Former Revolt News Host Mara Porter Sue Church Deacon For Allegedly Defrauding Her During House Renovation
Tommie and Mara Porter has filed a lawsuit against Jerome Yeiser for allegedly defrauding them during a home renovation.
The Porters, a Harlem-based couple, is suing Yeiser, a deacon at the renowned Abyssinian Baptist Church.
According to 'Onsite!,' the pair allege Yeiser used his company, SIVA Real Estate Services, to convince them to invest nearly $400,000 toward renovating their $1.44 million dollar Harlem brownstone.
According to the lawsuit, Yeiser allegedly demanded additional funds often, but made minimal progress on the renovations. "To date, $288,283 of this money has been spent on the project, and $194,058 remains unaccounted for," the lawsuit states.
The couple has also reached out to the Bronx District Attorney's office, urging legal action against Yeiser. They claim Yeiser became evasive when asked about delays in the project, offering excuses rather than answers. Per the 'New York Post,' Yeiser allegedly pocketed the funds instead of completing renovations in 2018.
"Yeiser, in the operation of Siva, operated this business as his alter ego, seeking to shield himself from personal liability while at the same time diverting funds of these business and from the Porters for Jerome Yeiser's personal purposes," the lawsuit claimed.
Yeiser's role within the Abyssinian Baptist Church has drawn significant public attention to the case. Founded in 1808, the church is a prominent pillar in New York City's Black community. The involvement of high-profile figures with ties to the church has only heightened interest in the lawsuit. Among them is Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who teaches Sunday school at Abyssinian. Although Bragg is connected to the congregation, he is not directly involved in the legal proceedings.
In response to the growing controversy, Abyssinian Baptist Church released a public statement acknowledging the fraud related to Yeiser. In this statement made to "Amsterdam News," the church stated that this is a, "private matter and does not involve Abyssinian Baptist Church."
"The money that we lost was the equivalent of our children's college tuition. It's really their future that's been taken from them, and it's devastating," Tommie, an IT exec, told Page Six.
In response, Yeiser is also suing the Porters for defamation. The matter is still under litigation.
