People have turned to prayer during difficult (and joyful) times since the dawn of man. With billions of people believing in the power of prayer, there is certainly no shortage of scams looking to take advantage. Businessman Benjamin Rogovy, however, seems to have taken it a little too far. He has just been ordered to repay millions of dollars in earnings for his deceptive website where he charged between $9 and $35 for prayers.
His websites, ChristianPrayerCenter.com and Oracioncristiana.org, offered prayers by ministers (who, the courts found, didn’t actually exist) on behalf of thousands of people. They had glowing reviews on the site saying that their prayers have helped put cancer into remission, deliver healthy babies and even win the lottery.
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson described the situation as an, unfair and deceptive business.” The courts ordered him to pay back 125,000 people who used the ‘service’ plus court costs and an additional $1 million penalty if he doesn’t comply with the order.
Ferguson went on to say, “I believe in the power of prayer. What I do not believe in and what I will not tolerate is unlawful businesses that prey on people – taking advantage of their faith or their need for help – in order to make a quick buck.”
In addition to claiming that the prayers would come from pastors and ministers who didn’t actually exist, Rogovy’s website was ‘deliberately confusing’ and in many cases locked customers into recurring payments that were very difficult to get out of.
The websites currently display a message saying, “The Christian Prayer Center is now closed. We thank you for all the prayers, and we cherish the opportunity to have created a place where Christians could meet to support each other.” It then linked visitors to other online prayer centers, including some that did not ask for payment.
Those who have been defrauded by this service need to file a complaint with the Washington state attorney general’s office by June 12th in order to receive a refund. This can be done online.
