CBI books US missionary group The Timothy Initiative for FCRA breach

CBI has registered a case against USA-based Christian missionary group The Timothy Initiative (TTI) for alleged FCRA violations.

TTI is accused of misusing Rs 92.55 crore in foreign funds for missionary activities, including "brainwashing of poor people".

The investigation revealed Rs 44 crore was withdrawn using foreign debit cards from Truist Bank, bypassing regulations.

Key individuals, including TTI's India operations in-charge and finance head, have been booked by the CBI.

Allegations include the distribution of over 1000 generic-named debit cards and remote deletion of data after search proceedings.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has registered a case against a USA-based Christian missionary group, The Timothy Initiative (TTI), and several other individuals linked to it for allegedly using Rs 92.55 crore for missionary activities in violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, officials said Wednesday.

The case was lodged on a complaint from the Union Home Ministry, based on an investigation by the Enforcement Directorate.

No reaction was available from TTI as its website could not be accessed.

It is alleged that the funds were utilised in the last 6 months -- November 2025 to April 2026 -- for missionary activities.

In its complaint, the MHA alleged that the ED investigation showed that Rs 44 crore was withdrawn using foreign debit cards issued by Truist Bank in the United States in violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010, across multiple states--Karnataka, Chandigarh, Assam, etc -- during the period from January 2024 to March 2026.

Allegations Against TTI Leadership

Besides TTI, the CBI has also booked TTI's operations in-charge in India, Jonathan S Rajan; finance head Ajit Verghese Mathai; Micah Mark; and field-level functionaries of the organisation, Varghese Chacko, Supreme Joy, and Bablu Kurmi, in the case.

The CBI has alleged that Rajan ensured the funds withdrawn from ATMs were used for the activities of TTI across India, which include training, preaching and brainwashing of poor people leading to Left-wing extremism, among others.

Foreign Debit Card Scheme Uncovered

The ED had allegedly intercepted Micah Mark, understood to be a key person in the financial operations of TTI in India, at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru on April 18 with 24 foreign debit cards of Truist Bank, the anti-money laundering agency had claimed.

Search operations were also conducted at his residential premises, which showed that he had made multiple foreign trips and had returned with foreign debit cards.

"It was further revealed that the said cards (24 Nos.) were printed only in the name of Santosh Kumar, being a very generic name in India (earlier cards were being issued in the name of regions i.e. NE-1, NE-2, Southern Region-I etc.) on the instructions of Ajit Verghese Mathai so as to avoid suspicion and LEAs (law enforcement agencies) and in violation of the KYC norms to conceal the real user, thereby forging the real identity and using fraudulent means to evade the law," the agency has alleged.

The CBI alleged that over 1000 such debit cards have been distributed in India over the past few years.

Data Deletion and FCRA Non-Compliance

"It is also alleged that, after the search proceedings, the TTI Global portal (www,ttlglobal.org) became inaccessible in India. Further, the data, which is maintained on the cloud, as well as in the seized laptop, has been deleted from the back-end through remote access of the servers and laptop, which are maintained by TTI, USA," the CBI FIR has said.

In its complaint, the MHA has alleged that the Timothy Initiative, USA, qualifies as a "foreign source" under FCRA.

"Such receipt and utilisation were carried out without compliance with the mandatory conditions prescribed under section 8, 11 and 17 of the FCRA, 2010," it said.