Jim Bakker Net Worth: $500 Thousand
Jim Bakker net worth
Jim Bakker is an American televangelist, priest, as well as tv individuality that has a net worth of $500 thousand. Jim Bakker is understood for holding the Christian television program “The PTL Club” with his then-wife Tammy Faye Bakker.
At the peak of their power, Jim and Tammy Faye were bringing in $1 million each week in customer payments to their ministry. The proceeds were supposed to assist increase their theme park and the PTL’s objective. Jim and Tammy Faye began living a luxurious life brimming with luxury autos, fashion jewelry, private airplanes as well as mansions. Years later an internal revenue service record would show that $1.3 million worth of ministry funds in between 1980 and also 1983 alone were alloted for Jim as well as Tammy’s personal use. That’s around $4 million in today’s dollars. It was later proved that Bakker stole additional millions in the late 80s to money his lifestyle. He also was later on alleged to have actually paid off a lady he apparently raped, Jessica Hahn, with ministry funds. The PTL Club’s fundraising ultimately came under suspicion as well as Bakker was later on prosecuted on 15 matters of cord scams, eight matters of mail fraudulence, and one matter of conspiracy theory. He was condemned of all counts as well as punished to 45 years in federal jail with a fine of $500 thousand.
Early Life as well as Profession Beginnings
Jim Bakker was birthed in 1940 in Muskegon, Michigan to parents Raleigh as well as Furnia. As a young person, he went to North Central College in Minneapolis, a personal Christian university associated with the Assemblies of God. There, he met fellow student as well as future wife Tammy Faye LaValley. Both wed in 1961, and consequently left university to become nomadic evangelists.
In 1966, Bakker and also his partner started working at Rub Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network in Portsmouth, Virginia. The pair dramatically contributed to the floundering network’s development, organizing a children’t range program called “Begin Over.” Because of this success, Bakker was assigned the host of a brand-new primetime talk show, “The 700 Club.” After leaving the network in 1972, Bakker and his spouse partnered with Paul and also Jan Crouch to cofound California’s Trinity Broadcasting Network. However, a falling-out between Bakker and Crouch reduced the partnership after eight months.
The PTL Club
Following their leave from Trinity Broadcasting Network, Bakker as well as his other half relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, where they debuted their own Christian talk show, “The PTL Club,” in 1976. The program was transmitted on Bakker’s PTL Satellite Network, which likewise aired various other religious programs throughout the country. Over the decade, Bakker constructed a PTL head office called Heritage Town. At the same time, he and also his partner continued to broaden their ministry, developing the Heritage United States theme park in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The theme park became one of the most effective in the United States at the time.
PTL Offender Investigations as well as Charges
In 1979, Bakker as well as PTL were dealt a significant impact when they came under examination by the FCC for mistreating funds raised on air. By 1982, it was located that Bakker had raised around $350,000 that was intended to approach financing overseas missions, however that was in fact made use of to fund his amusement park. The FCC, as well as later on the internal revenue service, also located that PTL funds were being used for the Bakkers’ individual costs. To make use of the situation, Bakker claimed he was being unfairly maltreated, as well as utilized the conflict to increase more funds for his cause.
An also better scandal was available in 1987, when news damaged that Bakker and former “PTL Club” cohost John Wesley Fletcher had actually drugged as well as raped church secretary Jessica Hahn, and also paid her virtually $300,000 in PTL funds as hush money. As a result, Bakker officially resigned from the ministry, and also selected Rev. Jerry Falwell as his follower. Following a 16-month federal grand jury probe, Bakker was prosecuted on 8 counts of mail fraudulence, one matter of conspiracy, and also 15 matters of cable fraudulence. He was punished to 45 years in prison and also was given a $500,000 fine. While the United States Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ultimately supported the sentences, it voided the 45-year sentence and fine, buying a brand-new hearing in 1991. Subsequently, Bakker’s sentence was lowered to 8 years. Nevertheless, he offered simply except 5, having actually been provided parole in 1994 while owing $6 million to the IRS.
Go back to Televangelism
Bakker went back to televangelism in 2003 when he began airing “The Jim Bakker Show” out of Branson, Missouri. On the program, he has condemned the prosperity faith that he had previously espoused, and has actually turned to welcoming apocalypticism and also the survivalist principles. Past the show, Bakker founded Morningside Church in Blue Eye, Missouri, as well as reestablished the PTL ministry.
Statements and also Conspiracy theories
In his later job, Bakker has continued to market conspiracies and also crazed religions. Amongst his ridiculous declarations, he has actually asserted that Hurricane Harvey was God’s judgment, that Barack Obama caused Typhoon Matthew, which he had actually directly forecasted the 9/11 attacks. Later, during the COVID pandemic, Bakker sold colloidal silver supplements he wrongly promoted as a remedy for the virus.
Job as Author
Bakker is the author of a variety of publications. His very first, “Relocate That Mountain,” was published in 1976. This was followed by “8 Keys to Success” in 1980. After his release from prison, Bakker penned “I Was Wrong” and “Success and the Upcoming Apocalypse.” Later on titles include “The Sanctuary: The Happiness of Christian Area in a Torn-Apart Globe,” and “Time Has Come: Just How to Prepare Now for Impressive Occasions Ahead.”
Personal Life
With Tammy Faye, Bakker had two youngsters, Tammy Sue and Jamie Charles. The couple separated in 1992 following Bakker’s sentencing. In 1998, Bakker satisfied former televangelist Lori Beth Graham, and wed her 50 days later on. They took on 5 youngsters in 2002.
