Kingsway International Christian Centre

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The Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC) is based in London, England and was established in 1992 with 200 adults and 100 children. It currently has some 10,000 people in attendance at the main church every Sunday, and is widely considered to be the largest independent church in Europe.^{[citation needed]} The Church is located on a 9.5 acre site in Hackney, London, close to the site of the proposed 2012 Olympics Village. KICC's 4,000-seat auditorium has been acknowledged to be the largest church to be created in the UK since 1861.^{[citation needed]} The Church is Pastored by Matthew Ashimolowo.

KICC will have to vacate the site by November 2006 in order to make way for proposed developments for the 2012 London Olympics.^[1]

[edit] Financial irregularities

In October 2005 the Charity Commission of England and Wales released its Inquiry Report on the KICC (aka The King's Ministry Trust).[1] On the basis of its initial findings, the Commission concluded that there was serious misconduct and mismanagement in the administration of the Charity and that the Charity’s property was at risk. Ashimolowo acted as both paid employee and trustee of the church against UK charity law and was responsible for approving payments and benefits to himself and his wife, Yemisi. Benefits received included free accommodation for himself and family, a £120,000 birthday party including an £80,000 car, over half a million pounds paid out to Ashimolowo's private companies, which were operated from church property and purchase of a Florida timeshare property.

Ashimolowo has been required to re-pay a sum of £200,000 as restitution to the church, and although other unauthorised funds were also received by him, the charity commission decided it would be against the best interests of the church to pursue these.