Televangelists' records sought

By Tony Thornton

Published: November 7, 2007

A U.S. senator wants six televangelists — including three regents of Oral Roberts University — to hand over financial data to determine whether they are enjoying lavish lifestyles at their flocks' expense.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, sent each a letter Monday requesting information ranging from credit-card statements to overseas bank accounts to vehicles and airplanes owned or leased by the ministry.

The targeted televangelists are Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, Paula White and Eddie Long. Grassley said he wants the information by Dec. 6.

Hinn, Copeland and Dollar are among 23 regents at ORU. Copeland's son-in-law, George Pearsons, who pastors a Texas church connected to Copeland's ministry, is chairman of the ORU regents. However, Grassley's letters don't cite the televangelists' connection to ORU, nor did he request information from ORU or the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association.

Grassley is the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee and has a long history of seeking financial transparency from nonprofits. Last year, with Grassley as chairman, the Finance Committee passed a series of measures designed to encourage greater accountability among donors and nonprofit groups.

He told the televangelists his requests for information were based on recent news reports regarding "the possible misuse of donations made to religious organizations.”

It wasn't clear whether he was referring to a lawsuit filed last month that includes allegations that ORU financed an opulent lifestyle for President Richard Roberts and his family. Roberts has denied the allegations but recently took a leave of absence.

An ORU spokesman said the school had no comment on Grassley's information request. Calls to Grassley's press secretary weren't returned Tuesday.

A Tulsa lawyer who made the allegations of financial abuse at ORU said Grassley's inquiry is "long past due.”

"I think we're going to see a close look at the way these evangelists have been using their 501(c)(3)s like we've never seen before,” attorney Gary Richardson said, referring to the provision that exempts nonprofits from paying federal taxes.

"We're talking about protecting the tax dollars of the public, of the citizens of this country, and seeing to it that the tax dollars are not abused and misused by wrongful use of the 501(c)(3) category,” Richardson said.

Richardson surmised that the senator didn't request information about ORU or its related ministry because Grassley figured ORU's information would come out through the lawsuit.

Richardson represents three former ORU professors who claim they were fired or quit under duress after either refusing to work on a political campaign or for reporting allegations of financial abuse benefiting the Roberts family.

In his letter to Dollar, Grassley cited a report alleging that Dollar asked other ministers to help raise $1 million for the 40th anniversary of Copeland's ministry, and that Dollar's own church gave $500,000.

Grassley asked the six ministries for financial statements dating for the last three years, along with the names of church board members and their relationship to the televangelists.

In his letter to Meyer, Grassley noted a $23,000 toilet and a pair of vases valued at $19,162 were bought for the ministry's headquarters in Fenton, Mo. According to her Web site, Meyer holds an honorary doctorate in divinity from ORU.

Grassley asked for a list of all cars owned or leased by Dollar's World Changers Church International amid a report that the ministry bought two Rolls Royces for Dollar's wife, Taffi. Grassley also sought information about homes bought to benefit the Dollars, including homes in Georgia and New York.

He sought similar records from Hinn, along with details of clothing, jewelry and grooming expenses paid for by his ministry or his World Healing Center Church.

Hinn spokesman Ronn Torossian said the church regards Grassley's request as "an important matter” but hasn't decided "the best course of action to cooperate,” spokesman said.

"World Healing Center Church complies with the laws that govern church and nonprofit organizations and will continue to do so,” Torossian said.

Contributing: Staff Writer John Estus