HSBC Bank Closes Accounts Of Redeem Xtian Church In New York-Empowered Newswire
Posted: July 12, 2011 - 15:32

General Overseer of Redeem Xtian Church prays for Goodluck Jonathan before the 2011 April elections
By EMPOWERED NEWSWIRE
Are US-based Nigerians being discriminated against by an international bank whose branch in New York recently canceled the banking accounts of a Nigerian organization also based in the city?

This is the question on the mind of several Nigerians in New York as news filtered out in the Nigerian community here that HSBC canceled several banking accounts of one of the biggest parishes of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in New York because the bank "will not deal with Nigerians," Empowered Newswire reports yesterday.

"HSBC’s recent refusal to continue their banking relationship with our church (International Chapel Brooklyn of The Redeemed Christian Church of God) was on the grounds that we are Nigerians and that they will not ‘deal’ with Nigerians," according to a member and official of the church in New York who spoke under conditions of anonymity.

According to her, around late January and early February this year, "we opened up accounts with HSBC and in less than 4 months of doing business with HSBC, we received a call from a representative from the local branch letting us know of this information. We have informed the chairman of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in North America of this."

A source from the US Redemption Camp in Dallas, the Headquarters of the RCCG in North America, also confirmed the incident, further disclosing that the church is actually considering setting up a bank in the US based on its rising size and increasing influence in the Nigerian and African community here.

When contacted by Empowered Newswire, officials of the HSBC Bank USA Corporate Headquarters confirmed the story.

The Bank's Vice President in charge of Public Affairs, Neil Brazil simply issued a statement saying the Bank is "pleased to provide banking products and services to all members of the communities we serve."

According to him, "as is common in the banking industry, we do reserve the right to close certain accounts under our Deposit Account rules and make this clear at time of account opening." HSBC has a promotional tag line that says it is the world's local bank.




Investigations revealed that the HSBC local branch involved is located in Flatbush avenue, Brooklyn , New York, where the RCCG parish, International Chapel, Brooklyn, ICB, is also located.

Further narrating the incident, an RCCG ICB member said "after less than 2 months of maintaining 4 church commercial bank accounts with HSBC, a Bank official called and requested that we close our accounts within 24 hours."

She continued: "To preface this request, he asked several general questions such as does the Redeemed Christian Church of God have multiple branches to which one of our pastors answered yes. He then asked where those branches were located and was told we have a presence in all continents of the world."

At this point, the HSBC official-whose name was also disclosed- then explained that the reason "we need to close our accounts is that HSBC does not conduct business with organization/persons affiliated with Nigeria/Nigerians."

The church member added however that although the Bank had asked that the accounts be closed in 24 hours, after some negotiations, that involved legal representation, "we were allowed to complete/finalize the account closures within 2 weeks."

Both Pastor James Fadele, the Chairman of the RCCG in North America and Pastor Kunle Omotoso, the Senior Pastor in the parish confirmed the story. The RCCG parish involved, ICB, is one of the biggest in New York, and one of the oldest in North America, where the church has been operating now for 15 years.

Meanwhile leaders of the RCCG in the US are said to be "seriously considering promoting a Bank" of their own in the US in line with similar practice by similar organizations here in the US.

However, other leading US banks including Bank of America, Chase, Citibank continue to hold banking accounts for US-based Nigerian groups and individuals of all hues without discrimination.
Source: http://saharareporters.com/news-page/hsbc-bank-closes-accounts-redeem-xtian-church-new-york-empowered-newswire

I have 2 accounts with HSBC, I'm Nigerian and Ive heard no such thing.

Lulusolas, I modfied your title a bit to make it clearer . And also pls check your link. It doesn't work.

@topic,

luluosas:
At this point, the HSBC official-whose name was also disclosed- then explained that the reason "we need to close our accounts is that HSBC does not conduct business with organization/persons affiliated with Nigeria/Nigerians."

. . . hmmm. We need more information on this story.

Who knows, the church may have been involved in money laundering!

JeSoul:

Lulusolas, I modfied your title a bit to make it clearer . And also pls check your link. It doesn't work.

Thanks for the modifications. As for the link, I will post here once more. It should open.

http://saharareporters.com/
news-page/hsbc-bank-closes-accounts-redeem-xtian-church-new-york-empowered-newswire

luluosas:

Thanks for the modifications. As for the link, I will post here once more. It should open.

Visit: http:///news-page/hsbc-bank-closes-accounts-redeem-xtian-church-new-york-empowered-newswire

^Ah! I know why it wasn't working. You did it correctly, but SR are on Seun's bad side their name is being axed by the bot.

A couple sites are reporting it: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=news-page%2Fhsbc-bank-closes-accounts-redeem-xtian-church-new-york-empowered-newswire&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=f&oq=

JeSoul:

 
^Ah! I know why it wasn't working. You did it correctly, but SR are on Seun's bad side their name is being axed by the bot.

A couple sites are reporting it: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q=news-page%2Fhsbc-bank-closes-accounts-redeem-xtian-church-new-york-empowered-newswire&btnG=Google+Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=f&oq=

I was very surprised as the link came out broken. Thank you for the useful link you now provided.

rccg should have its own bank by now.

let the 3 gods people have their own bank. or banks. they can call it trinity or crusade bank.

they can have so many banks that when the muslims open their own bank, it becomes their banker; makng money for them and giving them free loan so that they can make more crusades, sending the soldiers of Jesus to trample all over them. converting them.

just maybe, the christians can stop stooping so low for everything britisher; hsbc

^^as long as the bank is privately owned, not a problem.

whoever wants to give loan should do so.

it has to be repaid, right?

not like the loan would be a gift.

@ladyboy Tilap!ah,


Foolis.h tranny, I know you won't have any problem with Crusader bank. Hopeless transgendered

^^dont blame me for your lack of cognitive skills, jon bullsh!t.

I heard Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is behind it , in highly placed circles, he wanted to teach can a lesson on talking trash, hence he ordered some Mujahideen to purchase Shares in the Banks and close all accounts of Christians +. Do be advised SLS is also working assiduously to cease funds that were stashed in such accounts.

I am highly informed, I even know Bush head od security, his name is Ogbonah ADE Ciroma

Seriously, I hope Redeemed Church is not invovled in Laundering

tpia@:

^^dont blame me for your lack of cognitive skills, jon bullsh!t.

Dont mind him, sweetheart

Let Nigerians go back to their country, some Nigerians are incompetent thwarts with no communication skills. They probably went in there, screaming at the top of their lungs.


Go Home and FIX Nigeria.


Why won't Nigerians point fingers at Honorable Go-slow Jonathan Goodluck ? ahaha! Go home and FIX Nigeria ? Quick to point fingers though at every external parties.

Are we really sure that HSBC cut their account because they don't want to deal with Nigerians. That sounds very fishy to me. Firstly, if that hits the mass media the outcry of racism will be deafening. Then secondly, their happen to be a lot of nigerians with HSBC accounts all over the world.

I suspect that RCCG was caught out doing something dodgy and they are using this false story to cover up the real reason that their account has been terminated.

Money Laundering is a big possibility.

@PastorAIO

You spoke my mind exactly. We even have several Nigerians working in HSBC as well, if they were discriminating they won't be employing Nigerians to work for them.

They were stealing money for some politicians.

luluosas:

A source from the US Redemption Camp in Dallas, the Headquarters of the RCCG in North America, also confirmed the incident, further disclosing that [size=16pt]the church is actually considering setting up a bank in the US[/size] based on its rising size and increasing influence in the Nigerian and African community here.

^How come y'all missed this.

long overdue, imo.

I hope that they don't succeed. Too many crooks at Redeem.

Then they will know the full earnings of members. They'll even be able to extract the tithe direct without waiting for contribution or offering time during service. Since modern banking is a form of bondage it means that RCCG members will be under double bondage.

Pastor AIO:

Then they will know the full earnings of members. They'll even be able to extract the tithe direct without waiting for contribution or offering time during service. Since modern banking is a form of bondage it means that RCCG members will be under double bondage.

How sad what the church these days has become. Veery tragic.

bondage to you, freedom to others.

must you complain on their behalf abi na bad belle.

you're not even christian.

maybe that's how you bamboozle your followers?

you must not be aware there are laws and regulations governing banking.

and who said only rccg members will be able to patronize the bank?

anyone who gives his or her pastor free access to their bank account in the name of religion, should blame nobody because that's not in any bible.

@Alethia
Why are you suprised? Rccg is a full fledge multinational business conglomerate, nothing wrong in them opening their own bank as it would definitely further their business interests. And if the money laundering allegation is true, it would make it easier for them to launder funds infact the bank end up being the main conduit Nigerian Politicians use to launder their stolen loot.

tpia@:

bondage to you, freedom to others.

must you complain on their behalf abi na bad belle.

you're not even christian.

maybe that's how you bamboozle your followers?

you must not be aware there are laws and regulations governing banking.

and who said only rccg members will be able to patronize the bank?

anyone who gives his or her pastor free access to their bank account in the name of religion, should blame nobody because that's not in any bible.

Of course you wouldn't have been taught in your 'church' to be concerned for the welfare of others. Your only concern is to 'make heaven' or some such trite crap. And yet with this attitude you will insist that you are the christian and others are not true christians.

Are you aware that there are laws and regulations governing slavery? Even in the bible there are laws and regulations concerning slavery.

I don't know who said only rccg members will be able to patronize the bank. Maybe you could tell me who said only rccg member will be able to patronize the bank. But before you tell me, you'll first have to explain to me how it is relevant.