In Australia, the Agape Ministries used claims about a doomsday to get the congregation to donate. The predicted doomsday didn’t happen Perhaps you noticed? Now, two particular members who donated a combined $1.4 million want their money back. That plaintiff and another former church member, Martin Penney, are suing pastor Rocco Leo and two of his associates, Joe Venziano and Mari-Antionette Veneziano.
They want their money back, claiming they handed over more than $400,000 and $1 million respectively to the church based on lies about a doomsday scenario.
A lawyer representing both plaintiffs, David Riggall, told the hearing it was possible the suppressed case may be resolved without going to trial.
Yes, yes, blame the victims. Sure it was foolish to believe the claims in the first place. Let's move on. This is about false advertising.
They truly believed that giving the pastor their money was the right thing to do. Perhaps they should ask for a refund from their grade schools on the basis they never were able to perform rational thought, but, again, this isn't about the 'victims'.
And it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye...:
Ms Baligod said she believed many other people wanted to come forward with civil claims, but were scared. “A lot of them have been threatened by insiders, with death threats as I understand it,” she said.
Now, it’s bad enough to con people out of their money. But if the allegations of death threats are true, that ratchets the stakes to a new level. But if the pastor and his goons kill the parishioners, wouldn't that negate the lawsuit as contract fulfilled?
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