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Jim Bakker, the controversial televangelist who built a massive Christian television empire with his first wife, Tammy Faye Bakker, has died. He was 86.
Bakker died Monday, his second wife, Lori Bakker, announced.
A cause of death has not been revealed.
Lori described her husband as a “pioneer of Christian television” and said she was honored to have spent so many years alongside him.
For millions of Americans, Jim and Tammy Faye were once among the biggest names in religious television.
The couple launched The PTL Club in the 1970s, with PTL standing for “Praise the Lord.” The program eventually became the centerpiece of an enormous ministry that included the Heritage USA Christian theme park and resort in South Carolina.
At its height, The PTL Club reportedly reached as many as 13 million viewers, while the ministry brought in more than $100 million annually. Jim preached an upbeat message while Tammy Faye became famous for her singing, flamboyant personality, and, of course, her heavy makeup.
Their seemingly unstoppable empire came crashing down in 1987.
Bakker resigned after admitting to a sexual encounter with church secretary Jessica Hahn. The scandal was followed by an investigation into PTL’s finances, and Bakker was eventually indicted on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy.
In 1989, he was convicted on all 24 counts and initially sentenced to 45 years in federal prison.
The sentence was later reduced, and Bakker ultimately spent about five years behind bars. Prosecutors accused him of defrauding followers through the sale of lifetime vacation packages connected to Heritage USA.
Tammy Faye remained publicly supportive of Jim during his trial, but their marriage ultimately ended. She divorced him in 1992 while he was still incarcerated. Tammy Faye died of cancer in 2007.
Jim was released on parole in 1994 and married Lori in 1998. The couple eventually returned to television with The Jim Bakker Show, which launched in 2003 and was later filmed near Branson, Missouri.
But Bakker’s controversies were far from over.
In 2021, he and his production company agreed to a $156,000 settlement over allegations that he falsely promoted a product called Silver Solution as a treatment for COVID-19.
Despite the scandals that defined much of his later life, Bakker continued preaching and broadcasting until his death.
His legacy is a complicated one: He helped transform Christian television into a powerful entertainment and fundraising machine, only to see his empire collapse spectacularly before rebuilding his career decades later.
Jim Bakker is survived by Lori and his children.
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