Why Confronting NCI Still Matters
"NCI and related matters have brought serious confusion, disruption, and distrust into the international church mission community (CMC). Restoration will happen only as we walk fully in the light with both God and humans as witnesses: to establish the facts, admit any errors and wrongdoing, share perspectives, and help return/recover money for investors. Individuals and organisations committed to integrity should have nothing to fear and should welcome the opportunity to help via open investigations and verifiable disclosures. Our transparency and accountability now will also help prevent similar situations within the international CMC from happening in the future."
This Update provides resources for integrity and anti-corruption.
It continues the call for integrity, truth, and healing
in the international NCI KB fraud.
Click here for the latest PPNet weblog entry
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Greetings as we continue in year 16 of the PETRA People Network and our regular Updates! Note: Into Integrity Updates are now included as part of PETRA People Updates.
In the latest PPNet Update (Issue 95), we continue to share new and ongoing resources to support integrity and anti-corruption in your life, organizations, and spheres of influence. We also continue to feature material about the Nordic Capital Investments KB (NCI) corruption. See the PPNet weblog for more information and links to these resources.
In Part One, we present again the PETRA Statement 2012, reaffirming its ongoing "international call for integrity and action" in the NCI fraud case. The Statement calls on specific organizations as well as leaders and people affected by NCI to support and conduct independent and internal reviews, disclose information, and work toward returning missing funds. We also share a) three spotlight resources from Global Integrity Day-9 June (GID) (the new GID overview video, a new Leadership for Public Integrity course, and UNITAR's Global Anti-Corruption Training Platform); b) a definiton of integrity and corruption; and c) an Into Integrity podcast and its companion weblog entry that present seven reasons why continuing to publicly confront the NCI fraud and appealing to those affected by it are important.
n Part Two, we continue to share the Summary and Summons. This is an essential review of the NCI corruption to understand what happened and what needs to be done. We persevere in obedience to God, for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard,
As with all of our Updates, we encourage you to take the time to review all the featured resources, dive deep into some of them, and discuss them and their applications with colleagues.
"The only thing necessary for corruption to flourish
is to do nothing about it—or to do some non-efficacious and non-resolute 'thing'
[often rationalizing our motives and actions as being 'noble and necessary']
and then move on, often with our consciences placated and our livelihoods protected."
Loving Truth and Peace: A Case Study (2013)
is to do nothing about it—or to do some non-efficacious and non-resolute 'thing'
[often rationalizing our motives and actions as being 'noble and necessary']
and then move on, often with our consciences placated and our livelihoods protected."
Loving Truth and Peace: A Case Study (2013)
Part One
New and Ongoing Resources
Resource 1
PETRA Statement 2012: An International Call for Integrity and Action
Still Relevant and Crucial--15 Years On!
Excerpts from the first two paragraphs:
"We are calling again for assistance from organizations and people that have been affected by NCI. This call also includes now the general public as well as the members and donors of these organizations. Unfortunately, there have been few disclosures following the various requests for assistance. This PETRA Statement 2012 also specifically calls for resolute action for transparency and accountability within the international church-mission community (CMC), including leaders and members at all levels of the organizations affected. This is not implying any wrongdoing but rather it is a direct and public request to take ethical action—to do what would be expected of any other organization, church, or person of integrity to do in a similar situation. This Statement also includes links to key documents...
The Swedish case against NCI concluded 21 December 2011 upon the final decision of the Swedish Supreme Court. The prosecution and courts clearly established that gross fraud was committed over many years. A Swedish citizen was the focus of the case...He was sentenced to 3.5 years of prison and ordered to repay many of the victims. This person’s traceable assets are minimal though and hence he is not able to repay as required. Millions in the equivalent of euros/dollars are still missing. Fortunately, a significant amount of NCI-related investments and money flows are in fact traceable according to EBM/Swedish court documents. This money must be returned."
Read the full Statement HERE.
Resource 2
Spotlight Resources for Global Integrity Day-9 June 2026
GID Overview, Leadership Integrity Course, Anti-Corruption Platform
PETRA Statement 2012: An International Call for Integrity and Action
Still Relevant and Crucial--15 Years On!
Excerpts from the first two paragraphs:
"We are calling again for assistance from organizations and people that have been affected by NCI. This call also includes now the general public as well as the members and donors of these organizations. Unfortunately, there have been few disclosures following the various requests for assistance. This PETRA Statement 2012 also specifically calls for resolute action for transparency and accountability within the international church-mission community (CMC), including leaders and members at all levels of the organizations affected. This is not implying any wrongdoing but rather it is a direct and public request to take ethical action—to do what would be expected of any other organization, church, or person of integrity to do in a similar situation. This Statement also includes links to key documents...
The Swedish case against NCI concluded 21 December 2011 upon the final decision of the Swedish Supreme Court. The prosecution and courts clearly established that gross fraud was committed over many years. A Swedish citizen was the focus of the case...He was sentenced to 3.5 years of prison and ordered to repay many of the victims. This person’s traceable assets are minimal though and hence he is not able to repay as required. Millions in the equivalent of euros/dollars are still missing. Fortunately, a significant amount of NCI-related investments and money flows are in fact traceable according to EBM/Swedish court documents. This money must be returned."
Read the full Statement HERE.
Resource 2
Spotlight Resources for Global Integrity Day-9 June 2026
GID Overview, Leadership Integrity Course, Anti-Corruption Platform
This year's Global Integrity Day-9 June (GID) spotlights tthree special efforts for integrity and anti-corruption (described below).
1. A presentation that overviews GID and a few other global initiatives (13 minutes): powerpoint video, audio, and slides/notes.
2. The new online certificate course, Leadership for Public Integrity, developed by the Center for Reconciliation at Duke Divinity School and the Faith and Public Integrity Network. This certificate course has been developed to inspire, form, and support Christian leaders as agents of reconciliation by pursuing public integrity work in their own contexts.
3. The Global Anti-Corruption Training Platform, curated by United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). The platform is "an online learning hub designed to equip relevant stakeholders with the knowledge and tools to prevent and combat corruption. This platform provides access to 21 e-learning courses on 6 different topics, related to anticorruption and its links to human rights, sustainable development, technologies, assessment tool for implementing the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), whistleblowers and other sources of information, and parliamentarian women, available in English, Arabic, Spanish and French. It also brings a repository of knowledge, as it offers other training materials, toolkits, and information on the UN Convention Against Corruption, as well as publications, related events, news, other websites of interest, and videos that help government officials to fight corruption in their countries." Note also UNITAR's Anticorruption Online Toolkit Brochure.
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Launched in 2020, Global Integrity Day (GID) is a positive day to reflect, teach, and collaborate on ways to integrate integrity in all we do throughout the entire year. It is a strategic day to promote a) cultivating lifestyles, cultures, and systems of integrity from the individual through the international levels; b) joining together to understand and address the causes and consequences of corruption in its many forms; and c) working towards just and equitable societies marked with wellbeing for all people and for the planet. See the many resources on the GID site for the years 2000-2026 including spotlight activities and events. Participate and spread the word!
Resource 3
Defining Integrity and Corruption
How Much Do You Have--of Either?
What exactly is integrity? How do we develop and maintain it? And how do you and others know if you/they are acting with integrity--how do you evaluate "integrity"? Our default is to assume and to affirm that we got it--but this assertion is not always true. Integrity is often "mixed"--true in some parts of our life but not all parts--along with our having with mixed motives. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. (Proverbs 16:2)
Integrity is moral wholeness—living consistently in moral wholeness—with honesty, humility, and all the virtues--and with an awareness of one’s potential to deceive and harm oneself and others. Integrity needs external moral referents--standards of virtue with accountability--and not simply positive self-appraisals--in order to safeguard us all from both blind and willful hypocrisy. Global integrity is living consistently in moral wholeness at all levels--individual, interpersonal, institutional, and international; across sectors and settings; local through global; the systemic and structural.
Corruption is moral rottenness, the opposite of integrity--the distortion, perversion, and deterioration of moral goodness, resulting in the abuse and exploitation of people and the planet. It is integroty. 'If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, then how great is your darkness!" (Matthew 6:23)
Defining Integrity and Corruption
How Much Do You Have--of Either?
What exactly is integrity? How do we develop and maintain it? And how do you and others know if you/they are acting with integrity--how do you evaluate "integrity"? Our default is to assume and to affirm that we got it--but this assertion is not always true. Integrity is often "mixed"--true in some parts of our life but not all parts--along with our having with mixed motives. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD. (Proverbs 16:2)
Integrity is moral wholeness—living consistently in moral wholeness—with honesty, humility, and all the virtues--and with an awareness of one’s potential to deceive and harm oneself and others. Integrity needs external moral referents--standards of virtue with accountability--and not simply positive self-appraisals--in order to safeguard us all from both blind and willful hypocrisy. Global integrity is living consistently in moral wholeness at all levels--individual, interpersonal, institutional, and international; across sectors and settings; local through global; the systemic and structural.
Corruption is moral rottenness, the opposite of integrity--the distortion, perversion, and deterioration of moral goodness, resulting in the abuse and exploitation of people and the planet. It is integroty. 'If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, then how great is your darkness!" (Matthew 6:23)
Note that the above definitions of integrity and corruption open the door wide to the crucial discussion and clarification of "external moral referents" and "standards of virtue and accountability" as well as the process and accuracy of one's moral perceptions of self and others.
Resource 4
Continuing to publicly confront the NCI fraud
and appealing to those affected by it are crucial.
:
In this podcast, Why FAST? (7 minutes), I share (Kelly) seven personal reflections on the importance of the 40 day FAST done in 2019. FASTis an acronym for food FAst and hunger STrike. These reflections continue to be relevant and crucial in the ongoing efforts to publicly confront the NCI fraud and appeal to those affected by it! See also the written overview of the podcast HERE (on the IN2 blogsite).
A reminder: "The purpose of the Into Integrity (In2) FAST is to call attention to--and confront--the lack of disclosures by specific organizations/leaders/people affected by the international Nordic Capital Investment KB fraud (NCI) as well as the related dismissals that Michele (my wife) and I have received. I am fasting for genuine contrition and striking for resolute action within the Church Mission Community (CMC)."
Seven Reflections
A reminder: "The purpose of the Into Integrity (In2) FAST is to call attention to--and confront--the lack of disclosures by specific organizations/leaders/people affected by the international Nordic Capital Investment KB fraud (NCI) as well as the related dismissals that Michele (my wife) and I have received. I am fasting for genuine contrition and striking for resolute action within the Church Mission Community (CMC)."
Seven Reflections
"1. It’s not too late. ...I am fasting for genuine contrition and striking for resolute action within the Church Mission Community (CMC).” Consider well your ways! (Haggai 1) It’s not too late.
2. Don't give up. The response to the ongoing requests for assistance within the CMC regarding the NCI fraud has been minimal at best. Nonetheless I remain resolute. Confronting corruption, speaking truth to power, prophetic summons to repentance—these are long-term and not short-term acts of commitment—loving truth, peace, and people (Zech 8:19). I am not giving up.
3. Obey the Spirit. Since July 2007, we began to publicly confront the fraud and whistle blow with others only to see the sad emergence of three core components of corruption: coverups, collusion, cowardice. Note that parts of the NCI fraud story and our dismissals are interwoven, as documented in the in-depth Professional Review [online in 2018]... I want to obey the Spirit.
4. Truth is our greatest ally. ...one specific character lesson I was taught from YWAM was found written on the inserts we glued into free bibles: Only the dishonest fear the truth (see image above). This is a lesson and a truth which continue to guide and goad me, and which I hope and pray will guide and goad others in the organizations affected by NCI, including YWAM and its leaders. Don’t be afraid. Don't adjust the "truth" with self-serving rationalizations. Truth is our greatest ally..
5. Help people to be on the right side of moral history. My job in FAST is to pray, post, and podcast...to exhort again a) specific organizations, leaders, and people affected by the NCI fraud...and b) leaders who have dismissed us from specific organizations, positions, and responsibilities...Reconsider your actions and your course. Are you living up to your stated good practice principles and core values, external good financial practice codes, and Biblical principles?... It’s important to be on the right side of moral history.
6. Love never ceases. I love the international Church-Mission Community. I want to see its tarnished reputation, compromised integrity, and marred witness healed. Love is a command to cherish and obey. Love never ceases. (see excerpts on integrity in the Lausanne Movement’s Cape Town Commitment)
7. And finally, know Christ, for His glory. I don’t seek or expect any personal gain from FAST. But I do hope to experience the grace to know Christ crucified, my Lord (I Cor 2) and to count all things as loss in order to know Him (Phil 3). Please join with me to use these posts-pods in preparing ourselves for the day when as the spotless Bride, we will know fully even as we are fully known. (2 Cor 11:2, Eph 5:27, I Cor 13:12). For His glory."
Nordic Capital Investment KB et al.
Confronting the Ongoing Corruption
Be people of integrity--always and everywhere!
“Corruption is criminal, immoral and the ultimate betrayal of public trust.….We must hold leaders to account….A vibrant civic space and open access to information are essential. And we must protect the rights and recognize the courage of whistle-blowers who expose wrongdoing….As an age-old plague takes on new forms, let us combat it with new heights of resolve.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Statement on corruption in the context of COVID-19 (15 October 2020)
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We continue to be resolute in the collaborative efforts (since 2007) that are calling for assistance and disclosures from specific people and organizations in the international Nordic Capital Investments KB et al. fraud and the related dismissals. Three examples of these efforts, with links to documentation, are in this entry of the PPNet weblog: the Professional Review report, the Healing the Body summary-summons (Part 2), and the Integrity Petition (info also below). Healing will come when there are specific and public acknowledgments of responsibility: "we got it wrong and we were wrong, we are sorry for our actions and inactions, and we will make changes and amends."
We recommend reviewing the Summary and Summons--The essential review of NCI et al to understand what happened (including documentary evidence) and what needs to be done (Part 2 in the PETRA People weblogs over the past several years). See also the PETRA People website (Peace, Transparency, and Accountability--PETRA). Since 2011, this site has provided information and resources on integrity and corruption with a focus on the international fraud, Nordic Capital Investments KB (NCI).
We also recommend listening to any of the 14 Into Integrity podcasts that have done to advocate for truth, repentance, and healing in the past and ongoing NCI KB et al. corruption and related dismissals. You can listen to the podcasts HERE and you can read the blogposts HERE.
We recommend reviewing the Summary and Summons--The essential review of NCI et al to understand what happened (including documentary evidence) and what needs to be done (Part 2 in the PETRA People weblogs over the past several years). See also the PETRA People website (Peace, Transparency, and Accountability--PETRA). Since 2011, this site has provided information and resources on integrity and corruption with a focus on the international fraud, Nordic Capital Investments KB (NCI).
We also recommend listening to any of the 14 Into Integrity podcasts that have done to advocate for truth, repentance, and healing in the past and ongoing NCI KB et al. corruption and related dismissals. You can listen to the podcasts HERE and you can read the blogposts HERE.
Make every day an integrity day!
PETRA People Network
PETRA People Network
Join with others around the world
by reading, signing, and sharing the petition below.
An ongoing, international petition calling for integrity and action
to confront corruption in the church-mission community
and in particular the international NCI et al. fraud.
to confront corruption in the church-mission community
and in particular the international NCI et al. fraud.
The NCI fraud, like all corruption, will not simply go away on its own, over time, by ignoring it, or by keeping silent. Nor is it simply up to the courts or some other people somewhere to do something. And it is absolutely not "over and done with." The only thing necessary for corruption to flourish is to do nothing, or to do some non-resolute "thing" and move on, usually feeling self-justified--with our consciences placated and our livelihoods protected.
Much is at stake for the restoration of the moral health and reputation of specific Christian leaders and organizations. There is much to learn from this protracted case of corruption and the largely unanswered calls for assistance via verifiable disclosures and independent reviews.
In spite of the long-term and ongoing damage, the time is still opportune for people to reverse course and act with integrity. And it is not too late for informed people to call leaders (current and past) and organizations into account: Mercy Ministries/Le Rucher, Youth With A Mission, Mercy Ships International, Youth For Christ, Crossroads Church Ferney-Voltaire France, etc.
PETRA People Network
PETRA People Network was set up in 2010. We are committed to promoting peace, transparency, and accountability in all sectors of society and especially in the international Christian community. Our general focus is on preventing and confronting corruption and on promoting personal and organizational integrity. Our specific focus is on the Nordic Capital Investments KB fraud (NCI).
PETRA People Network was set up in 2010. We are committed to promoting peace, transparency, and accountability in all sectors of society and especially in the international Christian community. Our general focus is on preventing and confronting corruption and on promoting personal and organizational integrity. Our specific focus is on the Nordic Capital Investments KB fraud (NCI).
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PART TWO
Summary and Summons
The essential review of NCI et al
to understand what happened and what needs to be done.
to understand what happened and what needs to be done.
Important Note December 2021--current
Many of the links to the documents referenced below (Summary and Summons--Essential Review) had to be redone because of changes in the google website platforms that hosted the documents. These changes are included now in the PETRA People Weblog (December 2021) and future Weblogs. The previous Weblogs with this information (near verbatim) from August 2017-October 2021 still contain the broken links and thus you need to go to the December 2021 Weblog (Part Two) or future Weblogs in order to access the new links.
The documentation is substantial and compelling to support the long-standing,
serious and specific calls for integrity and healing, assistance and repentance.
Topics in this Review
1. A Core Message and the Integrity Petition
2. NCI Background
3. Summary Issues and Requests for Assistance: PETRA Statement 2012
4. Requesting Assistance from Specific Organizational Leaders
5. Calling YWAM to Integrity and Action
Healing the Broken Body
Living in Integrity—Loving Truth and Peace
detail, painting by Antonello da Messina, 15th century
Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 28:13
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
Proverbs 28:13
“NCI and related matters have brought serious confusion, disruption, and distrust into the international [Church Mission Community (CMC]). Healing in the international CMC will happen only as we walk fully in the light with both God and humans as witnesses: to establish the facts, admit any errors and wrongdoing, share perspectives, and help return/recover money for investors. Our transparency and accountability now will also help prevent similar situations within the international CMC from happening in the future.” PETRA Statement 2011
“The sad and serious events described in this professional review have their genesis in poor or inadequate corporate governance, which has led to: authoritarian and dysfunctional management practices; disregard for truth and justice; ineffective employee/staff safeguards; destructive conflicts of interest; covert financial management practices; and in the end even suspected criminality. YWAM has experienced all of these consequences, while other organizations such as the WEA-MC, EEMA, Le Rucher and various churches have been affected to varying degrees. One question arises over and over in this review--where is the ethical and accountable corporate governance?” Rand Guebert, Professional Review: Integrated Executive Summary (page 9)
.
.
1. A Core Message and the Integrity Petition
NCI, and the lack of response to it by those in the CMC, have seriously damaged many peoples’ lives. It has also seriously compromised the reputation and witness of the CMC. It is essential to get accurately informed, call for ethical action, and conduct independent reviews for learning and healing. The resulting verifiable information could shed crucial light on what was happening with this fraud and by whom, and likely go a long way to preventing similar things though the lessons learned and bring healing.
We thus encourage everyone to act beyond reproach not just for their own or organization's sake but also for the sake of the CMC and the general public. Corruption such as the NCI KB fraud does not simply go away on its own, over time, by ignoring it, or by keeping silent. All of us in the CMC can and must act with integrity--the consistent, highest level of moral wholeness. And we can and must hold our organizations and leaders accountable to do the same. Love truth and peace. Heal the broken Body. Live in integrity.
The Integrity Petition Shine the Light--Together!
July 2026: link to the new website for the Shine the Light Together! petition (2012-current/2026):
https://www.ipetitions.com/p/
July 2026: link to the new website for the Shine the Light Together! petition (2012-current/2026):
https://www.ipetitions.com/p/
An ongoing, international petition
calling for integrity and action to confront corruption
in the church-mission community and in the international NCI et al. fraud.
calling for integrity and action to confront corruption
in the church-mission community and in the international NCI et al. fraud.
You can make a difference.
Join with others around the world.
Read, sign, and share this petition.
Read, sign, and share this petition.
.
2. NCI Background
--NCI began in 1994 and functioned secretively as a ponzi scheme until it was publicly confronted in 2007. Several victims contacted governments about NCI in July that year (FBI in the USA, Serious Fraud Office in the UK, Fraud Police in The Netherlands, and Economic Crimes Bureau in Sweden). See also the initial 10 point overview about NCI at the top of the PETRA People website (this website also contains several documents from the Swedish court case, analyses, anti-corruption resources, etc.).
--An initial investigative review was done by a business consultant, Rand Guebert (2008). It is 120 pages and focuses on the serious problems in organizations affected by NCI including poor organizational governance and the discrediting and wrongful dismissals which Kelly and Michèle O’Donnell experienced in the CMC. Its findings related to NCI (based on the known evidence/documents at the time) are supported by the Swedish court documents that were released later in 2010 and 2011. This review has been shared with government investigative bodies although it has not yet been shared publicly. [note/update: it was shared on this weblog October 2018]
--The Swedish government (Economic Crimes Bureau--EBM) was the principle government that eventually took the lead to investigate (2008-2011). It prosecuted only one person, Kristian Westergard, the founder of Youth With A Mission (YWAM) Sweden. The Swedish EBM determined that NCI was a long-term, gross fraud and sentenced Mr. Westergard to prison where he served a term for just over two years. Mr. Westergard was required to repay several of the victims listed in the case. But since he had very few traceable assets, very little money has been ever repaid to the 20+ plaintiffs. Other people who were affected by the fraud (net-positives) were not required to return money (by the governments or by their respective CMC organizations-ministries). Nor were there any prosecutions for other persons involved with Westergard/NCI (some perhaps innocently). Millions of dollars/Euros are still missing.
--The Shine the Light-Together petition (2012-current, with over 200 signatures, including reaffirmations) and the PETRA People Network weblog (2011-current, with [50+] entries) were set up to help the CMC and the public understand corruption in general and the NCI case specifically. They have been emphasizing that different Christian organizations were and are “affected” by the fraud—specifically, that leaders and staff invested, benefited/lost money, ministry projects received money etc. The reluctance of these leaders and organizations to disclose and to submit to independent investigation has also been highlighted. Their information could shed crucial light on what was happening with this fraud and by whom, and likely go a long way to preventing similar things though the lessons learned and bring healing.
--In August 2014, four of the organizations included in the Shine the Light-Together petition and several of their leaders were formally presented with the petition, asking for their assistance and that they inform other leaders in their organizations. Leaders in Youth With A Mission, Mercy Ships, Youth For Christ [see update below, June 2019], and Crossroads Church (Ferney-Voltaire, France) received separate email-letters regarding the petition with the names and comments of the people who signed it. The letters were then posted on the PETRA People weblog in September 2014 along with subsequent correspondence (Click here to see the paper trail: (August 2014--current). Note that specific names of leaders were listed again in the February 2017 weblog entry along with links to other organizational leaders and Board members who have a moral responsibility to assist and hold themselves and fellow leaders accountable.
--In December 2016 there was a renewed effort for people to read, sign, and share the petition. “This petition is a call to many organizations and people, especially in the church and mission community (CMC), to assist by transparently and verifiably disclosing how they have been affected by Nordic Capital Investment KB fraud (NCI). In addition, members of these organizations (past and present), donors, and the public are asked to help by respectfully and resolutely calling for the assistance of those affected by NCI.”
--YWAM was especially affected—staff, leaders, and ministries—including Mercy Ships while it was still part of YWAM and afterwards. According to the Swedish court documents, Erik Spruyt (a major/former YWAM leader), Mercy Ministries organizations in four countries and Le Rucher in France (originally all part of YWAM), and two personal/family foundations set up by Mr. Spruyt with bank accounts in Lichtenstein (GF, NGF) were some of the entities that received hundreds of thousands of dollars/Euros of NCI money. Mr. Spruyt maintains that he is innocent and that he was a victim. In January 2017 there was a civil court decision in France which did not find Mr. Spruyt or Mercy Ministries France (defendants) responsible for the financial damages experienced by six NCI victims (plaintiffs in the case). Although all plaintiffs totally disagreed with the court ruling, they decided to not appeal. Nonetheless the public and moral call for assistance will continue so that those affected by NCI will follow good practice standards via verifiable disclosures, independent reviews, transparency, accountability, and integrity.
3. Summary Issues and Requests for Assistance: PETRA Statement 2012 (excerpts)
In light of the Swedish court documents, we are publicly calling for the following organizations to provide assistance by reviewing and disclosing how NCI has affected them. We are also asking them to review how they have responded to the NCI matter thus far. Authorizing independent and internal reviews is strongly encouraged. It is not helpful to simply try to “move on” and leaders and members are urged now to hold their organizations accountable. There is much to learn and many ways to help. We urge organizations affected by NCI to emulate the organizations in the “United Response” to the New Era Scandal: be transparent, accountable and cooperate to return money.
In light of the Swedish court documents, we are publicly calling for the following organizations to provide assistance by reviewing and disclosing how NCI has affected them. We are also asking them to review how they have responded to the NCI matter thus far. Authorizing independent and internal reviews is strongly encouraged. It is not helpful to simply try to “move on” and leaders and members are urged now to hold their organizations accountable. There is much to learn and many ways to help. We urge organizations affected by NCI to emulate the organizations in the “United Response” to the New Era Scandal: be transparent, accountable and cooperate to return money.
Individuals and organisations committed to integrity
should welcome the opportunity to help via open investigations and verifiable disclosures.
1. Mercy Ministry Associations (MM). MM International, with related associations in France, Holland, and Switzerland (set up in 1994, 1995) are related directly to Le Rucher in France. They received hundreds of thousands of NCI-related euros/dollars over nearly 10 years. Where is this money? How will past and current board members and staff help? Docs: Money Flows Confirmed by EBM * Examples of NCI Money Flows * Suggestions (see point six in this link)
2. New Generation Foundation (NGF, GF). A foundation/account was set up in 1997 at a Liechtenstein bank by a major YWAM and Le Rucher leader. Over time it received hundreds of thousands of NCI euros/dollars. Where is this money? Doc: Examples of NCI Money Flows
3. Youth With A Mission International (YWAM). NCI is an affinity-based fraud and YWAM is the main organization affected. It is seriously affected. In July 1995 Mr. Westergard presented NCI at YWAM Le Rucher during an international YWAM conference. Major YWAM leaders invested since at least 1996 and YWAM projects received NCI-related money. Senior leaders have consistently stated that senior/international leaders were not aware of NCI and that one of the major YWAM leaders actively involved in NCI (administering contracts, receiving NCI funds, etc) and YWAM Le Rucher in France were not properly part of YWAM. Hence, it is argued, YWAM has no responsibility. These assertions are hard to understand in view of the court and other documents. YWAM leaders (e.g., IFMLT, GLF, MMI), YWAM members, and YWAM donors internationally are urged to get informed and together call for an internal and an independent review of how YWAM has been affected and how it has responded, and to persevere until such reviews are done. Will they do this? Docs: Request to YWAM Leaders for Assistance 5 June 2011, with links to investors, projects, previous requests; see also this partial list of YWAM-related investors, based on EBM documents.
4. Mercy Ships International (based in Texas USA and including Mercy Ships in the UK, Switzerland, and France). An Austrian court document from 2001 and other Swedish documents indicate that Mercy Ships (part of YWAM until 2003) was to benefit from NCI funds related to a three million US dollar transaction that was frozen by the Austrian government in November 2001. How does this transaction and other NCI-related money flows relate to this respected organization and especially the refitting of the African Mercy hospital ship, including a $10 million USD matching grant (matched between 2002-2004)? Docs: See the “NCI Documents” section on the PETRA People web site, and then open up the “Austria case” folder in the attachments.
5. Youth For Christ (YFC) in Coppet, Switzerland. The name “YFC” and its physical address in Switzerland were used for a substantial amount of NCI-related correspondence (by a person actively involved in NCI but not part of YFC). Why? YFC is a respected organization yet it has not fully investigated and verifiably disclosed what their relationship was with NCI and any possible benefits. Will they do this? Docs: Two Swiss addresses used for correspondence (Note that there was overlap between Board members of YFC Coppet Switzerland, Board members of Mercy Ministries related to Le Rucher, and the Elders Board of Crossroads Church in Ferney-Voltaire, France by Geneva).
[YFC update June 2019: There have been exchanges with one leader in YFC over the past few months about the concerns above and the concerns shared in the paper trail August 2014-current. Although not willing to request an independent review, this leader nonetheless pulled together previous YFC responses and his current responses to the concerns. We see it as a helpful step in the right direction. We also believe it would be helpful for YFC to summarize and publicly share these responses in one document. Other organizations would do well to follow the example of YFC.]
6. Churches in Holland and France. One example of a church that can really help is Crossroads church in Ferney-Voltaire, France. Members of and people attending Crossroads church were aware of NCI and many of them have invested over the years. The former pastor for example helped by sharing how he was approached to invest in 1995. Will this church do a review, inform their past and current members/attendees about NCI, and seek information from them to help? Several church leaders in the Geneva/Lausanne area were updated in 2010, 2011. Docs: Letters to church leaders
7. Individuals, families, ministries, projects, charities, foundations, and other organizations. Those that have been involved with and/or benefited from NCI—that have or may have received NCI-related funds—have key roles to play in sharing information and helping to locate missing money. Some of these entities have had three or more contracts with NCI (e.g., contracts related to other investors’ contracts, contracts for ministries and receiving NCI-money related to the people they have brought into NCI.) The Swedish court documents included an extensive albeit partial list of investors. Many are part of/associated with YWAM. Many are American, British, Dutch, and Swedish investors. Will these people and entities help? Docs: NCI Investors (primary list from Swedish EBM
4. Requesting Assistance from Specific Organizational Leaders
The letters requesting assistance were sent to specific leaders in August 2014 with the additional request that they inform other leaders in their organizations. The letters were then posted on the PETRA People weblog 28 September 2014. Below are the names of the leaders contacted and links for additional leaders/Board Members, etc. (Click here to see the paper trail: (August 2014--current). Below are the names of the leaders contacted and links for additional leaders/Board Members, etc.
--Youth With A Mission: Loren Cunningham, Darlene Cunningham, Lynn Green, Jim Stier, Tom Hallas, Iain Muir, and YWAM leaders/staff around the world. “We would be grateful if you (YWAM leaders/staff around the world) would carefully review the petition and Statement with links to core documents.” Click here to view the list of international offices from the organization’s website, many which link to specific leaders.
--Mercy Ships: Donovan and Mae Palmer. “We would be grateful if you could please review the petition and its links to core documents and share it with members of the international Mercy Ships Executive Committee and others Board members (e.g., Don Stephens as President, Myron Ullman as Chair, Rosa Whitaker, Francoise Andre, Ian McColl, and Peter Schulze as Vice-Chairs, etc.). Click here to view the list of International Board Members and the Executive Committee from the organization’s website.
--Youth For Christ: Geordon Rendle and John Duncan (and with Larry Williams in 2015). “We also believe it would be very important to share the petition with other board members/officers at Youth for Christ and the previous staff at YFC in Coppet, Switzerland.” Click here to view the list of International Board Members from the organization’s website. [See update above, June 2019]
--Crossroads Church (Ferney-Voltaire, France): Larry Lloyd and Ian Rutter. "We would be grateful if you could please review the petition and its links to core documents and then share the petition with other current/former elders and officers at Crossroads and current/former members and attendees at Crossroads.” Click here to view the list of elders, officers, and pastors from the organization’s website.
Update August 2017: We are not aware of any further action undertaken by organizations to investigate and disclose how they may have been affected by NCI KB in line with the specific concerns in the petition. A few individuals over the past months have sent personal emails, but nothing official and nothing related to taking any action. Click here to see the paper trail: (August 2014--current). We thus continue the resolute, public call a) for assistance from all those affected in various ways by the NCI fraud; and b) for verifiable disclosures/independent reviews (transparency and accountability) by four of the organizations listed in the petition. It would also be in keeping with good practice for transparency, accountability, and organizational health that these organizations thoroughly review how they have and/or have not actually dealt with the requests for assistance over the years.
5. Calling Youth With A Mission to Integrity and Action
(PP Net Update Aug-Sept 2012, excerpts-introduction)
(PP Net Update Aug-Sept 2012, excerpts-introduction)
In view of the Shine the Light-Together petition and the PETRA People Statement 2012, this Update reaffirms the call for YWAM members, leaders and all those associated with YWAM to set up professional Internal and independent reviews regarding how it has been affected by NCI. It is not just the millions of dollars/euros in stolen money that has devastated victims and brought reproach on the Christian community but also the lack of response to it including the unwillingness to disclose and help. Will YWAM members, leaders, and those associated with YWAM now take action and demonstrate the values that YWAM publicly states guide its work: “openness, honesty, integrity, transparency, and accountability” (The Good Name Pledge)? Who will hold the leaders and organisation accountable?
This Update also builds upon the many letters asking YWAM leaders for assistance and investigation regarding NCI, including the letter sent to over 100 international YWAM leaders on 5 June 2011. The materials below provide an enormous amount of well-researched information and government documentation that simply cannot be ignored or dismissed. Many of these materials are now on the PETRA People website. The materials are organised into five sections and also includes comments by YWAM senior leaders and others about NCI/YWAM.
[Note: See the PP Net Update Aug-Sept 2012 entry for the extensive treatment and document links for these five topics].
1. Additional public requests to YWAM for transparency/accountability
2. NCI investors and YWAM
3. Connections between Le Rucher/Mercy Ministries and YWAM
4. NCI money flows and YWAM
5. Organisational integrity and responsibility
(a link to excerpts and quotes for good practice, to support YWAM leaders) What can all those associated with YWAM do? Here are four suggestions to keep in mind as you review and respond to these materials:
(a link to excerpts and quotes for good practice, to support YWAM leaders) What can all those associated with YWAM do? Here are four suggestions to keep in mind as you review and respond to these materials:
--Get accurately informed. Prioritise time to review the information in this Update carefully and also on the PETRA People website, especially the NCI Summary Information and Suggestions: Going Forward.
--Consider your moral and Biblical response. Pray and discuss with others, especially with independent and informed people. Courage is needed to really consider/act on one’s ethical responsibility and to not simply go along with some persons' explanations.
--Call for and set up an independent review with others. Look closely at the PETRA Statement 2012: An International Call for Integrity and Action.
--Share this Update with colleagues and ask for prayers and support. Remember you are not alone—many other organisations have also had to deal with various types of corruption, mistakes, and serious leadership matters.
PETRA People Network was set up in 2010. We are committed to promoting peace, transparency, and accountability in all sectors of society and especially in the international Christian community. Our general focus is on preventing and confronting corruption and on promoting personal and organizational integrity. Our specific focus is on the Nordic Capital Investments KB fraud (NCI).
Nordic Capital Investment KB et al.
Confronting the Ongoing Corruption
Be people of integrity--always and everywhere!
Confronting the Ongoing Corruption
Be people of integrity--always and everywhere!
“Corruption is criminal, immoral and the ultimate betrayal of public trust.….We must hold leaders to account….A vibrant civic space and open access to information are essential. And we must protect the rights and recognize the courage of whistle-blowers who expose wrongdoing….As an age-old plague takes on new forms, let us combat it with new heights of resolve.” UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Statement on corruption in the context of COVID-19 (15 October 2020)
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We continue to be resolute in the collaborative efforts (since 2007) that are calling for assistance and disclosures from specific people and organizations in the international Nordic Capital Investments KB et al. fraud and the related dismissals. Three examples of these efforts, with links to documentation, are in this entry of the PPNet weblog: the Professional Review report, the Healing the Body summary-summons (Part 2), and the Integrity Petition (info also below). Healing will come when there are specific and public acknowledgments of responsibility: "we got it wrong and we were wrong, we are sorry for our actions and inactions, and we will make changes and amends."
We recommend reviewing the Summary and Summons--The essential review of NCI et al to understand what happened (including documentary evidence) and what needs to be done (Part 2 in the PETRA People weblogs over the past several years). See also the PETRA People website (Peace, Transparency, and Accountability--PETRA). Since 2011, this site has provided information and resources on integrity and corruption with a focus on the international fraud, Nordic Capital Investments KB (NCI).
We also recommend listening to any of the 14 Into Integrity podcasts that have done to advocate for truth, repentance, and healing in the past and ongoing NCI KB et al. corruption and related dismissals. You can listen to the podcasts HERE and you can read the blogposts HERE.
We recommend reviewing the Summary and Summons--The essential review of NCI et al to understand what happened (including documentary evidence) and what needs to be done (Part 2 in the PETRA People weblogs over the past several years). See also the PETRA People website (Peace, Transparency, and Accountability--PETRA). Since 2011, this site has provided information and resources on integrity and corruption with a focus on the international fraud, Nordic Capital Investments KB (NCI).
We also recommend listening to any of the 14 Into Integrity podcasts that have done to advocate for truth, repentance, and healing in the past and ongoing NCI KB et al. corruption and related dismissals. You can listen to the podcasts HERE and you can read the blogposts HERE.
Make every day an integrity day!
PETRA People Network
PETRA People Network
