Charity Commission tackles financial concerns at Pentecostal denomination with 90 UK churches

The Christ Embassy church denomination, founded by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome has oversight for 90 churches across the country.

An inquiry was opened into the charity, following a number of concerns about the use of charitable funds on large connected party payments.

The Charity Commission’s investigation found a number of informal grants and payments had been made to affiliated organisations.

Between 2009 – 2011, the charity gave over £1.2 million to a broadcasting company, Loveworld Television Ministry, which was wholly owned by a trustee of the charity.

Loveworld was also given use of a £1.8 million property purchased by the charity, free of charge for six years.

It is not unlawful to make positive collaborations to linked companies, according to the regulator, so long as they are appropriately managed.

The inquiry found a lack of formal contracts or appropriate record keeping, and a lack of evidence of conflicts of interest being appropriately managed as well as poor financial management.

Two members of the charity’s board of trustees resigned after the regulator took action to have them removed upon concluding serious misconduct and/or mismanagement had taken place.

The Commission also took temporary and protective action by freezing bank accounts, to protect over £600,000 of charitable funds, and appointing an interim manager who took over the running of the…