Augusta, GA
Raided local church accused of stalling federal investigation
AUGUSTA, Ga. – A church accused of defrauding veterans and the government of millions of dollars is stalling a federal investigation, according to prosecutors.
In documents filed April 4, prosecutors want Geogia’s southern U.S. District Court to impose fines and hold several House of Prayer leaders in contempt.
The FBI simultaneously raided House of Prayer churches in Hinesville and Augusta in June 2022 for suspected VA fraud.
The church seminary is accused of scamming the government out of GI Bill funds by recruiting veterans but not delivering worthy instruction. Some critics say the church is a cult that draws in military members and veterans to accomplish this.
According to previous court filings, the Department of Veterans Affairs paid more than $20 million in benefits to the church as part of GI Bill funding for education.
The federal government also argued the church tried to control the lives of military members to take advantage of them financially.
The court ordered the church and its parent company to turn over documents, but they refuse, saying this would violate their Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate themselves.
Federal prosecutors say the Fifth Amendment doesn’t apply to corporations.
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Instead, they say the church must appoint an agent who can turn over the material without invoking the Fifth Amendment.
Federal prosecutors say any arguments against turning over the documents are irrelevant at this point, since the time for doing so has passed.
The only matters left for consideration are whether the church has shown cause for not complying and who bears responsibility for that, prosecutors say.
Further, the church hasn’t shown how anyone would be incriminated by truthfully answering questions on the company’s ownership or employees, according to prosecutors.
In addition to the Georgia sites, federal agents raided church locations in Killeen, Texas; Fayetteville N.C.; and Tacoma, Wash.
All are near military installations.
The Augusta church – on Old Tobacco Road just outside Gate 5 of Fort Eisenhower – was called the Assembly of Prayer but was part of the House of Prayer church system.
The church claimed to provide seminary schooling, and had more than 300 veterans enrolled for nearly a decade.
They were paid approximately $16 million from the VA for tuition, stipends and housing. The VA sent direct payments to the seminary for about $7 million in tuition.
The educational services were not performed to the standard required by the VA.
Investigators accuse the so-called seminary of:
- Overstating and otherwise misrepresenting the number of hours of instruction.
- Misrepresenting the qualifications of faculty members of the seminary.
- Misrepresenting the facility locations of students.
- Misrepresenting the facility locations of faculty members.
- Misrepresenting the time periods over which faculty members worked for the seminary.
- Misrepresenting the courses taught by faculty members.
- Misrepresenting the courses available.
- Misrepresenting the manner of instruction.
- Misrepresenting the quality of instruction.
- Misrepresenting the nature of the education program, including the requirements to successfully complete the program.
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Several artists came together for a Mother’s Day concert Bethel Community Church Family Life Center.
Lucresha Thomas with Psalm 100 Entertainment said the event honors mothers.
“I think that is very important to honor the mothers because there’s some people that don’t have mothers due, the mothers passing away and mothers not being local,” Thomas said. “So this helps bring them together and they’re able to fellowship with other mothers and just be positive, bringing some gospel to the community where they can fellowship together, be blessed and maybe receive a blessing.”
Host Tommy Ingram said groups from across the area participated in the concert.
“We got a live, a lot of groups coming from all over the area to make sure that all the mothers in the area have a good time today,” Ingram said.
Host Adrian Monet said the free concert gives back to the community.
“Well, okay, yeah, a lot of mothers enjoy some good gospel singing. They love gospel concerts,” Monet said. “And this one is a give back, you know, to the community because it’s completely free. And so it’s a chance for people to bring their mothers to enjoy the music that they love so much.”
Erica and Jessica Harris, co-owners of Sophisticated Soul Food, said they wanted to celebrate mothers.
“Okay, we’re out here today for this pre-Mother’s Day event, and we’re just, we just want to give back to the community and celebrate all mothers,” the co-owners said. “And so we’re so excited to be out here. And we have great soul food for everybody that wants to come out.”
Kenneth Medlock, Tyrell Gibson and Gary Durham of The Country Boys, a gospel group from Thomson, said they were honored to participate.
“So we’re just so grateful to be here and honored to be able to stand up and let the world know how good God is through our songs and our praise,” the group said.
Anthony Gallant and Lamont McDowell, members of a gospel group from the Carolinas, said celebrating mothers is important.
“Oh yeah, I think it’s extremely important because mothers work hard throughout the year. They’re very diligent,” Gallant and McDowell said. “And I think at least if you could celebrate them one time, just make them feel special and that the queens that they are, I think it’s important and they’ll feel that love.”
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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Democratic candidate for Georgia governor Olu Brown visited Augusta on Friday evening, stopping near the Sand Hills Community Center as early voting continues.
Brown is one of six candidates in the Democratic primary.
Campaign priorities
Brown said his vision as governor would focus on three main areas.
“One, it’s affordability around health care and making sure we expand Medicaid and expand Peach Care and make sure we continue to make our rural health care systems healthy and vital,” Brown said. “Number two, we’ve got to address education in all of Georgia, making sure every kid in Georgia gets an excellent education, and we’re paying our teachers more. And number 3, we’re protecting the rights of all women. Folks in the Gold Dome shouldn’t be making decisions about their bodies or the choices that they make.”
Brown is running against Amanda Duffy, Derrick Jackson, Geoff Duncan, Jason Esteves, Keisha Lance Bottoms and Mike Thurmond.
Copyright 2026 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.
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