MARTINEZ, Ga. – Federal and local authorities arrested a man believed to be the leader of the House of Prayer cult during a raid at his Georgia mansion on Wednesday.
The FBI, joined by Columbia County deputies, executed the raid at 3816 Honors Way, arresting the founder of the House of Prayer—a group accused of scamming veterans out of their benefits.
While the identity of the man remains uncertain, federal officials said he uses the name Rony Denis, a stolen identity dating back to 1983. His true identity is unknown.
Denis is one of eight House of Prayer leaders indicted on charges related to fraud schemes and tax violations, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The DOJ had planned a news conference to announce the indictment’s unsealing Thursday afternoon, but it was canceled with no official explanation.
The House of Prayer was established in 2002 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by Denis using his false citizenship status, granted that same year. The church later relocated its headquarters to Hinesville, Georgia, and expanded to roughly a dozen locations nationwide, many near military bases.
Several locations, including one in Augusta, were previously raided by the FBI three years ago, resulting in the seizure of extensive documents.
Officials confirmed that the House of Prayer is not affiliated with the similarly named United House of Prayer on Wrightsboro Road.
