1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: The Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:12,000 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hello and Welcome to This Day in History Class, 3 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: a show that uncovers a little bit more about history 4 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,960 Speaker 1: every day. I'm Gay Blusier, and in this episode we're 5 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,560 Speaker 1: talking about the rise and fall of charismatic con man 6 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: Jim Baker, a TV preacher who took millions of dollars 7 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: from his loyal viewers and then used their money to 8 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 1: do everything but the Lord's work. The day was October fourth. 9 00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: Televangelist Jim Baker was indicted on twenty four federal charges 10 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: of fraud and conspiracy. These formal charges were the result 11 00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: of a multi year investigation jointly conducted by the I 12 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: r S, the FBI, and the Postal Inspection Service. Baker 13 00:01:00,800 --> 00:01:03,560 Speaker 1: was a well known public figure in the nineteen eighties, 14 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:06,480 Speaker 1: having risen to prominence through he and his wife, Tammy 15 00:01:06,520 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: Phay's Christian television programs and other religious ventures. The fraud 16 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:16,160 Speaker 1: investigation and subsequent trial revealed that Baker had conducted what 17 00:01:16,240 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: amounted to a Ponzi scheme. He solicited donations through his 18 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: TV talk show and through mailed advertisements, pledging to use 19 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: the money for overseas missionary work, but actually using it 20 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 1: to pay off debts and to support he and his 21 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: wife's extravagant lifestyle. Jim Baker's indictment was a long time coming. 22 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: He in the North Carolina business he founded, Praised the 23 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 1: Lord Ministries, or PTL, had been the subject of federal 24 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 1: investigations as far back as nineteen seventy nine. The fcc 25 00:01:48,520 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: found evidence that Baker was routinely misusing the funds he 26 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 1: raised to support his ministry. For example, in nineteen eighty two, 27 00:01:56,520 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: they found Baker had raised three hundred and fifty thousand 28 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: dollars from viewers, but hadn't used it for what he 29 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: said he would. Instead, most of the money went to 30 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 1: pay for the development of Heritage USA, a Christian themed 31 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:13,920 Speaker 1: resort and amusement park in Fort Mills, South Carolina. The 32 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:18,480 Speaker 1: FCCS investigation also showed that Jim and Tammy Faye Baker 33 00:02:18,680 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: had used PTL funds for personal expenses, including the purchase 34 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 1: of diamond jewelry, luxury cars, and even an air conditioned doghouse. 35 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,680 Speaker 1: After three years on the case, the f SEC sent 36 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: its report to the Department of Justice, but it declined 37 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: to press charges, citing insufficient evidence. When news of the 38 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: report broke. Baker capitalized on the controversy. He referred to 39 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: the FCC probe as a quote witch hunt, and told 40 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: viewers that by sending him more money, they would be 41 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: doing their part to quote give the devil a black eye. 42 00:02:55,000 --> 00:02:59,000 Speaker 1: Many supporters bought baker story that he was being unfairly 43 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 1: targeted for his religious beliefs and that he hadn't actually 44 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 1: done anything wrong. However, and not everyone was convinced, and 45 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: members of the press continued to scrutinize the Baker's finances 46 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: for the next five years. In seven, the Charlotte Observer 47 00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 1: published several articles about ptl's alleged mishandling of funds. Among 48 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: the findings they presented was a particularly scandalous item, a 49 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: payment of nearly three hundred thousand dollars to a former 50 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 1: church secretary named Jessica Hahn. In the months that followed, 51 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 1: Han took her story public, outlining a sexual encounter that 52 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: had taken place in a Florida hotel room on December six. 53 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 1: She alleged that Jim Baker and John Wesley Fletcher, another 54 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 1: PTL pastor, had drugged and raped her, and that the 55 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: payment she received was hush money to keep her from 56 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: going to the press. Baker had been asked for comment 57 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,640 Speaker 1: ahead of the story's publication and could see the writing 58 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: on the all. He resigned from PTL that March, and 59 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 1: when the scandal went public shortly after, he admitted to 60 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 1: having sex with Han, but maintained it had been consensual. 61 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: Baker tried to downplay his role in the incident, too, 62 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:18,400 Speaker 1: claiming he had been blackmailed and quote wickedly manipulated, and 63 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,799 Speaker 1: to having sex with his then twenty one year old employee. 64 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: Han eventually admitted to demanding and receiving hush money, but 65 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: was granted immunity in exchange for her testimony at trial. 66 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,880 Speaker 1: Before Baker stepped down from PTL, his fundraising efforts reportedly 67 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: raised more than one hundred million dollars annually. Hans allegations 68 00:04:40,080 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 1: seemingly confirmed that large portions of those funds were being 69 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: used for decidedly personal matters. The Hans scandal reignited the 70 00:04:49,240 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: government's interest in Jim Baker's dodgy finances. The resulting investigation 71 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 1: lasted sixteen months and was greatly aided by Reverend Jerry Folwell, 72 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: a fellow tele of angelist whom Baker had entrusted with 73 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:07,880 Speaker 1: his ministry. Following his own resignation, Folwell cooperated with federal officials, 74 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: providing them with access to all the PTL records they 75 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 1: needed to build their case. On October fourth, ninety eight, 76 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: the findings of the federal grand jury probe led to 77 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 1: Jim Baker's indictment on eight counts of mail fraud, fifteen 78 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: counts of wire fraud, and one count of conspiracy. Tammy 79 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,599 Speaker 1: Faye avoided such charges, as her husband had exercised full 80 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:36,400 Speaker 1: control over ptl's finances. However, she was still viewed as 81 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,479 Speaker 1: guilty by association in the eyes of the public, and 82 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 1: both her image and her career never fully recovered. As 83 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,120 Speaker 1: for Jim Baker, he was convicted of tax, wire and 84 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 1: mail fraud in nineteen eighty nine and sentenced to forty 85 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:54,800 Speaker 1: five years in prison. That sentence was later commuted, and 86 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 1: Baker was released in nineteen ninety four, having served just 87 00:05:58,279 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: under five years. Tammy Fay divorced him during his incarceration 88 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:05,919 Speaker 1: and continued with her own solo ministry as best she 89 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:10,120 Speaker 1: could until her eventual death in two thousand seven. By 90 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 1: that time, Jim Baker had relaunched his career as a 91 00:06:13,320 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: TV preacher, eventually reframing his public disgrace as an early 92 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:22,160 Speaker 1: example of cancel culture. In twenty twenty, Baker came under 93 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: fire again after advertising a supposed cure all called the 94 00:06:26,279 --> 00:06:31,600 Speaker 1: Silver Solution during his broadcasts. The prosperity preacher alleged that 95 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:36,559 Speaker 1: his solution could quote prevent, mitigate, treat, or cure any 96 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 1: disease or illness, including the coronavirus. Health officials understandably pushed 97 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: back against that highly questionable claim and later deemed the 98 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: solution to be outright toxic. A year later, Baker and 99 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: his Missouri church were ordered to pay one hundred and 100 00:06:53,680 --> 00:06:57,479 Speaker 1: fifty six thousand dollars in restitution after being sued for 101 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:02,280 Speaker 1: false claims. Jim Baker come applied, but maintained as always 102 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:05,760 Speaker 1: that he had done nothing wrong. According to the preacher, 103 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: he never tried to fleece anyone, not in the nineteen 104 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: eighties and not in the twenties either. He may have 105 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,760 Speaker 1: made mistakes along the way, sure, but never with the 106 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:19,880 Speaker 1: intention of harming or defrauding those who had trusted him. 107 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: People will continue to draw their own conclusions about how 108 00:07:23,200 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: true that really is, and about what kind of man 109 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:31,679 Speaker 1: Jim Baker really is victim or victimizer, crusader or con man. 110 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:34,840 Speaker 1: Of course, if you need a little help making up 111 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: your mind about that, you could always look to the 112 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: Good Book for guidance. Take Matthew seven fifteen, for instance, 113 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,440 Speaker 1: it says, beware of false prophets who come to you 114 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. Just 115 00:07:51,040 --> 00:07:56,400 Speaker 1: something to keep in mind. I'm Gabe Lousier and hopefully 116 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 1: you now know a little more about history today than 117 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: you did yesterday. If you'd like to keep up with 118 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: the show, you can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and 119 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: Instagram at t d I HC Show, and if you 120 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:12,200 Speaker 1: have any comments or suggestions, you're free to send them 121 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 1: my way at this day at I heart media dot com. 122 00:08:16,400 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 1: Thanks as always the Channel or Mays for producing the show, 123 00:08:19,440 --> 00:08:21,840 Speaker 1: and thanks to you for listening. I'll see you back 124 00:08:21,840 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: here again tomorrow for another day in History Class.