Televangelists Sued Over $50 Million Fraud Scheme

The founders of the Trinity Broadcasting Network are being sued after allegedly defrauding their not-for-profit network of more than $50 million.

The lawsuit was filed against Paul and Jan Crouch by their granddaughter Brittany Koper.

In the lawsuit Brittany claims that the couple used the network to purchase 13 mansions and luxury jets. In what might be the most troubling finding the couple allegedly purchased a $100,000 mobile home for their dogs to live in.

The lawsuit was filed after the couple fired Brittany and another employee in September, accusing them of stealing from the company. At that time Koper had just begun a three month stint as the groups chief financial director, a position that allowed her to uncover what she says is just one massive case of fraud.

The lawsuit against Brittany was quickly dismissed with no merit and her countersuit was just as quickly filed after she discover the Crouches’ “illegal financial schemes.”

This isn’t the first time the Trinity Broadcast Network has come under fire from outside groups. The church watchdog group Wall Watchers have repeatedly given TBN an “F” rating because the network has zero transparency in the way it operates.

When asked about how funds at TBN are used the head of Wall Watchers says:

“They’re basically taking money from old people and putting it in their pocket and living the high life.”

With tax free money at their disposal it will be interesting to see if the Crouches’ really have defrauded possibly hundreds of thousands of their groups followers.

Do you think if their fraud turns out to be true the Crouches’ should be sentenced to jail and forced to pay back every penny they took from unsuspecting followers of their TV based church?