The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) is facing a lawsuit from its founder’s granddaughter, who claimed in a court filing last week that she and her husband were threatened for trying to expose a major financial scandal at the televangelist network.
The granddaughter has previously alleged that TBN was engaged in “multiple cover-ups of sexual and criminal scandals” and has threatened whistleblowers. Paul Crouch, the network’s late founder, once bragged on air that God will kill whoever stands up against TBN.
She also claims that TBN intimidated whistleblowers, including herself. The suit describes one incident in which Matthew Crouch, a TBN host and vice president, allegedly “began tapping the firearm he had brought to [a] meeting and asked Plaintiff Brittany Koper what she thought would happen when she wrote a memo to the board critical of Defendant Matthew Crouch’s financial improprieties. Defendant Matthew Crouch continued tapping the gun he was holding to ensure that Plaintiff Brittany Koper recognized the lethal threat being made.”
Defendant Trinity Broadcasting purports to be the world’s largest Christian broadcasting network. Defendant Christian Broadcasting is a nonprofit corporation that was formed by Defendant John Casoria and Paul F. Crouch, Sr. as a tax shelter for Paul F. Crouch, Sr.’s “personal money.”
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Paul Crouch Sr., Defendant Janice Crouch, and Defendant Matthew Crouch maintained control over Defendant Trinity Broadcasting through exclusive and perpetual control of Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s board of directors. Pursuant to Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s articles and bylaws, Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s board of directors is chosen solely by Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s “members.” Circularly, though, Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s “members” are defined as and limited to Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s board of directors. The Crouches thereby elect themselves directors and maintain exclusive, perpetual control over Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s affairs as the company’s only members/directors.
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Defendant John Casoria is Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s Assistant Secretary and General Counsel. He is also Defendant Janice Crouch’s nephew and is thereby Plaintiff Brittany Koper’s first cousin once removed. Plaintiffs are informed, believe, and based thereon allege that Defendant John Casoria is the director and seniormanager of Redemption Strategies, and that this company was formed for the sole purpose of maliciously prosecuting, harassing, and intimidating Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper (as well as members of Plaintiff Michael Koper’s family) in retaliation after the Kopers reported illegal conduct within Defendant Trinity Broadcasting, including unlawful distributions to Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s members and directors on the order of $100 million.
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Plaintiff Brittany Koper learned through specific instructions from Defendant Trinity Broadcasting, Defendant Jan Crouch, Defendant Matthew Crouch, and Defendant John Casoria that the requirements of Plaintiff Brittany Koper’s new job included active participation in numerous illegal schemes that were disclosed to Plaintiff Brittany Koper following her promotion.
The nature of these illegal activities involved the systematic diversion ofDefendant Trinity Broadcasting’s charitable assets through unlawful distributions to Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s directors through numerous channels. The magnitude of these unlawful and related financial schemes uncovered by or disclosed to Plaintiff Brittany Koper is on the order of $100 million.
Plaintiff Brittany Koper and Plaintiff Michael Koper were terminated by Defendant Trinity Broadcasting because they refused to participate in the unlawful activities demanded by Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s directors and senior executive Defendant John Casoria, and for making reports of those unlawful activities.
Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper were specifically threatened and intimidated by Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s directors and senior executive Defendant John Casoria when Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper stated that these issues needed to be resolved and properly reported to state and federal officials. Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper were told by Defendant Janice Crouch, Defendant Matthew Crouch, and Defendant John Casoria that they would have Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper “arrested” and “prosecuted” if they tried to report Defendant Trinity Broadcasting or its directors for financial improprieties. Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper were advised by Defendant John Casoria that they, too, had broken the same laws and that they were “prohibited” as “accomplices” from reporting alleged crimes outside the company. Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper were told that they were required to go through Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s attorneys, only, if they had concerns. And,
Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper were told that Defendant Trinity Broadcasting would have them arrested for “theft” if they took any documents to prosecutors. Defendant John Casoria also told the Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper that they were bound by confidentiality agreements that prohibited them from reporting any illegal activities, and they were threatened with civil lawsuits.
On or about September 1, 2011, Paul Crouch, Sr. suffered congestive heart failure and was hospitalized. Defendant Janice Crouch and Defendant Matthew Crouch kept Paul Crouch, Sr. isolated from the rest of his family during this time and, in particular, Paul Crouch, Jr., Plaintiff Brittany Koper, and Plaintiff Michael Koper. It was during this isolation that Defendant Trinity Broadcasting’s board of directors announced that Plaintiff Michael Koper, Plaintiff Brittany Koper, and her father Paul Crouch, Jr. were all fired. When questioned about the termination, Defendant Matthew Crouch began tapping the firearm he had brought to the meeting and asked Plaintiff Brittany Koper what she thought would happen when she wrote a memo to the board critical of Defendant Matthew Crouch’s financial improprieties. Defendant Matthew Crouch continued tapping the gun he was holding to ensure that Plaintiff Brittany Koper recognized the lethal threat being made.
On January 29, 2014 Plaintiff Michael Koper and Plaintiff Brittany Koper discovered, for the first time, that multiple confidential communications they had with Paul Crouch, Sr., Defendant Matthew Crouch, and/or Defendant John Casoria were recorded by Defendants using an electronic recording device, and that these recordings had subsequently been edited and manipulated by Defendants. Defendants then disclosed and intentionally used these intercepted communications on multiple occasions.
