MARTINEZ, Ga. — A major FBI operation unfolded Wednesday as federal agents and Columbia County deputies raided a luxury mansion in the West Lake community, arresting the alleged leader of the controversial House of Prayer.
The man taken into custody is known as Rony Denis, but authorities believe that name is stolen. According to the FBI, Denis allegedly stole the identity in 1983, leaving his true identity unknown. He was booked into jail as part of a federal case involving financial fraud, identity theft, and scamming veterans out of benefits.
The House of Prayer, founded by Denis in 2002 using the false identity, has been under scrutiny for years. Critics label it a cult that targets military veterans, operating near military bases and exploiting their benefits. The group originally started in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, before relocating its headquarters to Hinesville, Georgia, and eventually growing to a dozen locations nationwide.
Denis is one of eight leaders of the House of Prayer recently indicted on various fraud and tax-related charges, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A press conference scheduled for Thursday afternoon will officially announce the unsealing of the indictment.
Authorities emphasize that despite the similar name, the House of Prayer involved in the case has no affiliation with the United House of Prayer on Wrightsboro Road.
