After paying millions to donors who alleged Gospel for Asia defrauded them, the organization has apparently rejoined the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB). And its founder, K.P. Yohannan, is listed as a panelist for the upcoming NRB Convention in 2023.
Yohannan founded GFA World, formerly Gospel for Asia, in 1979, and served on the NRB board from 2013-2015. But GFA was kicked out of the NRB at the end of 2015 over financial accountability issues related to alleged misuse of hundreds of millions of dollars in donor funds.
A GFA spokesperson told El mensaje cristiano at the time the organization’s NRB membership was terminated because GFA had lost its accreditation with the Consejo Evangélico para la Responsabilidad Financiera (ECFA).
In 2019, the organization settled a class-action lawsuit over alleged misuse of hundreds of millions of dollars in donations. GFA paid $37 million to refund some donations to U.S. contributors but admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement.
Por April 2021, GFA was apparently back in the NRB’s good graces and featured in an article on NRB’s website. Now, Yohannan is one of five panelists for a May 24 session on “What The Church Is Doing Internationally” during the 2023 NRB convention.
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It’s unclear when GFA rejoined the NRB or how it satisfied the NRB’s financial accountability requirements. El Informe Roys (TRR) reached out to an NRB spokesperson and sought comment from spokespeople for GFA, but did not hear back by the time this article was published.
The NRB states on its website that members generally need to be certified by either the ECFA or the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Wise Giving Alliance. GFA is not listed as an ECFA member, and has not disclosed information to the BBB, either.
In addition to the 2019 U.S. lawsuit, GFA has fended off a demanda colectiva similar in Canada. That lawsuit alleged GFA misappropriated more than $100 million of donor money, and was thrown out by a Canadian court a principios de este año.
“The Canadian lawsuit repeated serious allegations that were first made in litigation in the United States,” GFA stated after the Canadian lawsuit was rejected.
“GFA USA has, from the beginning, maintained its belief that these lawsuits were without merit. The ministry has vigorously defended itself against the accusations.”
GFA’s current gift policy states the organization maintains “ultimate discretion as to their use, including redirection to other Organization needs,” and that donor preferences are “treated as suggestions.”
Yohannan also leads a church in India that’s a separate entity from GFA. The church, Believers Eastern Church, had its estate confiscated by Indian authorities last year. TRR previamente reportado that the raid took place amid a government investigation into alleged money laundering.
GFA has reportedly called the Indian government’s investigation “Christian persecution” and a “smear campaign” against the church.
Sarah Einselen es una escritora y editora premiada que vive en Texas, EEUU.
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4 Respuestas
Astonishing foolishness from the NRB. KP is a crook and has further tarnished the name of Christ in India, where it’s already hard enough for believers.
I don’t understand why they would choose to platform this guy. It just seems insane to me.
Especially given that the church he runs in India is operated more along an Orthodox style (with KP being a metropolitan, which is an Orthodox version of a Catholic Pope). Something that evangelical Christians (megachurch structure notwithstanding) generally don’t consider Biblical.
There is nothing Christian about these broadcasters. They are all about Mammon all of the time. KP likely stole a billion dollars from donors and the Indian government is closing in on him. He is a snake and a fraud. The reality is that anyone can claim to be a Christian and get away with any kind of crime they want for decades, because we do not police ourselves. We really, really, really need to repent!
God can bring things onto us worse than a pandemic and now a war in Europe. There is nothing Christian about letting these things go on without actual consequences.
What is the point in exposing these guys if establishment Christians let them in positions of power again through the back door? KP ripped off the saints and Christian leadership just gives him a platform to do it all over again!!