church deny they are financially exploiting young people. Kurtis, now 23, was one of the church’s trusted inner circle until his departure in January this year. The church is accused of leaving young people with thousands of pounds in debt. Kurtis was featured in a high-profile expose to the organization.
He says “Certain leaders shouldn’t be around youth, they shouldn’t be around anywhere where people are vulnerable.” He also says the recently deported Pastor Tobi Adegboyega “has to be held accountable.” This pastor is associated with the prosperity gospel, also known as the “Word of Faith” movement. This belief centers around the idea that health and material prosperity are earned from God. Members of the church, and most conspicuously Pastor Tobi, have been seen wearing designer clothing, and arriving in expensive cars.
Another member, Gracy was 21 when she joined SPAC in 2017. She informed reporters that she was encouraged to apply for the Universal Credit welfare program after her Pastor Ebo Dougan noticed she had stopped giving money to the church. She gave her financial information to Pastor Dougan and someone filled out an online application form on her behalf.
Gracy’s online application shows that after she left an application meeting, someone changed her application to show that she had two children. This enabled her to claim a £1,200 payment. She said, “Even sometimes when we know things are wrong, at that moment I’m just thinking like ‘OK, my father figure would not tell me to do something bad‘.“
She was told to pay £900 of the sum into two accounts. She kept the remainder of the money but was later investigated by the Department for Work and Pensions, who fined her £600 and ordered her to repay the £1,200. She said “I can’t afford it obviously. I feel heartbroken because I thought this was supposed to be a family.” Another woman was also defrauded.
Lovis was 18 when another member of the church took out a loan in her name. She interviewed at a firm run by Tobi Adegboyega’s second in command Samuel Akokhia, who has a conviction for attempted robbery. As part of her application, she provided personal details including a photocopy of her passport, her home address, her mobile number, and bank account details.
She found out later that a £5,000 four-year loan had been taken out in her name without her knowledge. The money never reached her and was transferred to a company called E. R. Management Group. That company is run and owned by Emmanuel Akokhia, Samuel’s brother. She explained that “They basically said the loan was for the greater good and they were going to use the money to buy a bigger [charity] house to accommodate more people.” She added “That’s all well and good – but why did I not know about it?'”