Five couples who have been part of an Old Hickory religious community that’s faced recent scrutiny are accusing Global Outreach Development (G.O.D.) International founder Gregg Garner of defrauding them of their money and using his religious authority to do so.
The newest lawsuit follows Garner’s ouster from G.O.D. International in October amid allegations of sexual assault. Those allegations resulted in a lawsuit filed in March from three women who accuse Garner of sexual abuse.
Then, three other lawsuits filed later that month unearthed conflicts between Garner and employees of businesses that he owned. Those businesses operated as independent entities but mostly provided services within the G.O.D. International community, which also includes a school.
Now, the five couples’ lawsuit against Garner raises new allegations about those interrelated financial interests within the G.O.D. International community and businesses that Garner managed. The couples say they paid Garner tens of thousands of dollars for a proposed real estate investment that they never benefitted from.
“Ultimately, to date, Plaintiffs have received no ownership interest, no repayment, no accounting, no return on their investments, and no profits from their investments,” the April 29 complaint stated.
Attorney James Cobb, who’s representing Garner in a different lawsuit, was not immediately available to comment on the newest case against Garner. Garner’s wife, Tara, is also a defendant in the case. She was not immediately available to comment in a request for comment to her company, Nova Birth Services.
G.O.D. International is not a defendant in this lawsuit and said in an email it does not comment on active litigation.
In March, a G.O.D. International spokesperson said in an email that Garner no longer works with G.O.D. International or its related entities, holds no positions in the ministry and is not allowed on campus. The ministry’s board leaders confronted Garner on Sept. 30 after allegations of sexual misconduct were reported. He was suspended Oct. 5 and resigned Oct. 8, the spokesperson said.
The lawsuit over the real estate investment accuses the G.O.D. International founder of coercive behavior similar to the accusations of plaintiffs in other lawsuits.
“Garner heavily emphasized his position of trust relationships developed through longstanding church affiliation exceeding twenty (20) years with several of the Plaintiffs, using biblical doctrine to coerce them to go along with his scheme,” the April 29 complaint said.
According to the lawsuit, Garner and his wife received $185,000 in total investment funds from the five couples to put toward the purchase of 41 tracts of land in Old Hickory. The lawsuit acuses Garner of soliciting the couples to take on debt to help come up with the funds.
The lawsuit states that one of Garner’s companies acquired the 41 tracts of land and then transferred the ownership to another entity that Garner owned. That transfer occurred without the couples’ consent.
According to the lawsuit, Garner and his wife made a profit through that transfer at the same time they were “defrauding Plaintiffs of their funds, and their future use of land they were promised.”
G.O.D. International and Garner have come under fire from a website called G.O.D. Is A Cult, which is managed by a group of former members. G.O.D. International has called the group behind that website a “hate group.”
In November, G.O.D. International hired third-party investigator Godly Response to Abuse in Christian Environments (GRACE) to examine the sexual abuse allegations against Garner. As of March, that inquiry was ongoing.
Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on social media @liamsadams.