WALTHOURVILLE — A federal judge in Augusta has set a Sept. 23 arraignment for six of eight House of Prayer Christian Church leaders accused of fleecing their flock. Attorneys for all eight defendants have until Sept. 24 to respond to the government’s request to waive a speedy trial based on the volume of evidence in the case. Pastor Rony Denis and his assistant Anthony Oloans remain in federal custody.
The government alleges HOPCC ran fraudulent real estate and education schemes that siphoned over $23 million in veterans’ benefits into leaders’ pockets.
The court had ordered attorneys for both sides “not [to] file their exhibit list and/or witness list on the record.” On Thursday, it gave the government 90 days to disclose its expert witnesses, while the defense has 60 days to do so. Pretrial motions are also due within six months…