Suit Filed Over Assets of Michigan-Based Communal Sect

The Detroit News this morning reports on a lawsuit that has been filed in an Oakland County, Michigan trial court over millions of dollars of assets of the Israelite House of David (IHOD).  IHOD was a communal religious sect created in 1903 and based in Benton Harbor, Michigan.  Members of the sect were required to remain celibate, and apparently only three members of the sect (one of whom is very ill) remain.  The suit was filed by Charles Ferrel who lives in Hawaii and was excommunicated-- he says wrongfully-- five years ago.  He alleges that defendants (two of the remaining members) have taken $50 million in assets from IHOD.  The sect's assets are located in Michigan, Hawaii and Australia,  Australia was envisioned by the sect as the place where its members would relocate when the world collapsed as predicted in the Book of Revelation.  In the suit, plaintiff seeks reinstatement as a member and control of the assets.  Alternatively he asks that the assets be turned over to the state of Michigan for it to dispose of them according to law.