Trinity Broadcasting Network ‘Funds Owners’ Exorbitant Lifestyle’

[Hissyspit]

Source: The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/23/us-christian-tv-channel-owners-lawsuit?cat=world&type=article

Trinity Broadcasting Network ‘funds owners’ exorbitant lifestyle’

By Peter Beaumont, The Guardian
Friday, March 23, 2012 13:20 EDT

The world’s largest Christian TV channel, the California-based Trinity Broadcasting Network, has become embroiled in a multimillion dollar financial scandal after members of the family that founded it alleged widespread embezzlement.

The claims – by Brittany Koper, whose grandfather Paul Crouch founded TBN, and by Joseph McVeigh, another family member – describe exorbitant spending on mansions in California, Tennessee and Florida, private jets and even a $100,000-mobile home to house the dogs of Crouch’s flamboyant wife, Janice.

The network, which claims to broadcast in every continent except the Antarctic and has 18,000 affiliates, was set up by Crouch in the 1970s and preaches a so-called “prosperity gospel” which promises material rewards to those who give generously.

- snip -

According to the lawsuit, reported in a number of US newspapers, Paul Crouch Sr obtained a $50m luxury jet for his personal use through a “sham loan”, while church funds – many of which come from donations during events like its “Praise-a-thons” – paid for the mobile home housing his wife’s dogs.

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/23/trinity-broadcasting-network-funds-owners-exorbitant-lifestyle

[PoliticAverse]

1. But did the dog house have air-conditioning ?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/daily/aug99/bakker11.htm

[Journeyman]

2. Prey TV . . .

looks like "Pay TV" to me, it's just a curse on the human race.

~ Pete Townshend

[Joe Bacon]

35. Don't get me started!!!!!

My idiot aunt gave away my grandmother's life savings to these fucking crooks because "Jesus told her to".

I always wondered how much of Grandma's money wound up in the pocket of Paul Crouch's gay lover in his cash settlement to keep his mouth closed...

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. A few years back, Chuck Grassley opened an investigation into this group

and several others. IIRC, the premise was that they were using tax-free funds in an unethical manner (for personal gain).

I had high hopes for that investigation, but don't think it ever made it out of committee.

[Lint Head]

4. This is wonderful. It seems the right wing nut propaganda machine is being attacked by major Kharma!

Rush Limbaugh is going down.
Rupert Murdoch is going to be grilled again and his papers are in major trouble in England. I think Fox News will be negatively impacted. Breibart died.
James O'Keefe is facing kidnapping allegations.
The Trayvon Martin situation is not looking good for the NRA and their draconian lobbying for laws will be impacted.
There is a war on women that is losing votes for the right wingers.
TBN should have been shut down long ago. It is nothing but a right wing propaganda shill and greed machine

Still the other shoe needs to fall on the bankers and hedge fund criminals but that is just one item on the list.

Kharma can be Hell on Earth!

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. Good summary!

[Lint Head]

7. Thanks!!

[leveymg]

6. And none of it's taxable. A perfect crime.

Dig deep into thine pocket, and buy us another $50 million jet. It's for the wife's dogs, so they don't have to be strapped to the roof.

[marshall gaines]

8. typical

Typical american theocratic hypocracy. If i sat in a church for say 5 weeks and never put a dime in the pass around plate, they would ask me not to return.

[GiveMeFreedom]

9. Xtian dogs

living better than most American's, they must be so proud. While the parishioners loose their homes, jobs, meals, security, etc.



Jesus, no wonder I do not like organized religion. They always wind up becoming criminal organizations.

[Liberal Veteran]

10. Hey! God WANTED Jan to have that selection of pink big hair wigs!

[Ruby the Liberal]

14. Is that a photoshop?

[Liberal Veteran]

15. I would say yes, but while channel surfing I actually saw that hair.

More than once.

Frightening, isn't it?

[Ruby the Liberal]

16. What is frightening is that there is a presumption that

this individual at least glanced in a mirror at some point and the reaction was "looks great - Imma run with it".

[freshwest]

18. Nope, that's the real deal. I used to watch all that stuff trying to figure them out. All the gold

Painted furniture and luxury trappings were pure Reaganesque. There were a number of these blatant ministries on TV.

Same with PTL, I would watch that, amazed, watched Robertson's stuff too. I just didn't get it, could not comprehend. I'm a curious person, and didn't want to judge but saw nothing there. I also tried to grasp it because I knew people who bought it hook, line and sinker.

I believe the faux sentimentality is the closest thing to feeling love that many of the religious right ever get. The spiritual roots of the most rabid Teabaggers, and you will not take it from them.

[Frank Cannon]

40. It's all the trappings of "The Prosperity Gospel".

Just turn over your "faith offering" in the form of your Social Security check to Paul and Jan, and the Baby Jesus will make sure you have a house like this, too.



BTW, Paul and Jan also own the house next door to this one.

[freshwest]

41. Doesn't it strike you as a bit insane? You couldn't pay me enough to put on a show like they did.

Last edited Sat Mar 24, 2012, 11:54 AM - Edit history (1)

The best con artists halfway believe in what they're selling. I couldn't have enjoyed living in that house and having all that stuff knowing I was taking it from gullible people. Everything about those shows was so bizarre.

[Safetykitten]

28. You have to see the crying jag Jan, as she stumbles in the open field babbling. It's pure gold!

It does not get better than this.

[Judi Lynn]

31. One of the worst things I've ever seen, EVER. Wow! Clearly they take people for fools! Thanks. n/t

[Joe Bacon]

36. There are plenty of fools who finance these con artists!

These grifters know how to fleece the flock!

[patrice]

33. Church TV. Restaurants advertise it in this state. nt

[WiffenPoof]

42. Geeze....

So, I suppose that there is no way I can get the 9 minutes and 45 seconds back that I just used to watch this crap.

-P

[Turbineguy]

11. Well, yes, of course

wasn't that the whole idea? Besides, as everybody knows, Heaven is decorated in the same tawdry bad taste.

http://vincentbiss.wordpress.com/2008/05/27/how-to-make-big-money-from-the-bible-a-practical-guide-for-televangelists/

[Rob H.]

12. "flamboyant"? The author has a gift for understatement

Having that much cotton candy wrapped around her head must make for an awfully convenient snacking experience.

[SemperEadem]

13. she puts Tammy Faye Bakker in the shade

there is nothing xtian about looking like a painted up, $5 fille.

[TalkingDog]

17. Lots of "Plastique" in that face too. Look at the difference

in the quality of her neck, chest, and arm skin versus her face.

She needs that wig to cover up the top-knot of stretched face flesh.

[meow2u3]

23. DUzy!

[Safetykitten]

29. Agree on the DUZY.

[BuddhaGirl]

43. she really looked like that!!!

In the late 1980's, I worked next door to a little bayside European-style cafe in Newport Beach, and the Crouches came there to eat pretty regularly, usually with an entourage. They spent $$$$$ each time, much of it for many bottles of expensive wine.

Jan always wore some garish outfit and wig...it was pretty obvious that Paul wore a rug too...

[meow2u3]

19. Genesis nailed it 20 years ago with this

[raouldukelives]

20. By their fruit you will know them. nt

[FedUp_Queer]

21. I'd seen them before.

They seemed such a caricature of the whole Elmer Gantry class of charlatans. I could never imagine how anyone could look at these people and see imitation of Jesus. Although, there are plenty of stories of Jesus' extravagant lifestyle, such as his Cadillac Chariot, his Prada sandals, his gold staff with silver leaf inlay, his coiffed hair and buffed nails...so I guess they were ok. How dare anyone persecute them for taking care of their dogs...which dog DOESN'T need a $100k Winnebago?

[dimbear]

37. Elmer Gantry was the number one best selling 'fiction' book of 1927.

This scandal is going to amount to piffle. Americans are getting, oddly it seems to me, stupider every year.

My friends, you can benefit from the Christian Prosperity movement. Your early tapes of Melissa Scott are fabulously valuable now, at least if she's listed as Barbie Bridges.

[IndyJones]

22. I'm always creeped out when I drive by that extravagent place.

[tanyev]

24. Well, duh, that's why they started it.

[Justice wanted]

25. Took calls for a "Praise-a-Thon" at my old job. Could tell it was a scam back than Came home

every night and showered for an hour. I was only handling the "Overflow" calls-meaning the regular call center got so many they needed people to pick up those calls or "loose the money".


I don't know how many people pledge $1000.00 seeds to be paid monthly or what not. One woman said She was giving her monthly food budget for the Praise-a-thon because "Jesus told her too". She was giving the money believing God would send her family food.


Three "Asks" for credit cards and two asks for check by phone.

SCAM to the EXTREME!!!! They would block callers calling in to tell them what scam artists they where.

[Evasporque]

26. Money does buy salvation....

For today's Christian.

[AlbertCat]

27. For today's Christian.

Today's????

Just today's?


Tell it to Martin Luther....

And St Francis


Religion has been a scam from day one.

[Swede Atlanta]

30. Jesus never promised material prosperity in this world....

they are all shams and I suggest may face some severe retribution on judgment day. BTW, there will be no rapture. That was a fantasy of a drug-induced coma by John of Patmos. Just wanted to clarify that Revelations is drug fiction, pure and simple.

[patrice]

32. Have you ever seen that video of the lavendar-haired lady dancing with barbie-dolls, very like

herself, as she presented each one, one at a time, as a present from Trinity, to children in a poor African village?

True story.

[patrice]

34. Wondering what the average age of their congregation is & income. nt

[demosincebirth]

38. I guess the overlooked the old bilble verse about the camel and the eye of needle.

[Trajan]

39. Well DUH!

Like, for decades ....