Channel Nine News of Charlotte, NC recently broadcast the news that Todd Coontz has been indicted by the federal government on several charges of tax fraud.  The Trinity Foundation began working with investigative reporter Jim Bradley in December 2012 to help provide information on Todd Coontz and his ministry.  Bradley’s March 2013 report on Coontz features a brief interview with Ole Anthony, President of the Trinity Foundation(view video here).  Recently Ole was interviewed by the Christian Post about our work with Bradley on that investigation and Ole’s response to the indictment (read article here).

Channel 9 June 23 news clip about Coontz’s indictment can be viewed here.

The federal indictment by the US Secret Service includes items mentioned in Bradley’s 2013 report on Coontz: that he owned a $1.38 million condo, a Ferrari, and a Maserati under his ministry’s name; and used ministry funds to pay for more than $227,000 in clothes and $140,000 at restaurants; in addition to taking luxury vacations. According to the government, Coontz owes a surplus of $326,000 in tax payments from the years 2010-2013.

Carra Crouch received a favorable outcome in court on Monday on a case which took eleven years to go to trial!  On June 5th the court awarded Carra $2 million dollars for her pain and suffering after a sexual assault by a TBN employee.  Although initially they ruled that Jan Crouch was only 45% responsible for her pain and suffering, assigning the remainder to her mother and the assailant, that was overruled based on the fact that California law only apportions accountability in negligence claims. 

This was initially ruled as an intentional infliction of emotional distress because of the way that Jan Crouch reacted to her granddaughter when she told her about the assault.  Now, TBN is responsible to pay Carra the entire $2 million in damages, as reported by the Orange County Register here.

TBN’s lawyers, who have filed a total of 22 lawsuits against Carra’s sister Brittany, were once called “vexatious litigants” by a federal judge.  Having been given a chance to correct their behavior, they (view our post here) have indicated that they reserve the right to fight the decision by the judge.

The granddaughter of the late TBN founder Jan Crouch was just awarded $2 million dollars in damages for emotional pain incurred from an alleged molestation and rape in 2006.  The court ruled that TBN is responsible to pay Jan Crouch’s portion of that ($900,000) because of Jan’s mishandling of her granddaughter’s claim of abuse that happened at a telethon by a TBN employee.  We are deeply disturbed to see this family involved in so much litigation with one another and saddened to see them in so much pain.  (Read the New York Times Article on the Trial here)

Paula White-Cain claims she can walk into the president’s office and pray for him any time she wishes, but before the prosperity preacher would answer Heat Street reporter Jillian Melchior’s list of questions, Ms. Melchior, Heat Street and owner Dow Jones were all threatened with a lawsuit by Paula’s lawyer—so much for “turn the other cheek”.  Ms. Melchior’s lengthy article illustrates how Ms. White-Cain asks for money—lots of it—and ends with a brief interview with Ole Anthony and our warning to the Trump administration about Mrs. White-Cain—read it here.