Jan Crouch, 'Prosperity Gospel' evangelist – obituary

Jan Crouch, 78, is survived by her poodles
and her wig collection.
TBN sued for misuse of funds.Will WELS and the LCMS be next?

Jan Crouch, 'Prosperity Gospel' evangelist – obituary:



"The Crouches claimed that their lavish lifestyle was proof of the rewards bestowed on them by the Almighty for all their good works.  But some sceptics remained unconvinced. In the 1990s they had several run-ins with the Federal Communications Commission over allegations of illegal licences and were nearly taken off the air.

In 2004 it was revealed that, in 1998, Paul Crouch had secretly paid a former TBN employee $425,000 for his silence after the man claimed they had enjoyed a homosexual tryst in 1996 during a weekend spent at a TBN-owned cabin. Crouch, who denied the allegations, explained that he had settled out of court only to avoid a costly and embarrassing trial.



 But perhaps the most damaging attacks on the Crouches came from within their own family."

The late Paul Crouch - this is not a doctored photo,
and yes he was wearing a Roman collar
instead of his standard cowboy costume.

'via Blog this'

Whole Lot of Scandals Going On: Lutherans Are Not Alone in Skimming Funds

Jan Crouch is on the right.
Big hair and red-eye do not blend well.

Paul Crouch likes his urban cowboy suits.

Among the issues Apprising Ministries covers is the heretical Word Faith (WF) movement as it heads toward acceptance within the mainstream. Elephant Room 2 will likely continue to be the source of division within the contemporary evangelicalism this year because the main claim to fame for this conference was, in my opinion, the pass given to Word Faith mogul T.D. Jakes.

This was a door that should never have been opened because now ostensibly mainstream evangelicals like two-time ER veteran Steven Furtick openly says T.D. Jakes Is My Favorite Preacher In The World and Joel Osteen Is A Great Man Of God. Sadly, people like Joyce Meyer—another Furtick fav—and Joel Osteen are tip-of-the-spear with WF-lite man-centered self-esteem messages ala Robert Schueller  (sic).

In addition, such as these claim this human potential skubalon is given to them by direct revelation from God Himself. The twist added on by these WF spiritual snake oil salesmen is the so-called prosperity gospel. This is not guilt-by-asscoiation, it is guilt-by-endorsement, which moves the Trinity Broadcasting Network—upon which that WF trio endorsed by Steven Furtick regularly appear—closer to the heart of the Christian community.

Now we come to the latest issues in the oft-sordid happenings around TBN. Thanks to growing syncretism and things like ER2 this becomes much closer to your mainstream evangelical church than you may have known. It kind of begins in October of 2011 as Paul Crouch, Jr. Resigns from Family-Founded TBN. He rather suddenly:

announced his resignation from the Trinity Broadcasting Network, the well-known Christian television ministry his parents Paul and Jan Crouch founded 38 years ago. (source)

Then February of this year found TBN Embroiled in ‘Sordid’ Family Lawsuit when:

The granddaughter of Trinity Broadcasting Network founders Paul and Jan Crouch has accused some of the network’s directors of illegally distributing “charitable assets” worth more than $50 million for their personal use. Brittany B. Koper, the daughter of Paul Crouch Jr., was TBN’s chief financial officer until last September. She says she was wrongfully fired after she refused to cover up the alleged distribution scheme. (source)

According to a report in The Orange County Register it appears that Koper’s grandfather and uncle Matt Crouch immediately played the classic Word Faith “touch not the anointed of the Lord” card. OC Register staff writer Teri Sforza tells us that right as the news of alleged fraud was breaking:

On Thursday, Feb. 9 — the same day that our story ran online —  Paul Crouch and his son, Matt, were having a live chat on TBN’s “Behind the Scenes.” Paul was reminiscing about how TBN began back in 1973 — God spoke to him as he was driving on MacArthur Boulevard — and the conversation took a turn that Koper’s attorney finds somewhat menacing. “You know what’s funny Dad?” Matt said (at minute 8:38 on the video).

“There have been a few attempts in the TBN history to upset TBN, to stop TBN, to — there have been a few fools in the 38, 39 year history, coming up on 40 years, and you know what, any attempt at stopping TBN — they have no idea who they’re actually pushing into the corner. You and Mom get pushed in a corner, God help you. That’s a lesson I’ve learned from you, seriously.”

Paul Crouch responded: “God help anyone who would try to get in the way of TBN, which was God’s plan. … I have attended the funerals of at least two people who tried…. “Boy, anyone that’s ever tried to get in the way of this network – don’t. Don’t try it. Don’t try it, I’m telling you. You’re playing with fire. God says ‘I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.’ And TBN, you know what, just plain old TBN as a great network entity is proof of the sovereignty of God and the power of God against hell and high water. This network stands as a monument to the faithfulness of God. He did it. Jan and I were just simple little kids — we didn’t even know what we were doing. It was God’s idea. He did it all.”

Crouch then appealed for donations. “Anyone have a need?” he asked. “Plant a seed. Get to the phone.” The comments were directed at no one in particular, but they resounded with Koper. (source)

I also noticed that particular episode has since vanished from the TBN archives. Today the Christian Post is reporting TBN Family Feud Heats Up as Network Fires Back Against Fraud Accusations:

The Trinity Broadcast Network (TBN) said Tuesday that a civil lawsuit filed against it by the founders’ granddaughter and the company’s former finance director is “meritless and contrived,” adding more arguments to what has become an epic scandal involving the largest Christian television network.

Brittany B. Koper, granddaughter of TBN founders Paul and Janice Crouch and their company’s former director of finance, has filed a civil lawsuit alleging that the network knew and kept quiet about broad financial inaccuracies benefiting its founders…

[T]he network claims the Kopers were fired for stealing $1.3 million to buy real estate and cars and make family loans, and only came back with their own allegations later, in retaliation. (source)

In closing this, for now, The New York Times brought out another angle of this spiritual “he said-she said” by focusing on the obvious opulence of TBN in Family feud reveals luxuries at largest Christian TV network:

For 39 years, the Trinity Broadcasting Network has urged viewers to give generously and reap the Lord’s bounty in return. The prosperity gospel preached by Paul and Janice Crouch, who built a single station into the world’s largest Christian television network, has worked out well for them.

Mr. and Mrs. Crouch have his-and-her mansions one street apart in a gated community here, provided by the network using viewer donations and tax-free earnings. But Mrs. Crouch, 74, rarely sleeps in the $5.6 million house with tennis court and pool. She mostly lives in a large company house near Orlando, Fla., where she runs a side business, the Holy Land Experience theme park.

Mr. Crouch, 78, has an adjacent home there too, but rarely visits. Its occupant is often a security guard who doubles as Mrs. Crouch’s chauffeur. The twin sets of luxury homes only hint at the high living enjoyed by the Crouches, inspirational television personalities whose multitudes of stations and satellite signals reach millions of worshipers across the globe.

Almost since they started in the 1970s, the couple have been criticized for secrecy about their use of donations, which totaled $93 million in 2010. (source)

Yet still Paul Crouch was on TBN saying, “Anyone have a need? Plant a seed [send us money]. Get to the phone.”

See also:

RICK WARREN’S SADDLEBACK CHURCH MEN’S GROUP STUDIES JOYCE MEYER

T.D. JAKES PROSPERITY GOSPEL; SOW A SEED, GOD WILL BLESS YOU

STEVEN FURTICK, JAMES MACDONALD, AND JOEL OSTEEN

Paul and Jan Crouch, Trinity Blasphemy Network. Sued for Misuse of Funds

Jan Crouch is famous for the big wigs and nightie costumes on air.

Paul Crouch is the gay caballero of religious TV.
His costumes are comical and cowboy-like.

Suit: Trinity Broadcasting Network board diverted millions from 'charitable assets':

The granddaughter of Trinity Broadcasting Network’s Paul and Jan Crouch has accused the world’s largest Christian broadcaster of unlawfully distributing charitable assets worth more than $50 million to the company’s directors.

The charges are leveled in a federal lawsuit filed by Crouch granddaughter Brittany Koper (far left) last week against her former lawyers, who also do legal work for TBN.

“Observers have often wondered how the Crouches can afford multiple mansions on both coasts, a $50 million jet and chauffeurs,” said Tymothy MacLeod, Koper’s attorney. “And finally, with the CFO coming forward, we have answers to those questions.”

Koper had served as chief financial officer, director of finance, corporate treasurer and director of human resources for Trinity Christian Center of Santa Ana, which does business as Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), according to the suit. Koper’s complaint is not directed against her grandparents or TBN — but against the two attorneys who handle some TNB legal work, and who once worked for Koper herself. She accuses them of professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and other transgressions in the suit.

Koper was using these attorneys for her personal affairs,  and she went to them with her suspicions over the legality of the payments to TBN’s directors, only to be told to shut up, return everything she had earned through TBN to the company, and be gone, according to the suit.

Douglass S. Davert of Davert & Loe in Long Beach is one of the attorneys targeted in Koper’s suit. ”Her assertions are outright fiction and wholly without merit,” he said. ”The allegations are defamatory and to the extent they get printed we are going to defend ourselves vigorously.”

Davert said he couldn’t comment fully on pending litigation, but that there’s a great deal more going on here. To wit:

Koper and her husband were actually the ones doing the misdeeds, according to a suit originally filed by Davert & Loe in Orange County Superior Court in October (the original and amended complaints are here).

Though apparently crafted to avoid mentioning TBN, that suit accused Koper and her husband — both of whom worked for TBN and were on its board of directors — of forging documents and misappropriating funds to the tune of some $400,000. The suit was dismissed without settlement in January.

Koper’s lawyer says that suit was a preemptive strike, an attempt to discredit Koper, because Koper was going to blow the whistle.

Redemption Strategies Inc. — a corporation formed by Loe on Oct. 17 — sued the Koperts on Oct. 18, charging embezzlement, fraud, intentional misrepresentation and other misdeeds. At the time, Davert & Loe were still representing Koper,  MacLeod said.

“It’s kind of a sordid affair,” said MacLeod, Koper’s attorney. “Many layers. But at the heart is the wrongful termination. She was terminated for insider whistleblowing.”

We asked TBN to comment directly on these new cases, and will let you know if and when we hear back.

TBN, a nonprofit, reported revenues of $175.6 million, expenses of $193.7 million, and net assets of $827.6 million at the end of 2010, according to its tax returns. Its highest-paid officer was Paul Crouch, with compensation of $400,000. Its officers, directors and key employees included Paul and Jan Crouch, Paul Crouch Jr., Matthew Crouch, Koper and her husband, among others, according to TBN’s most recent tax returns.

MacLeod said that Koper is readying documentation regarding her charges and will submit a package to the Internal Revenue Service for its review.

We’ll keep you posted on how all this shakes out.

Not the Ich-abode.
This is one of 30 deluxe properties owned by "the ministry" of Trinity Blasphemy Network.
http://www.inplainsite.org/html/tele-evangelist_lifestyles.html

'via Blog this'

---

bruce-church (https://bruce-church.myopenid.com/) has left a new comment on your post "Paul and Jan Crouch, Trinity Blasphemy Network. Su...":

Issues Etc episode on the Trinity Blasphemy Network:

http://issuesetc.org/2012/03/23/4-financial-scandal-at-the-trinity-broadcast-network-bob-liichow-3232012/