Police have registered three FIRs in Vasai, Bhusawal and Miraj against one Jimmy Joseph, a self-proclaimed “Pastor” from Navi Mumbai, for allegedly cheating donors by illegally collecting money in the name of a so-called “Tikvah Slum Ministry” which does not even exist.
The Vasai complaint was filed by a Vasai resident Johnson Dsouza, a donor who came forward after discovering the fraudulent activities. Upon investigation, the police found prima facie evidence of cheating by inducement and registered the offense accordingly. Speaking about the complaint, Johnson Dsouza said,
“I filed this complaint because I felt it was my duty to expose this fraud and warn others. This so-called Pastor has no registered trust, which is mandatory under Indian law for collecting funds. Yet, he has been brazenly collecting money in his and his wife’s personal accounts for years under the guise of a ‘Slum Ministry.’ His own social media posts and videos are a self-confession. He shares QR codes that link directly to personal bank accounts, encouraging people to send money without any transparency or accountability. This is not charity; this is organized cheating.”
Dsouza further added: “This is not an isolated incident. I have learned that two other similar FIRs for cheating have been registered against the same individual in Bhusawal and Miraj also. The pattern is clear. Innocent people in India and abroad are being fooled by social media appeals, believing they are contributing to a legitimate charitable cause. How many donors have fallen prey to this trap needs to be thoroughly investigated.”
The complaint of all the three donors highlights that Jimmy Joseph has been wrongfully using Facebook and other social media platforms to target unsuspecting donors, including those from the United States. By collecting funds in personal accounts without a registered trust, he has violated fundamental laws governing charitable collections.
Johnson Dsouza concluded: “This should be an eye-opener for all innocent people who fall into traps like these. I urge everyone to verify the credentials of any organization before donating. Never send money to personal accounts. If an appeal seems suspicious, report it to the authorities immediately. I am confident that the police and the Enforcement Directorate will conduct a thorough investigation and bring the accused to justice.”
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