Home Christian News Former Hillsong Employee Alleges Church Misled Donors, Evaded Taxes

Former Hillsong Employee Alleges Church Misled Donors, Evaded Taxes

Moses also alleged that during that same meeting, Ridley gave directives to financial staff to conceal certain financial practices from the ACNC. This included halting a pending cash payment of significant value in order to ensure that no record of any cash payment to a United States based Hillsong entity existed, as well as reversing a payment to the pastor of Hillsong Tokyo, labeling it a “transactional error,” and instead sending the funds from the American Hillsong entity to Japan. 

Following the meeting, Moses anonymously reached out to the ACNC about making a whistleblower inquiry. While she ultimately decided against it, she continued to keep records of her conversations with Ridley and is prepared to share them in court. 

Moses stated that she refused to lie to the ACNC during the investigation.

The conflict between Moses and Hillsong came to a head on June 10, when Moses discovered that she had lost access to her company emails and shared files. On June 14, she was advised that she was suspended. The next day, Hillsong staff were informed that Moses would be taking a personal leave of absence. 

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Moses said that on June 16, she received an email from Hillsong’s human resources department that threatened to contact the police if she did not return her church-issued laptop. 

Hillsong Church lawyers expressed to ABC reporters that they would defend themselves against Moses’ claims, adding, “We are further instructed that Hillsong is continuing to work with the enquiries made by the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profit Commission…As the matter is now before the Federal Court of Australia, it is inappropriate to make any further comment.”

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Moses’ Fair Work case will be heard in federal court later this year. Hillsong Church has not yet filed a response to Moses’ claims in federal court.