Di Chairman of di Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, don tok say im bin investigate di Lead Pastor of Streams of Joy International, Jerry Eze, for six months for alleged money laundering. Olukoyede make dis informate on Wednesday April 29 for Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony for Abuja, Nigeria capital.
E say di agency bin observe say one domiciliary account dey wia dollars and pounds bin dey “drop like raindrops” from different kontris. Olukoyede tok say: “I go embarrass you today. I bin no wan tok am, but I just feel like na my little way of making dis contribution. I bin investigate dis man for six months for money laundering. We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, one account dey, one domiciliary account; dollars, pounds bin dey drop like raindrops from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo. I say, ‘Who be dis man? Yes, I don dey hear about im name. I don see im face couple of times. I bin no bother about wetin e bin dey do; na pastor.'”
Di EFCC chair add say: “So, dem say na one Pastor Jerry Eze of Streams of Joy. Go investigate am. So, we bin go into investigation; we comb di books. Yes, we see money dey come in.” Olukoyede, however, say afta dem conclude di investigation, e invite Pastor Eze and commend am. “So, e tell me wetin happun, how di money come, and how e don dey help pipo and all of dat. I tell am, ‘I no call you here to explain to me. We don already do our work. I call you here to commend you,'” e add.
Olukoyede say di EFCC also get preventive mandate, and add say di agency gatz also identify wit righteous pipo wit integrity. “Di only tin wey remain now na to give you letter of validation, but I no go give you becos I go still continue to monitor your finances,” e tell di Pastor Eze.
Money laundering na criminal activity and e dey happun wen pesin hide wia illegal money come from so e go look clean and legal. Pipo dey do am becos money wey dem make from crimes like drug dealing, fraud, or corruption fit easily raise suspicion if dem use am directly. To avoid dis, dem go pass di money through different steps to confuse anyone wey dey try track am. E get three main stages. Di first na placement, wia di pesin go put di illegal money into di financial system, often by depositing di money for bank or mix am wit cash from a business. Di second stage na layering, wia dem go move di money around many times, such as through transfers, purchases, or different accounts, to hide im true source. Di final stage na integration, wia dem go bring back di “cleaned” money into di economy. E fit appear as profits from business, investments, or sales. At dis point, di money go look legal and fit dey used witout raising suspicion. Pipo fit use fake businesses, legal companies wey no get active business operations, or even buy expensive items like cars or houses to make di money look legitimate. Money laundering na serious crime becos e dey help oda crimes continue and make am harder for authorities to catch offenders.
Pastor Jerry Eze na di Lead Pastor of Streams of Joy International. Streams of Joy na global religious ministry wey dey impact lives worldwide. E also be di Convener of New Season Prophetic Prayers & Declarations (NSPPD), wey be ogbonge online prayer platform wey dey known for dia daily prophetic declarations and testimonies of life-changing miracles. E start im church ova eleven years ago and e don grow fast. Pastor Eze dey known for im popular saying ‘Wat God Cannot Do Does Not Exist’. Di saying become major debate sake of how popular e dey amongst plenti Nigerians. Im church currently get ova 26 branches wey spread across Nigeria, Canada, di United States, and di United Kingdom. Pastor Eze dey popular well-well and e don appear for BBC, CNN, amongst many oda media organisations. Im YouTube channel dey ranked as di Most Watched Live Channel for Nigeria and also di Channel wit di Most Live Viewers for Nigeria.
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