“He’s Playin’ All of Y'all For Suckers.” Former ISM Student From NY Puts His Name Against Pastoral Corruption In Gainesville

A former student from the Ignite School of Ministry (ISM) of Ignite Life Center (ILC) of the Florida Multicultural District (FMD) of the Assemblies of God (AG) has come forward.

After seven previous anonymous whistleblowers, for the first time, someone formerly from ILC has come forward publicly. 

Three people from the church have been arrested for committing sex crimes against underaged children: (1) former ILC employee/volunteer convicted child molester Gabriel Hemenez; (2) head pastor Mark Vega’s son, alleged rapist Christian Vargas; and (3) former associate pastor Jose Cruz’s son, alleged statutory rapist Noel Cruz.

Oscar Susana attended ISM when he was in his early 30s and going through a hard time educationally due to not having a high school diploma. One day he decided to go to his uncle’s church, which happened to be the church owned by renowned Yankees legend Mariano Rivera. Rivera is friends with Vega, and Vega would frequently preach at his church Refuge of Hope in New Rochelle, NY.

Mariano Rivera is mentioned as having a “business relationship” with Vega in one of the civil lawsuits against the church, as parents from Rivera’s church would pay to have their children attend ISM in Gainesville. Three ILC survivors are suing ILC and FMD, alleging ILC covered up the sexual abuses Hemenez committed against them. 

Susana said Vega has a similar set-up in other churches around the U.S. “It's not just Mariano’s church, it's a lot of churches. We’d go to churches when we were in New York, New Jersey, or a state, and we’d make stops and [go to] churches he was scheduled to speak at. That’s what evangelicalists do, but to say it helped Ignite is false because we didn’t see any of that money.”

Susana, who is back in NY, said Vega hasn’t come around to Rivera’s church recently. 

Susana clarified that around half of Mariano Rivera’s church doesn’t trust Vega. “That's common in some churches where people don’t like a certain preacher, but at the end of the day, that’s Mariano’s friend. Mariano doesn’t have much say in the church. Even though he paid like $3,000,000 to build it, his wife is the head pastor. Mariano only sometimes takes the mic.”

It just so happened that on the day Susana came into his uncle’s church, Mark Vega and ISM staff were also there to give a presentation to encourage viewers to go to ISM. The ISM staff included one of Mariano Rivera’s sons, Jafet Rivera, and Gabriel Flores. 

Susana had a small meet & greet with Vega and was in consistent contact with Vega and Flores for a year while in NY before starting at ISM.  

Flores LinkedIn shows his work experience is in child care through Ignite’s Refuge program from 2016-2019. Ignite Refuge was a foster care program and is often confused with a similarly named but different program for unaccompanied minors called Ignite Refugio. Since December 2019, he has worked as a caseworker for Urban Strategies, which has partnered with Ignite Refugio. He also volunteers, or formerly volunteered as an extension site director for ILC, with recruiting being one of his responsibilities. 

At a ILC sermon in June, Vega announced ILC’s contract with Urban Strategies would be coming to a close this summer. 

Gnvinfo reached out to Flores on Linkdin to ask if Refugio has closed yet and if he and Ubran Strategides would be distancing themselves from ILC due to the sexual abuse cases. He hasn’t responded. 

In June, the fifth ILC whistleblower, who was anonymous, accused Urban Strategies CEO Lisa Cummins of “[paying] a major portion of the church mortgage and electricity, knowing the foul behavior and corruption of [the] leaders.” The informant alleged Cummins and Urban Strategies “have paid Lisa Vega and Mark Vega under a program to help unaccompanied minors but have funded them hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions.”

Cummins’ was also reached out to on LinkedIn, asked the same question as Flores, if she'd like to respond to the allegations, and disclose all Urban Strategies’ financial reports. She hasn’t responded.

ISM primarily served individuals between early adulthood and early 30s, and also some older teenagers. The Ignite Summer Internship, which Hemenez was arrested for taking advantage of, was run through ISM and primarily served young teenagers and preteens. 

“Ignite is a poor excuse for Christianity,” said Susana, “I speak for all Christians in saying what they’re doing is not Christianity at all. Mark isn’t glorifying God; he’s glorifying himself and his pocket. Who does pastor Mark answer too? You can’t go to an elder and report him. Ignite Life Center is pastor Mark, and what he says goes. A lot of people there struggle from sexual issues, and I believe it's because it's flowing down from pastor Mark. Something is not right about this man, and it was weird energy with his wife Lisa. You can feel the darkness.”

The Gainesville Police Department (GPD) made a public announcement about Hemenez’s arrest after he was charged; however, they have not publicly regarded the arrest of the pastor’s sons. 

Vega has held local law enforcement in high regard, previously posting a picture with former GPD Chief Lonnie Scott to his Instagram account on February 25, 2022.

Susana made allegations of bribery against GPD. “[Mark Vega] just covered himself up. Ignite paid the police, and they don’t talk about Chirstian [Vargas]. Why is it they blew up the Gabriel [Hemenez] situation but didn’t talk much about Christian? Christian was forcing little girls to have sex in the prayer room upstairs. That’s ridiculous.”  

Gnvinfo emailed GPD Interim Chief Nelson Moya to ask if he’d like to respond to the allegations on behalf of GPD. He hasn’t responded. 

Moya became the GPD Interim Chief at the end of March after former GPD Chief Lonnie Scott resigned. Scott was still the chief when the most recent ILC arrestee, Noel Cruz, was arrested in February. 

Susana had a message for GPD Interim Chief Nelson Moya. "Officer, take it from me, man, open your eyes. The Bible says don’t trust no one. This guy is a master manipulator, and manipulation is just like witchcraft. He’s doing his own thing; tryna work everything through himself; tryna build his own empire; and he’s playin’ all of y'all for suckers.” 

Susana went on to say “there was a Spanish police officer [who attended] the church,” but didn’t know which officer or if he’s still on the force. 

Susana detailed an occult ritual he went through at ISM. “When you first join the program, they wake you up in the middle of the night. They line you up in the middle of the parking lot. They start banging pans, waking people up; they lined you outside while we were half asleep in our PJ's, and the first time we did it, they took us to the cemetery. Someone would preach some sermon, and from there they’d take us to the church. It's all decorated, and we’d go to different little slots. One of the staff would be preaching something very emotional that would make you feel crazy. You’d do little stupid things like put your sin in a paper, and the next section would be like a campfire; the next section would be like a crucifixion. I was like, What in the cult is going on here? Are they gonna come out wearing cone heads? Are they gonna kill the goat? What’s next?”

Susana also said that Vega was formerly a member of the Five Percenters Black American Nationalist Movement, which was founded in Harlem, New York, in the 1960s. “Mark used to be a five percenter in the New York streets in the area I grew up. That’s where he lived. According to him, five percenters love knowledge, so they study a lot and educate. He said the day he got saved, he locked himself in his room for three days. He said he prayed in tongues and allowed God to reveal himself to him. His head is so big that he feels like what he says is law.”

Susana said on one occasion Vega screamed at a student who had mental health problems and showed symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. “He screamed like he was about to fight the dude…. The problem with Ignite is they’re not trained to help people that are struggling with mental illness.” 

Susana said he was told by ISM staff in NY that attending would solve his hardships, but when he attended he was pressured to quit several jobs because they got in the way of ISM’s schedule. This is in addition to Susana being required to attend ISM work trips which he was not compensated for.  

ISM staff told Susana he’d be able to get his degree from the ministry when he was not able to do so. “I actually had to look for a GED program myself because the school didn’t offer it. Another thing is that the church is [districtly affiliated] under the Assemblies of God but [ISM] is not. The school is part of Mark Vega’s Evangelestic [Ministries], it has nothing to do with the Assemblies of God.”

Vega reportedly tried to start an ISM campus in New York a decade ago, but not much is known about it, with multiple whistleblowers saying it shut down after about a year.

It can be confirmed Vega tried to start an Ignite campus and/or an Ignite summer program in The Bronx a decade ago

It would appear Ignite NY started in June 2014, as a photo on Vega’s Instagram posted May 31, 2014, shows Vega and ILC associate pastor Eric Godinez on a plane with the caption reading “[On my way] to the Bronx as we finalize Ignite New York.”

Ignite NY’s summer program was held at Van Nest Assembly of God church in The Bronx, NY, indicated by a caption on a photo Vega posted on June 1, 2014 reading “Van Nest Assembly#HomeofigniteNysummerprogram.”

Whistleblowers have reported that ILC associate pastor Esther Omeben was previously the Director of ISM NY, and she reportedly lived at Mariano Rivera’s house while undertaking the position.

A few whistleblowers have independently corroborated the reason for ISM NY’s failure as being due to one of Mariano Rivera’s sons sleeping with the wife of a chef who worked at the Rivera household. 

The sixth ILC whistleblower, who was anonymous, said, “Mariano Rivera III was sleeping with her behind the chef’s back…. Her husband had no idea until it all came out. I don’t think it was gonna work out.”

Susana reminisced about the scandal, saying, “He’s lucky he’s a Christian, or he probably would’ve shot everyone up in there on some news…. They breaking into Mariano’s estate like Drake's mansion or something that would wind up on a Kendrick [Lamar] diss.” 

Vega’s pursuits in NY may have failed, but he reportedly has allies in churches in NY and around the country, as Susana said that while on employee trips, Vega would frequently speak at various churches in Arizona, New Jersey, New York, and other states around America. 

Vega has gained distrust in Mariano Rivera’s church, but their friendship has not waivered. They hung out in late June and/or early July with three other AG leaders.   

There doesn’t appear to be any physical ISM campuses at the moment. ISM’s old website from when they were doing sleepaway ministry school has been shut down, however, there is a newer ISM website that is active and geared towards online schooling; however, as of this writing, when you go to sign up, it says, “The product is not available. Contact the school owner for more information.”

ISM’s website includes a photo of convicted child molester Hemenez. 

ISM references itself as a “radical institution.” 

Flores’ phone number is listed on the contact section of ISM’s website.  

Vega is the main instructor of the program. Some of the courses include, “Identity management,” “Enemies of the heart,” “Basic training for a curse breaker,” and “Pathology of offense.”

The website reveals that Vega sits on the board of the Alachua County Christian Ministerial Alliance and the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.

The sixth’s whistleblower's main argument for why people should leave Ignite was that Vega misuses and falsifies biblical scripture to hold power over his congregation and keep any reported sexual abuses internal. 

Susana corroborated this and said he challenged Vega for his false statements. “Even though they were preaching trash, when I would go into prayer, God would tell me, ‘Be careful with that; that's not biblical.’ Then I’d be like, ‘Hey Pastor Mark, did Jesus really say that?’ I tried to challenge him. Me and my friend, we’d challenge him because I have a Biblical mindset; I’m a student of the word. When he’d say something way off, like ‘little god’s,’ or ‘We have the power,’ I’d be like, ‘Ohhhhhhhh, okay,’ and name a Bible verse that’d contradict that. He’d get real mad to the point where he’d just keep talking.”

Susana went on to recount verbal abuse inflicted against him by ILC pastors during his time at ISM. “Adolfo Gomez was weird. He screamed at me sometimes. He called me over to his apartment one time, and he and his wife were screaming at me. They found my phone; I was talking to someone, they had a staff meeting where pastor Mark brought it up. He was like, ‘When are you gonna learn Oscar?’ Whatever.”

Susana said he’s recently overcome the verbal abuse he sustained at ILC, “It's now that I’m really getting out of what happened at Ignite. I had a little social anxiety and trust issues…. As the Lord started working in me and tried to heal me from what happened, and as I talked to other people, I changed my perspective. I didn't realize how much damage they did to me verbally. They belittle you and make you feel like nothing. We were slaves, basically. Working for this guy Mark to buy himself a house and a new car. It was all in the name of ‘God.’”

Susana had a message for the people at ILC who’ve been abused and are lost, hurt, and confused.

“Jesus Christ is ready to heal and restore what has been lost. People may let you down and exploit your vulnerabilities, but that is not the true Gospel. Salvation is a gift, freely given, not something to be earned. You don't need to be perfect, improve your life, or fulfill a list of religious duties to receive it. Forget about traditions and human expectations. Simply open your heart, immerse yourself in His Word, and invite God into every part of your life. Cultivate a genuine relationship with God, who loves you beyond measure. That is true Christianity.

It's not about seeking signs or demanding miracles. Jesus comes in His own time. It's about encountering Jesus Himself, not just His titles or His blessings. What you experienced at Ignite Life Center under Mark's ministry was not authentic Christianity. I urge and plead with you to return to your first love. Surrender everything to Him, embrace His love, and discover the abundant life He offers. I came to Ignite seeking hope and left feeling even more empty, lost, and confused.”