Televangelist Jim Bakker, who was made famous by his TV empire and disgraced by a sex scandal and fraud conviction, has died at the age of 86, his widow announced on Monday.
“It is with a broken heart that I share that my beloved husband, Jim Bakker, went home to be with the Lord this evening,” Lori Bakker posted on “The Jim Bakker Show” Facebook page.
Bakker is well known for building a TV empire alongside his first wife, Tammy Faye, with the creation of the popular “The PTL [Praise the Lord] Club.” But his public image was forever ruined due to a sex scandal with a church secretary and financial crimes that resulted in prison time.
“For 66 years, Jim gave his life to preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He was a pioneer of Christian television, but to me, he was my husband, my best friend, and the man I was honored to walk beside through so many seasons of life and ministry,” Lori Bakker added.
“Jim loved people deeply. He loved this ministry, and he loved the friends and partners who stood with him throughout the years. Even in his final days, his heart was still for the work of God and for the Gospel to continue reaching the world. Our family is grieving and we ask for your prayers and privacy during this time. Jim finished his race with faith. His voice, his vision, and his legacy will never be forgotten.”
Bakker was born in Michigan and began his televangelist career at a young age after meeting Tammy Faye in college. His website says that his mission was to “make Jesus real” to the whole world. He started his television career as host of “The 700 Club” before founding “The PTL Club,” which ran from 1974 until 1987, per The New York Post.
His empire went beyond television and included a theme park and hotel.
Scandal erupted in 1987, however, when it was revealed that Bakker had sent a $265,000 hush money payment to church secretary Jessica Hahn, who claimed in 1980 that he raped her. Bakker admitted to having sex with her, but maintained it had been consensual.
After the scandal, Bakker stepped down from “PTL” and turned it over to fellow televangelist Jerry Falwell.
Later, Bakker was indicted for mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy after an investigation of PTL’s finances and sentenced to 45 years in prison, which was later reduced to eight years. He served just five years before he was paroled in 1994. He and Tammy Faye divorced in 1992. They had been married for 31 years and had two children together.
Tammy Faye died of colon cancer in 2007.
After getting out of prison, Bakker started working at the Los Angeles Dream Center, a Christian charitable organization, and met his second wife, Lori. They adopted five children together and started a new TV ministry called “The Jim Bakker Show.”
But Bakker got in trouble again and reached a civil settlement after he peddled a so-called “silver solution” cure for COVID-19. He was ordered to pay a settlement of $156,000 in refunds to people who paid money or gave contributions for the product.
