By Chernoh Alpha M. Bah and Matthew Anderson
Six months after New Jersey state authorities revoked the certificate of the Julius Maada Bio Project, the founders have established a new entity in the United States called the Julius and Fatima Maada Bio (JFMB) Inc. This new organization claims to focus on activities that support vulnerable individuals and communities in West Africa.
The Julius and Fatima Maada Bio (JFMB) Inc. was incorporated in Somerset, New Jersey, on July 19, 2025, as a domestic nonprofit organization. Its stated objective is to raise funds to assist “indigent people worldwide” and provide education for underprivileged individuals, regardless of their national origin, with a particular emphasis on the West African region.
Corporate documents reveal no significant differences between the now-defunct Julius Maada Bio Project, registered in 2022, and the newly formed Julius and Fatima Maada Bio Inc. Additionally, it remains unclear whether the organization’s board members have publicly disclosed any potential connections between their new organization and Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, or his political party, the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP).
Julius Maada Bio is currently serving his second presidential term after elections that were widely considered fraudulent two years ago. He is expected to leave office in 2028, when his second term, which has been marred by controversy, concludes. During a recent party conference, Bio assured his supporters that the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) will continue to govern Sierra Leone for another term, despite the controversies surrounding his presidency.
As a nonprofit corporation, the Julius and Fatima Maada Bio Inc. is prohibited from using any part of its funds for the personal benefit of its members, trustees, officers, or any other private individuals. Furthermore, U.S. law prohibits nonprofit organizations from engaging in propaganda, attempting to influence legislation, or participating in or intervening in political campaigns on behalf of or against any candidate for public office.
Registered just a month ago in July 2025, the Julius and Fatima Maada Bio Inc. operates from 27 Garden Hills Drive in Somerset, New Jersey. The registered officers of the organization include Agatha N. Demby, Doris F. Lahai, and Amie Banya. Three years prior, Agatha Demby and her colleagues founded a similar nonprofit organization, the Julius Maada Bio Project, which was incorporated in New Jersey on June 15, 2022. The previous organization aimed to raise funds in the United States to support underprivileged individuals and groups and provide financial assistance to disadvantaged families in Africa. However, just over two years after its formation, New Jersey authorities revoked the organization’s registration certificate on January 16, 2025, due to the members’ failure to file annual reports for two consecutive years. In response, Agatha Demby and her colleagues established the Julius and Fatima Maada Bio (JFMB) Inc. to continue similar activities.
Concerns have been raised among Sierra Leoneans about whether authorities adequately scrutinized the new organization. Some have called for an investigation into any potential ties to African political parties or politicians, questioning whether the organization is being used to influence political activities in either the U.S. or Africa.
“Authorities should investigate whether members of this organization have ties to any political parties or politicians in Africa,” they said, adding, “If such affiliations exist, it’s important to determine whether they have violated U.S. laws governing nonprofit organizations.”
Documents related to the new organization, including information about its founders, are attached to this publication.
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