ORU Scandal

Creflo Dollar and Benny Hinn have lost clout on the ORU board of regents.

ORU Scandal.

The search is on for another ORU president, one who is not named Roberts.

ORU Scandal.

A zillionaire businessman has offered to bail ORU out of its $70 million debt, but there are strings attached.

Meanwhile, Richard Roberts said it was all God's fault, or his will, that he resigned in disgrace.

ORU Scandal.

The university is saying nothing about yesterday's meeting.

ORU Scandal.

The university regents met today to find out what they need to do next now that Richard Roberts is out of the picture.

ORU Scandal.

Now that Richard Roberts has bailed as president of ORU, alumni support is sought.

ORU Scandal.

Having been under intense pressure these past few weeks, Richard Roberts has resigned as president of ORU:

Richard Roberts sent a letter to the Oral Roberts University Board of Regents on Friday tendering his resignation as university president effective immediately.

The regents will meet Monday and Tuesday to determine action in the search process for a new president.

Next stop is Branson, Missouri, where he can resume his true calling as a lounge lizard singer.

ORU Scandal.

Three new lawsuits have been filed against the university and Richard Roberts.

At least two of those will be thrown out of court.

ORU Scandal.

Richard Roberts answered or tried to answer his critics Friday regarding ORU finances:

Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts said he wants "complete financial transparency" at the university if he is allowed to return to his position.

In an interview with the Tulsa World on Friday, Roberts answered criticism by tenured faculty members and others that ORU withheld information about its finances. He also discussed his practice of reimbursing the ministry for personal expenses, a student center that was never built and the possible sale of the university's television station.

Roberts said in news articles in 1997 and 2001 that ORU's debt had been cut in half when in fact debt had increased during those years.

He said Friday: "In the early years of being president I think I got some funny information. We had to make some changes in personnel in those years."

ORU Scandal.

Three ORU regents are getting queries from Washington.

They are Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, and Creflo Dollar.

A list of those being investigated:

* Randy and Paula White of Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa, Fla.


* Benny Hinn of World Healing Center Church Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas.


* David and Joyce Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo.


* Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas.


* Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Ga.


* Creflo and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park, Ga.

This could get good.

ORU Scandal.

Chuck Grassley has vowed a crusade against televangelists, which is at least 20 years late.

Hinn, Copeland and Dollar serve on ORU's board of regents.

Grassley's letters asked the ministers and their organizations to respond to numerous questions and submit certain information for his review.

His requests covered the minister's compensation, housing allowances and other expenses, jets and cars used by them, credit card statements, employment agreements between the ministers and their churches, love offerings, audited financial statements, names and addresses of boards of directors, dates and locations of board meetings.

ORU Scandal.

Tim Brooker, one of the fired professors suing the university, has a history of filing lawsuits:

Since 2000, Tim Brooker has filed at least four state and federal lawsuits against various officials in Arkansas and other states. Brooker also has been a defendant in at least two civil lawsuits during that time, records show.

All of the lawsuits were thrown out and none resulted in judgments, records show.

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ORU has a pile of debt that not even a 700-foot-tall Jesus can dig out of.
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ORU Scandal.

ORU claims the plaintiff's attorneys have a conflict of interest.

ORU Scandal.

The university is selling off its television station to help improve its financial situation.

ORU Scandal.

A Tulsa judge will hear motions next month in connection with the ORU lawsuit.

ORU's request for a quick court date has been denied.

ORU Scandal.

Attorneys for the university are concerned there has been a trial in the media against the university and the Robertses, and they want a gag order placed.

ORU Scandal.

Oral Robert University is $52.5 million in debt:

The debt accumulated from “years and years and years and years of . . . borrowing,” said board of regents Chairman George Pearsons, who still was gathering information on the sources of debt.

“The board is working on it, doing everything we can to get rid of it,” Pearsons said in an interview last week. “The banner is up: Debt is out. That’s our determination.”

ORU Scandal.

For the first time in three years, Oral Roberts came back to the university he founded to promise "the devil" would not steal ORU.

The IRS might, however.

ORU Scandal.

Some ORU alumni are sad a lawsuit was filed instead of the parties going through "Christian" mediation.

ORU Scandal.

The scandal keeps getting better and better as Richard Roberts has decided to take a leave of absence :

The last 3 weeks have taken a serious toll on me and my family. The untrue allegations have struck a terrible blow in my heart. The untrue allegations of sexual misconduct by my wife have hurt the most. It has broken her heart and the hearts of my children that such untrue allegations could be made. Lindsay and my children have sustained heavy damage these last weeks. God is very interested in the family unit and so am I.

The plaintiffs have said "We don't know if any of these allegations are true, but they are so defaming that the Roberts won't survive." We Roberts have a strong faith in God and in what is right. We will do what is right and trust the Lord.

Today, I have asked the Board of Regents of Oral Roberts University to grant me a temporary leave of absence until such time as these matters can be resolved. I have prayed about it, and feel that it is in the best interest of my family and the University.

I have a tremendous love for the students and alumni of ORU -- they are precious to God. They came here to get a quality education and to learn to hear the Voice of God. That's happening daily. Even today, other young people around the world are searching for the right college to attend. I pray that they will consider ORU. This university is academically sound, spiritually alive and physically disciplined.

I don't know how long this leave of absence will last, but I fully trust the members of the Board of Regents. They are great men and women who have a deep love for this university and for me and my family. 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.

Meanwhile, I will give myself afresh and anew to my family, and to prayer and the Word of God. I shall continue my role as Chairman and CEO of the Oral Roberts Ministries. I shall continue on television as I have a burning passion for the lost, the sick and the hurting of this world. I shall continue preaching and teaching God's Word and drawing people to Christ our Savior. I shall continue to write letters and books and minister to the needs of people for I have a passion for souls. Thank you for all your prayers and support; it means a great deal to me and my family.