The Non-prophets

An American Church Thrived in Nicaragua. Then Its Pastors Went to Prison.The New York Times, By Frances Robles, on Sept. 5, 2024https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/05/us/american-pastors-nicaragua-money-laundering.html Nicaragua has increasingly slipped towards authoritarian rule under President Daniel Ortega and his wife, Rosario Murillo, who have maintained control over the government for decades. Their regime has taken a firm stance against organizations that challenge their authority, particularly religious and nonprofit groups. Recently, the government revoked the tax-exempt status of nonprofits, including churches, under the guise of combating money laundering. This led to a wave of arrests and the prosecution of numerous religious leaders and organizations, among them the Hancock family and their Mountain Gateway Church.Mountain Gateway Church, an evangelical institution run by the Hancocks from Texas, was operating across multiple rural towns in Nicaragua. The church’s business dealings, which included ru