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February 17, 2012
TBN Embroiled in 'Sordid' Family Lawsuit
Granddaughter alleges over wrongful termination, threats. Both sides allege misappropriated funds.
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.
The allegations are not against TBN itself, but against Koper’s former attorneys from Davert & Loe, who have also done legal work for TBN. She has accused them of breach of fiduciary duty, professional negligence, and other transgressions.
“Her assertions are outright fiction and wholly without merit,” Douglass S. Davert, one of the attorneys named in the suit, told The Orange County Register. ”The allegations are defamatory and to the extent they get printed we are going to defend ourselves vigorously.”
Colby May, spokesperson for TBN, told Pat Robertson’s CBN News that the assertions are “a bold faced lie.” The fact is that Ms. Koper has confessed several different times to embezzling money, he said. "She and her husband, basically, in the dark of night up and moved to New York [after leaving TBN].
The Orange County Register reported that Davert & Loe had filed a similar lawsuit against Koper and her husband last October. They accused the Kopers of forging documents and misappropriating nearly $400,000 in funds, but the suit was dismissed without settlement in January. Tymothy MacLeod, Koper’s attorney, said the suit was a preemptive attempt to discredit Koper.
“It’s kind of a sordid affair,” he told the paper. “Many layers. But at the heart is the wrongful termination. She was terminated for insider whistle blowing.”
Additionally, the suit claims TBN officials threatened Koper at a hearing regarding the reasons for her firing. “When questioned about the grounds for termination, Matthew Crouch, a director at Trinity Broadcasting, began tapping the firearm he had brought to the meeting and asked Ms. Koper what she thought would happen when she wrote a memo to the board critical of Matthew Crouch’s financial improprieties,” the suit says. “Matthew Crouch continued tapping the gun he was holding to ensure that Ms. Koper recognized the lethal threat being made.”
Last October, Paul Crouch Jr. left his role as vice president and chief of staff at TBN to join The World Network as director of project development.
Comments
Let's face it. TBN sounds more and more like a criminal organization than a ministry. Dress it up in Christianity and all of a sudden the means justify the ends? Get real. A relationship with Jesus should not mean we give up our capacity to call a thing what it is. Get the police / FBI/ Whomever involved....get those who are defrauding TBN's contributors in Jail and get on with the avocation of serving Christ.
For goodness sakes....
Posted By: Jeff | February 19, 2012 7:10 PM
The Lord is going to deal with the false teachers and false prophets who are greedy for worldly gain, twist the scriptures and lie by making promises that God will give the people blessings if they send them or their ministry money.
Here's the cost of the Lord meeting people's needs; "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and ALL you have need of will be added to you."
Sadly, the selfish and greedy money manipulators take millions of the donated money they begged for and spend it on their lavish lifestyles of mansions and jets. Yes, money is the root of all evil. The idol of worldly success and earthly wealth is going to all before the presence of our Holy and Mighty Lord Jesus.
Posted By: Jonathan Israel | February 19, 2012 9:38 PM
http://reformationanglicanism.blogspot.com/2012/02/tbn-lawsuit-oc-register-21912-god-help.html
The Granddaughter filed a civil action last week. However, the OC Register adds these filings and actions: "She has filed reports with the Orange County District Attorney's Office, the police and the California State Bar, her attorney said. She has also engaged accounting and audit consultants who said that a report to IRS investigators should be ready for submission this week."
Posted By: Donald Philip Veitch | February 20, 2012 3:06 PM
Whats the worlds coming to?
Posted By: ryan | February 20, 2012 4:06 PM
If this is all true, then its really really sad. I realise the work of TBN and the enemy is trying to bring this distraction to stop the great work that they are doing. Lets pray that while the evil is purged out, the wheat will be preserved...Amen
Posted By: Toyin | February 21, 2012 4:30 AM
@Toyin: "The enemy is trying to bring this distraction to stop the great work that they [TBN] are doing". Really? Since when do we absolve people of personal responsibility and blame everything on "the enemy"? If any of the principals in the ghastly affair are frauds and cheaters, their actions stemmed directly from their own choices. It about time Christendom demand accountablity among ministries and ministry leaders and hold them accountable. Those guilt of wrong doing, i.e. a breach of trust and their fudiciary responsibility, should face the consequences to the full extent of the law. Enough of this silliness about blaming "the enemy".
Posted By: KemKev | February 22, 2012 12:32 PM
As an evangelical elder, I get so tired of these ever-increasing, supposed charades in our evangelical circles, that I wish for someone to literally suggest discipline for this sort of behavior. Then we can tell the world that this is NOT what God is and represents!
Posted By: Anonymous1 | February 22, 2012 3:27 PM
What is really sad is when poor people send TBN money and we watch Paul and Jan and the rest of TV's elite spending monies like drunken sailors to live in Lavsih homes and etc. The book of Amos tells us that there will be those who will lose their summer homes and etc. God WILL have the last word. God did NOT send His son into this world for everyone to live like King David, Solomon and other Kings. It's this kind of living that has put our nation into debt. It's all called Greed and piety. Jesus rode a donkey not a horse. The earth was his bed and he ate among sinners and didn't wear fancy clothes. It's the simple minded Christians who are supporting Paul and Jans lavish lifestyle. I know we don't judge the heart but do you honestly think that Jan wearing lashes as long as her right pinky and pink wigs and botox in her lips is Christlike. Why can't some people age in Christ gracefully. My husband has been preaching for 63 years and higly respected in government and at NO time did he ever feel it was necessary to live like there was no tommorrow. Police take codes of silence so I guess it's common place with some of the TV ministries.
Posted By: Sam | February 22, 2012 6:45 PM
50 Million!
Maybe they were just trying to scratch together an anonymous bid to buy the Crystal Cathedral?
Then again, maybe not :>0
Posted By: Orpheus | February 23, 2012 10:05 AM
This really makes me sick to my stomach. Money given in the name of God for what? To buy fame, jets, mansions, facelifts, for that rich lifestyle? Come on. That is a lot of years of swindling the people of God. A lot of blood on their hands. It makes me wonder, do they really believe there is a Jesus? Any fear for where they will spend eternity?
Posted By: Clarissa | February 23, 2012 5:27 PM
I have been watching TBS for many years and have also donated money each month to be used to bring others to Christ.
I still am very gratefull that they are reaching the entire world and thousands upon thousands have found Jesus through their broadcast.
I pray that th Lord will have his way and get this mess cleaned up. If Paul Crouch and his family are guilty of misappropriating funds for their own lavish lifestyles, they will turn to God for forgiveness.
It makes me sick to my stomach to see this going on.
Posted By: Joyce Lemley | February 24, 2012 8:15 PM
Televangelism has outlived its usefulness...Crystal Cathedral, Osteen, Hinn, TBN, Dollar, etc etc...money, money, money. Give it up and go to your local church and invest in your community. This type of organization is anathema to the gospel church.
Posted By: Craig | February 24, 2012 8:32 PM
I wonder how long some will wait for them to repent? This is not a recent discovery, this has been going on for many, many years. They teach a false doctrine, such as teaching that men are "little gods", they teach a health and wealth prosperity gospel that is satanic, and many more false teachings. If it isn't what Jesus taught, it is what satan wants taught. Donating money to them only contributes to this terrible sin of a false gospel. Paul said that anyone teaching a false gospel should be condemned to hell, and said that if someone doesn't like hearing those words, he doesn't care, because he only seeks to please God, not man.
Galatians 1
"I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ."
Posted By: carrie | February 24, 2012 9:03 PM
No surprise here. It all fits. These people have been a disgrace with the way they raise money -- that alone should have been a red flag. And it goes down from here. God is judging. And that means exposing. I hope He brings the entire network down.
Posted By: David | February 26, 2012 7:08 PM
There's hardly ANY Gospel preached on TBN. It's all about MONEY, MONEY AND MORE MONEY.
Even then, they're preaching to the choir since their audience is made up of those who already heard the Gospel.
It's manipulation, third-rate entertainment and religious fluff masquerading as "Gospel".
People have been GAMBLING for years that their "prosperity formula" will work, AND IT HASN'T.
You'd think they would have wised up by now.
The ONLY ONES getting rich are Paul, Jan and their sons.
Posted By: Mart | March 12, 2012 12:22 PM