South African Pastor allegedly involved in Ponzi Scheme in US

Two individuals have been convicted in the United States for their involvement in a Ponzi scheme involving “pastors” who ran a multimillion-dollar investment scam and kept the profits for themselves. Their convictions have intensified the focus on the third accused, who is currently in South Africa.

The investment company, marketed as being in line with “God’s mission,” was promoted at religious events and high-end hotels, promising personal wealth for those who invested. However, many investors ultimately lost their money, with some of the funds being used for private jet trips and to maintain the investment company, which has been labeled a $28 million Ponzi scheme by US authorities.

Arley Ray Johnson and John Erasmus Frimpong, two of the “pastors,” are now convicted fraudsters serving time in prison. Johnson was sentenced to six and a half years in prison last month, while Frimpong is set to be sentenced soon.

The third “pastor,” Dennis Mbongeni Jali, is from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and is believed to have fled to the country. With the case against his co-accused nearly complete in the US, attention may shift to Jali, who faces legal issues in South Africa as well. According to the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, Jali is listed as an accused who is “detained pending extradition proceedings.”