Operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have arrested a US-based Nigerian pastor and lawyer, Eric Abakporo over reports linking him and one Latanya Pierce to despicable fraud and the theft of the life savings of an elderly African-American woman(Names withheld by FBI) through deceit and lies.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) confirmed the reports during the week, alleging that the New York-based pastor who is also a lawyer and his accomplice have duped the woman of her life savings after engaging her in various dubious businesses in the United States.
While Eric Abakporo, a Deeper Life pastor was arrested in Queens, NY on Monday for swindling the 78 year-old woman and stiffing a bank with a phony $1.8 million mortgage loan, Mr. Latanya Pierce was reported to have voluntarily surrendered himself to the FBI agents.
According to the New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a statement, “Through lies and deception, these individuals abused the trust of an elderly woman in order to perpetrate a multimillion dollar fraud. Now that their despicable scheme has been exposed, they will face justice".
It would be recalled that Pastor Abakporo was alleged to have involved himself in another controversy involving contracts for renovations at the Nigerian Mission to the United Nations in New York City in 2010.
The contracts, linked to Professor Joy Ogwu, Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, were allegedly inflated, according to a petition signed by an anti-corruption group called The Patriots.
The authorities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation {FBI} said that the current fraud of the accused persons started in March 2006 when the principal suspect, Pastor Abakporo cultivated a relationship with the victim (Name withheld), who owned a Harlem apartment building.
The reports stated that the suspect offered to help the victim collect rents but ended up pocketing all the proceeds he realized from the rents.
NigerianEye further gathered that the suspect and his cohort later persuaded the woman to sell her property for $3.1 million, giving her multiple fake and fraudulent cheques which they later took back, promising to give her a private mortgage in the property.
After weaving a web of lies around their actions, the two swindlers brought their act to a local bank, claiming they owned the building “free and clear”. For this lie, they obtained a $1.8 million mortgage which they failed to repay.
Ultimately they obtained all of the elderly woman’s assets and $1.8 million by defrauding the bank.
Charges against the two criminals include multiple bank and wire fraud which together carry a maximum prison term of 100 years behind bars. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Stupid story, am not suprise, if bokoharam say they need to discharge some of there bombs into you guys factory, when you will not treat the right case at the right time, Now tell me! what has this guy story get to do with DEEPER LIFE, for cryin out loud this guy got his private office, where he dubed people, info does not reveal to us that it was in the deeperlife office or church that this transaction was made, just for the fact that he was taged pastor you now went ahead sayin this rubbish, and moreover was he afulltym pastor in the minisry, howlong has he been a pator? u media guys beter be careful, because it is a gr8 DANGER & FEAR! to fall into the hand of the ALMIGHTY GOD, you are warned...........:(.
ReplyDeleteWhen a gateman killed or raped it be tagged Hausa man - cos Hausas are predominantly gatemen-our movie industry portray so & nobody will complain. Anonimous 1 why are complaining now and even acting God by warning the medium? I'm sure if it was read Hausa man-your comment would have been - they are Boko Haram! As for the pastor he's unfortunate to have committed the offence here in Nigeria- where I'm pretty sure people like Anonimous 1 would be calling God's blessing on his 'faithful servant' just because they would have known the source of his wealth. All those wealthy MOGs that are people's heros should all go out there and take a litmus!
ReplyDeleteLet us remove the name Deeper Life but to talk about the man in person who committed the crime, not all are of God.
ReplyDeleteAll these religious fanatics should note that whether Boko haram or Deeper Life Pastor, Crime na Crime or Sin Na sin.It is not a question of religion. However,this case is one of Deeper Fraud! Shikina!
ReplyDeleteIs he not a deeper life pastor? That he is does mean that the church teaches that stealing is right. We Nigerians allow sentiments about religion to blind our thinking. He is a pastor and a thief period. The church simply should expel him
ReplyDeletethe man was only being smarth.
ReplyDeleteMedia, the story sells faster cos of the TAG "Deeper Life". well its wrong for the the media to include deeper life cos there was no were they had transactions in the church or indicated if she was a member of the church.
ReplyDeleteRELIGION IS A FRAUD IN GENERAL. ALL THESE PASTORS DO IS TAKE THE WEAK MINDED PEOPLE'S MONEY AND ENRICH THEMSELVES. NO ONE REALLY KNOWS WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF LIFE AND WHO CREATED IT. BECAUSE SOME OLD STORIES WERE WRITTEN DOESN'T MAKE EM TRUE. KEEP GIVING YOUR MONEY TO THESE THIEVES... YOU CAN'T BUY YOUR WAY INTO HEAVEN... AND KNOW MAN KNOWS IF IT REALLY EXISTS.
ReplyDeleteCan we be sincere with ourselves? What is the motive of this headline?
ReplyDeleteTo me, it is not that the man committed any offence but to portray DEEPER LIFE in a bad image.
All over the world, whether you are a Pastor or an Imam or a sympathizer or whatsoever, we all fall into the category of either good or bad people. Before you castigate by generalizing about anyone ask yourself are you good or bad?
The man according to this news is a fraud and not DEEPERLIFE.
As for those of you, yes I mean YOU, that use every available means to rub mud on people whether Christians or Muslims without any credible foundation, hear me, YOUR TIME IS COMING.
the american jurisprudence presume innocent until proven guilty, its true my friend Eric is a pastor its true he is a lawyer and this case has only begun. folks relax and lets not rush to judgment
ReplyDeleteAnonymous said...
ReplyDelete"Pastor Eric" need goes back to God i mean back to calvary for forgiveness and repentance but i want you the general public to know that going to church or being a pastor does not bring salvation from sin but,afterall Judas Iscariot was commissioned by Jesus himself as preacher,leader,healer,yet he chose to be thief,does that make other apostles to be thieves or their assembly one?This has nothing to do with Deeperlife Church at all,how i wish he had listened to the warning of the spirit during the last USA convection in NY,when God was chastising him thru Pastor W. F.Kumuyi.Other like him should repent b4 it is too late bcos God has just started,He will purge His church in USA until heavenly standard of holiness embraced in gbagada church in Nigeria is established in USA in Jesus name
Pastor Eric is a true man of God. I know him personally; and since the inception of this incident I have been to him twice. On one occasion I, in the company of other gentlemen, was in house in New York for about four hours during which he gave us the details of the whole issue backed up with indisputable facts and figures. This case is a typical instance of evil machination not just against the true men of God like Pastor Eric but against the Church of Christ as a whole. But the enemy has failed woefully. At the end of the day justice shall prevail and Pastor Eric and the Church will be vindicated by the grace of God.
ReplyDeleteThe case is currently in court, so let’s all be patient and avoid sensations and sentiments. You all know the Deeper life Bible church and what the church stands for, as well as the credibility of our pastors and leaders.
I wish you all met this man called Eric you would have understood better the kind of person he is. If he were not a born again Christian he could have been in the rank and file of human right advocates like Femi Falana, Wole Soyinka, the late Gani Fawehinmi and Martin Luther King. He is a lawyer who has used his personal money and profession to fight and procure justice for the less privileged. He’s always willing to help everyone that comes his way. I saw him on Friday, two days ago and in spite of what he is going through he still remains calm and jovial as he has always been. Smiling and hugging everyone as is usual practice without any emotion or anxiety. Truly the righteous shall be as bold as the lion.
I will suggest that we all join him and his family in prayers that God should see him through this trying moment rather than writing to spread unfounded rumors against the innocent.
Thanks and God bless you all.
Pastor Eric I hope your hands are clean from all these accusations???
ReplyDeleteThe Bible commands all believers to abstain from all appearance of evil.Believers must avoid shady deals in order to avoid reproaching the name of the Lord as we see from some of the comments above.
ReplyDeleteThe Bible commands all believers to abstain from all appearance of evil.Believers must avoid shady deals in order to avoid reproaching the name of the Lord as we see from some of the comments above.
ReplyDelete