Oral Roberts President Exits Amid Scandal

Richard Roberts To Take Leave After Being Accused Of Lavish Spending At Donors' Expense

(CBS/AP)  Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts asked the school's board of regents for a leave of absence Wednesday amid accusations of lavish spending at donors' expense and illegal involvement in a political campaign.

The allegations have rocked the Bible Belt university, known for its 60-foot bronze statue of praying hands, reports CBS News affiliate KOTV. Roberts, 58, said he would continue his role as chairman and CEO of Oral Roberts Ministries.

"I don't know how long this leave of absence will last, but I fully trust the members of the Board of Regents," Roberts said in a statement released by the university. "I pray and believe that in God's timing, and when the Board feels that it is appropriate, I will be back at my post as president."

An Oct. 2 lawsuit cites an internal report that says the Roberts allegedly remodeled their home 11 times in 14 years, used the university jet for personal trips, and forced members of the university to play an active role in a political campaign, something that is banned for non-profits such as the university, reports CBS News correspondent Hari Sreenivasan.

Three former ORU professors filed the suit and say they were forced out after turning over this information to the board of regents.

Their suit was amended last week to include new allegations that documents were shredded and destroyed days after the initial lawsuit was filed, and hours after ORU and Richard Roberts fired the school's comptroller.

The amended complaint also included an internal ministry report, titled "Scandal Vulnerability Assessment," documenting allegations of misconduct by the university and the Roberts family. Only a partial report was included in the Oct. 2 lawsuit. ( Read the "Scandal" document.)

The more detailed account alleges Richard Roberts' wife, Lindsay, spent the night in the ORU guest house with an underage male "on nine separate occasions," and was photographed 29 times with an underage male in her sports car, among other allegations.

The internal report was prepared by Stephanie Cantees, Richard Roberts' sister-in-law. An ORU spokesman said Cantees would not comment on the report.

An ORU student repairing Cantees' laptop discovered the document and later provided a copy to one of the dismissed professors.

In a statement, Lindsay said she lived her life in "a morally upright manner" and had never engaged in any sexual behavior with any man outside of her marriage as the accusations imply.

"The last three weeks have taken a serious toll on me and my family," Richard Roberts said in a statement Wednesday. "The untrue allegations have struck a terrible blow in my heart. The untrue allegations of sexual misconduct by my wife have hurt the most."

Gary Richardson, attorney for the dismissed professors, said his clients "stand ready and prepared at the appropriate time to prove the truth of those allegations, and also prove the truth of the fact they were fired after providing the information off Stephanie Cantees' computer to the board of regents.

"I want to know why they fired these guys," Richardson said.

Oral Roberts, 89, said last week that the allegations against his family had blindsided him, "but we have been through some tough experiences in building Oral Roberts University in the 1960s, and we have surprised them all and have built a university that we believe is for the glory of God."

The Roberts family ministry grew from Southern tent revivals to one of the most successful evangelical empires in the country, hauling in tens of millions of dollars in contributions a year. The university reported nearly $76 million in revenue in 2005, according to the IRS.

The elder Roberts founded the 5,300-student school, known for its 60-foot-tall bronze sculpture of praying hands, in 1963. He famously told viewers in 1987 that God told him to raise $8 million for the university or he would be "called home."

The week the lawsuit was filed, Richard Roberts said at a chapel service that God told him to deny the allegations. He said God told him: "We live in a litigious society. Anyone can get mad and file a lawsuit against another person whether they have a legitimate case or not. This lawsuit ... is about intimidation, blackmail and extortion."

[Mzeehekima]

I think what has been said corcenig orolRobert is not appropriate specially if the full prove is not yet out and if this man has helped thousands of need people

mzeehekima

[evildoer42]

This should be fun to watch.

Isn''t this the family of the guy who claimed God had put a hit contract on him and would only lift it if he raised 8 million or so?

Heh. It''s always amusing when another Elmer Gantry crashes and burns. The only pity is that it tars decent preachers with that brush as well.

[Krazcarl]

AVA70-aajo1..Thank you I''m not deeply religious but am smart enough to know good when I see it.

[ava70]

I think it is very sad that the 3 disgruntled discharged professors are, in essence, throwing out the baby with the bath water. I KNOW that Oral and Richard Roberts Ministry has done great good for a lot of people. I KNOW people who have been helped, and healed. Of course they are not perfect. There was only One who was, and that''s Jesus Christ Himself. And, we all need Him. I think it is very sad that a few very lame allegations are being blown out of proportion like this. And, I believe that Lindsay is SO innocent that she could not even see that she could possibly look guilty in regard to the things she was doing to help a boy, who she probably viewed as the son she never had. I read the complaint. It is legally very lame and weak. These issues should be settled among Christians and OUT of the media and the worldly courts as the Word of God advises. Big deal, so the little daughter wanted to put a message to a friend on a billboard. Big deal. That''s no crime. And, I do not see how that robs any donors of money. To me these accusations are bogus and blown WAY out of proportion. I think the professors were WRONG to do this to an organization that does more good than any wrong they may have committed.

[aajo1]

I read the so called Scandal but I did not see anything. Consider this:
Operah makes billions a year
Jerry Springer makes millions a year
Judge Judy makes millions a year
Even Dr. Phil makes millions a year
With all the hard work by Richard Roberts, preaching, managing the University, raising money for the University almost 24 hours a day and the poor fellow is only paid $181,469 of which most of it is taken by IRS and you make a big deal of it. Give me a break!! This is America.

They are making a big deal of $800 cell phone bill. I am just an ordinary American but my cell phone bills run very high. On a cell phone, in most cases when people call you, you pay. I think $800 cell bill is too small.
I do not know Richard Roberts well but I know Oral Roberts and have watched him. I feel sad that the old man is very sad. Please, may someone in the media help make the Old man (Oral Roberts) feel better?

[Krazcarl]

You know all I know is my mother liked his preaching and his school {wasn''t up to it went to state}. But I respect my mother and if it was good enough for her it''s allright wih me. This whole blog has been nothing but throwing insults and pitiful attempts to make your points and ridicule the tools of the ignorant. But nevertheless I believe in a higher power. If you want to give cash fine if not don''t no matter what you say there are thousands of folks that look at that university and are proud that they did something with there extra cash or went without to be part of something that will outlive them I see no fault or harm in that.

[sonotso]

'' ...

imagine shoving trillions of dollars

of drugs

down kids throats,

imagine waving trillions of dollars

of guns

in kids faces,

imagine all the people

sharing all the world,

i hope some day you''ll join us

and the world will live as one,

... ''


'' ... 36 sick beds, 36 villages of 300 each day dancing get well feed world and maybe 20 mins porno get sick tax world ... ''

[jankebenz]

I would wait till the facts are in before condemming , but it would''''nt surprise me if proven true, as big dollar outfits who sell Christianity are usually phony. Even the bible had a few "phony" christians who were out to capitilize on the real thing, just as there are swindlers found in every segment of life. Christ and his message is the real thing and is FREE to all ,salvation is a gift from him to everyone who will accept and is NOT FOR SALE!

[www30kdmcom]

Holy HILARIOUSNESS!
30kdm.com/blog/

[Rusty_Fender]

ROTFLMAO!!!!!

Jailrot''s funny!

[jairod]

blikie2: Again - If you cannot come up with an original thought, then of course you attack the person. Prove that you can think without resorting to personal atacks and gain the esteem of the readers. If you can''t, accept yourself for what you are, and leave the discussion to those that are capable of critical thinking.

[luvny-2009]

Sounds like he should hook up with Billy Grahams son, Franklins just as bad at scamming money from what his father started. Big time 6 figure paychecks for all, come one like they are doing it for the good of God. Now trying to make a circus out of where they are going to bury them. Check this out about Samaritan''s Purse (SP) does not meet the following 3 Standards for Charity Accountability.
http://charityreports.bbb.org/public/Report.aspx?CharityID=281

[Rusty_Fender]

And, you, jairot are a bully. Do YOU have any original thoughts?

[jairod]

Primate: Another non-thinking parrot.

[jairod]

nlm2383; It''s obvious you never had an original thought. I hope you don''t breed.

[nlm2383]

ALL religion is a sham and people are deluded if they believe that some "god" is going to hand them whatever they want if they "pray" - talking to "beings" that don''t exist is a form of insanity.

It breeds hatred and distrust and preys on the poor and uneducated.

Posted by blinkie2 at 09:14 AM : Oct 18, 2007

I couldn''t have said it better myself...I completely agree.

[ann777-2009]

There one thing i do know If these allegations are true again I say if they are true it will come out. But if these professors are slandering Mr Roberts with false accusations that will come out too. the truth will come out and God will make sure of that.And truth will win out i believe that.

[theeggman369]

Does this really come as a surprise to anyone? It''s no skin off my nose. I surely don''t give to them any of my hard earned money. Evangelicals ask for money all the time. Have you ever known one which didn''t live like a king, while asking for money from the poor to do the "Lords work". I didn''t know it was the Lords work to pamper these people and their families to excess, but to be fair, they may have prayed for it... Any one giving money to this type of organization gets exactly what they deserve. I find the whole thing quite amusing myself....

[jbb4c]

I love people who generalize and put everyone in the same box. Saying all tv preachers are bad is like saying all doctors are bad, or all chefs are bad. That is a stupid statement. Not all Christians are bad either. I think that sometimes people get caught-up in having money and luxary and they forget the basis of Christianty. It is the way Satan gets into their hearts. Go back and find people who were healed under Oral Robert''s ministry. I know one personally and it was a miracle. People get tempted and get over their heads. I think that is what happened to the Roberts''. Sometimes it takes a fall to bring reality back around and save the heart of a good man again, as in the case of Jim Bakker. God is real!!

[mitywhity]

I have no compassion for these people. They give all Christians a bad name and they hurt the church with their messed up doctrines designed to increase their budgets and fleece the church. I am not against the church, just against these FALSE-TEACHERS! Away with him and all the rest of them. Believers need to read the Bible and grow up and stop following these hucksters! I am livid about this!