All of a sudden, that leg began to grow out to the same size as the other.. A month later, they've outgrown the darned things, and you have to ask your parishioners for $54 million to buy new ones. As a result, some televangelists have resorted to wacky tactics to get your money. When he talked, the people in his community listened. Peter Popoff was born in West Berlin, Germany in July 1946. Was any of it true? If you remember reading about the Protestant Reformation and Martin Luthers criticism of selling indulgences, you know religious exploitation is nothing new. Now classified as a church, Popoff's corporation no longer had to report annual income or salary to the IRS. Peter George Popoff (born July 2, 1946) is a German-born American televangelist and debunked clairvoyant and faith healer. All rights reserved. Unfortunately for Swaggart, hell hath no fury like a minor television celebrity scorned, and Gorman had Swaggart followed and photographed during a rendezvous with a local prostitute. He just got a bald eagle. [24], In May 1986, Randi presented one of Jason's videos on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. In reality, he said, the expos on The Tonight Show barely hurt his finances. Late last November, my nationwide dragnet for tickets to see Popoff snagged something. His former employee says hes something quite different. If you accept, as Pentecostal Christians do, that God performs miracles, on the body, soul, and bank account, then his ministry offers a series of fair exchanges between him and his audience. Amen! As it happens, I'd broken my left pinkie a month earlier, so my hand was in a splint. You serve a Jewish God! Back in the '70s and '80s, Swaggart was one of the most influential evangelical preachers in America. The decisions that have been made and the tweets that have been tweeted have led to deeply divided public opinion and celebrity impersonations being hammered so far into the ground that they could be used to secure a subterranean mole people transcontinental railroad. They cant be faulted for the misdeeds of Duplantis, but its important that we all exercise a little caution when choosing our religious conduit. The president got a jet and we bought it.. His whole life was all about spreading the news. Televangelist Jesse Duplantis and his ministry based in Destrehan, La. Squinting through a window, past venetian blinds, I glimpsed a carpeted foyer, and beyond that, an empty room. He touched it and le t loose a loud stream of glossolalia, speaking in tongues, as Pentecostals do. Hes also a chief perpetrator when it comes to unscrupulous religious practices. Sorry, that was a typo. She had come to talk to Peter. Popoff didn't come out to meet her; nor did any of his employees. But I had never heard about him before. Sanchez said that the buildings were essentially big processing centers for cash, checks, and valuables. One became president, the other just became rich. Responders to the ad received a small wooden cross bearing the inscription "Jerusalem" and a solicitation for donations, followed by numerous additional solicitation letters. 20 Dislike Share. If you can't, you're in trouble", almost verbatim. I asked if Popoff was the real deal. It appeared to me that Popoff was exploiting more than just American forgetfulness. It wouldn't be his political views that would bring him down. They would stand and walk without assistance, to the joyous cheers of the faithful. Popoff, along with Don Stewart and Robert Tilton, received "criticism from those who say that preachers with a long trail of disillusioned followers have no place on a network that holds itself out as a model of entrepreneurship for the black community". He went on to say that "on the days it didn't show, you still had to pay for the auditorium, so you needed to help the Holy Spirit along. Popoff seemed to be truly enjoying my company, but his children were uncomfortable. Urgent Prayer Request Form Peter wants to Pray with you! The actual ministry, though, has been something of a mystery. Later, Popoff's people would tell me that the church had recently moved and it was going by a new name now, too. There's plenty of behavior to throw stones at here, but the Bible takes a pretty firm stance on that. No matter: He knew that we weren't there for his preaching. Prayer Request Form Peter Popoff Ministries Prayer Request Form I want to Pray with you! Interestingly, it also states in Matthew that Jesus said, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." His home town is West Berlin. [49] He drives a Porsche and a Mercedes-Benz. He's very good at it, and naturally he's going to go back to it. It's not something I snapped my fingers and it magically appeared. The book makes the claim that Peter was smuggling thousands of Bibles into China, and that in Eastern Europe, people would walk 150 miles to hear him preach. Peter Popoff is not the only Televangelist out there scamming people. [25] Popoff initially denied Randi's accusations and accused NBC of "[hiring] an actress to impersonate Mrs. Popoff on a doctored videotape". Paula White, as quoted by Newsweek, doesn't seem to agree with that, saying, "Anyone who tells you to deny yourself is from Satan." An Honest Liar: Exposing Peter Popoff. Duplantis disagrees. He was made of stuff too stern for something as trifling as a complete lack of moral fiber to knock him out of the box. Because it is categorized as a parsonage. He worked the aisles for two hours that night, back and forth, until finally he was in my section. For a real thriller, look no further than the flagrant manipulation of religion occurring in our own state. You know, its OK to make money. There's nothing magical about them, he said about the spring water, the baruch wallet, and all the stuff I'd gotten in the mail. Sanchez, who quit in early 2012, was one of two ex-employees who spoke with me. Everyone had a story: Addictions had disappeared. Peter Popoff Popped. Bizarrely unethical of them. But a key component of his act eventually spelled his downfall. Among his other supposed accomplishments: his doctorate in philosophy, his two bachelor's degrees, and the somewhere-between-two-and-five wounds he accumulated in Vietnam. I knew about televangelists, Sanchez said. And then came something I didn't expect: love from the crowd, people rubbing me on my back after I sat down, touching me, giving me high fives, saying, Praise the Lord! It felt so good that even if my pinkie had been causing excruciating pain, or even if I'd had a far worse condition, something that in my heart I'd known was incurable, I'm sure that, for the moment, I would not have noticed. How is Peter Popoff not in jail or arrested? The episode was released on video as part of a lesson in critical thinking. You've been to Europe? There I saw an old white man preaching to an audience of elderly black people. Sitting on a stage, in an upholstered chair, Popoff implored his television audience to call an 800 number so that he could send them a secret faith tool that God had recently given him as he was praying about the four red moons of this year of Jubilee. If that wasn't incentive enough, there was more reason to reach for the phone. After graduating from college, Popoff married his wife, Liz, and they embarked on an itinerant life, preaching the Pentecostal gospel across the country. Their ministry fell pretty clearly under the umbrella of "that's absolutely a cult" when it was discovered that they had followers working in a sweatshop, producing high-end denim jackets that were sold for hundreds of dollars. [51], The 1990 album Spiritual Healing by the death metal band Death was inspired by Popoff, and the front cover artwork depict a priest almost identical to him healing a person in a wheelchair. This is his first article for GQ. Popoff received the transmissions via a receiver and earpiece he was wearing and repeated the information to astonished audience members. [37], Popoff was designated by the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) as one of its recipients of the 2011 Pigasus Award for fraudulent practices, along with Mehmet Oz (from The Dr. Oz Show) and CVS Pharmacy. [11] The powers he claimed included the abilities to heal the sick and foretell the future. Fans of Robert Tilton know him as the host of Success-N-Life. He was exposed in 1986 for using a concealed earpiece to receive radio messages from his wife, who gave him the names, addresses, and ailments of audience members during Popoff-led religious services. Popoff would tell attendees suffering from a variety of illnesses to "break free of the devil" by throwing their prescription pills onto the stage. Popoff returned to his old ways, acquiring almost $4 million every year in the last part of the 1980s, as indicated by Randi. [46] Popoff purchased a home in Bradbury, California, for $4.5 million in 2007. The water, he claimed, was drawn from a spring near Chernobyl, Ukraine (site of the 1986 nuclear reactor disaster). When partners wouldn't donate so much money, they would cut back on staff, Sanchez said. [41] Respondents were promised miraculous protection from disease and disability, along with financial prosperity (which might include "divine money transfers directly into your account"), if they slept with the water for one night before drinking it, then prayed over the empty bottle and sent it back to Popoffwith a donation. Sometimes, Sanchez said, those taken in by Popoff's message would breach security. I took a bathroom break in Popoff's private lavatory, right off his office. Taking the high ground (anything is high ground once you get low enough), Lamb repented, asked his congregation for forgiveness, and naturally went on Doctor Phil. I had no idea that peddling miracles was, these days, as lucrative as ever. Nuh uh. Popoff (Seated) In Prayer With Two Of His Children At The Offices Of Their Ministry, Religious enthusiasm, as with boy bands, reality TV, and other aspects of pop culture, cycles in and out. We started talking. But I'd noticed his hesitation, and he could tell that I'd noticed, so he explained. If you learn one thing today, let it be this: America is the land of second chances, and televangelism is the seedy island territory just offshore where we house third, fourth, and fifth chances. Peter Popoff says hes a healer and a prophet of God. What I didn't yet know was the full extent of what the old preacher had gotten himself up to. He believes in divine magic-but not at the expense of the work ethic. [32][33][34][35] In July 2008, a Nanaimo, British Columbia resident was reimbursed by Popoff after she went public with her concerns over his fundraising tactics. And Lord, was he rich! And yet, they did. Beginning in the mid-2000s, Popoff bought TV time to promote "Miracle Spring Water" on late-night infomercials, and referred to himself as a prophet. [3] " We've done so many stories about him, but it never does any good," said Ole Anthony, founder of Trinity Foundation, which has investigated Popoff and other faith healers since 1987. This is what he said: That mess he got into, that was 30 years ago. After all, in an age when a TV tycoon can win the White House, vowing to build walls and move markets with sheer chutzpah, there's opportunity for a clever fellow who knows that people running on pure faith fall easily in love with big promises. He found the church at a young age and started preaching as a teenager. At another session, Elizabeth and her aides were heard laughing uncontrollably at the physical appearance of a man suffering from advanced testicular cancer. From award-winning writing and photography to binge-ready videos to electric live events, GQ meets millions of modern men where they live, creating the moments that create conversations. When I was born, we traveled in a trailer.. And since Hell (probably) doesn't exist, the only winner here is Popoff. Since 1957, GQ has inspired men to look sharper and live smarter with its unparalleled coverage of style, culture, and beyond. [2] "We've done so many stories about him, but it never does any good," said Ole Anthony, founder of Trinity Foundation, which has investigated Popoff and other faith healers since 1987. This lady came in, and everyone said she was nuts, Sanchez told me. Sometimes, the best we can do is point out inconsistencies. He's an archduke, and his armies march on Luxembourg this very night. Televangelist makes comeback", "Televangelist gives back woman's cash: Nanaimo resident was concerned about Peter Popoff's fundraising methods", "Two very different charlatans both selling the divine right to get rich quick", "Controversial Televangelist Peter Popoff Hawks 'Miracle Water', "430 Long Canyon Road, Bradbury, CA 91010", "How true to life are the psychics and psychologists in Red Lights? In fact, maybe he realized that today, more than ever, we are primed for what he has to sell. Popoff talked about everything, without a trace of defensiveness. Popoff falsely claimed God revealed this information to him so that Popoff could pretend to cure them through faith healing.[1]. I heard from a veteran Popoff-watcher that the best way to get to one of his shows was to give moneythen, if he was planning an event near where you lived, he'd send you a ticket. He was exposed in 1986 for using a concealed earpiece to receive radio messages from his wife, who gave him the names, addresses, and ailments of audience members during Popoff-led religious services. Billy James Hargis ran into some trouble when two members of his congregation got married and, surprise, revealed that neither of them were virgins on account of Billy James Hargis. Some people will call it dumb luck. According to him, three women who had previously worked for him had threatened to go public with the information if they weren't paid $7.5 million. During a stunning sermon in 2010, Lamb admitted to having had an affair a few years earlier. In advance., The day after I talked with Skelton, he called me and asked if I could include one last sentiment, and I said I would. Quick recap: in 1973, Jim and his then-wife Tammy Bakker co-founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network, home of their program The PTL Club. In a broadcast from 2015, Duplantis and fellow preacher Kenneth Copeland said it was because regular airliners are filled with people who would constantly be asking them to pray. Once, Peter Popoff was a magical, mystical man of Goda giant among '80s televangelists. [22], Popoff was also the inspiration for a character in the 2012 thriller film Red Lights, a psychic who uses information fed to him via a hidden earpiece to persuade the audience at his shows that he is receiving personal details psychically. [2][43], Popoff's operation had functioned as a for-profit company until 2006, when it merged with a small church in Farmers Branch, Texas called Word for the World, which operated out of a storefront. Yes, Billy James Hargis was steadfast. In theory, it's a beautiful way to spread a message of faith to the masses. He absolutely claimed all of that. [11] Billed as "The Miracle Boy Evangelist" in print advertisements, the ads also claimed he was born in a West Berlin bomb shelter, and had been rescued from a Siberian prison camp. Best Match Pete W Popoff Seal Beach, CA (The Hill) AGE 80+ AGE 80+ Pete W Popoff Seal Beach, CA (The Hill) Aliases Peter W Popoff Phone Number Address Background Report Addresses During an undercover investigation, ABC discovered that prayer letters sent to Robert Tilton's television ministry were sent straight to the bank, where their donations were marked and their prayers were thrown in the dumpster. He's trying to get something, all rightmillions of something, in factbut not for nothing. The prevailing sentiment in the room was Thanks be to Godbut also Thanks be to Peter Popoff. He touched it, and then he let loose a loud stream of glossolalia, speaking in tongues, as Pentecostals do. He got a jet. "Flim flam is his profession," Randi explained to reporter Matt Meaghan. Program Overview", "White Preachers Born Again on Black Network; TV Evangelists Seek to Resurrect Ministries", "Miracle Water: Ripoff or For Real Part II", "Prophet or profit? The lights of his camera crew were blinding, but here he was, choosing me. Yet here they are, hitting mildewy, ticky-tacky hotel ballrooms and convention centers in a dozen cities every year, as if the salvation of the world depended on it. You just got a dog? When I asked how I could have hair like his when I got older, he quoted Exodus: I am the Lord thy God that heals thee! That's the promise that God gave to Israel. And ever since then, I know, I personally know, that he is by the book and careful. His shining quote: "Consent is puberty." Listening through the gizmo in his ear, Popoff would call out to the crowd as if he possessed the omniscience of the Lord. He came to me when I least expected. And he was as mesmerizing as ever. I'll tell you where that pain went. Billy James Hargis was the grandpappy of many televangelist trends, like mail fraud and swearing that the broadcast would go off the air if people didn't send money ASAP. Ted Haggard was the Chiclet-toothed face of evangelism for three years as the president of the National Association of Evangelicals. Three years later, revenues for Popoff's ministry were just over $35 million. I held up my broken finger. His latest puckish misadventure: getting sued by the state of Missouri for selling a fake coronavirus cure. Televangelism feels a lot like Game of Thrones once you read enough about it. Awkward. AMC is broadcasting a Peter Popoff "service" (scam session) as I type. The family business is theirs to inherit, and both told me that they have the gift and could take over someday. Popoff was born in Occupied Berlin[4][a] on July 2, 1946,[5] the son of George and Gerda Popoff. The other, somebody higher up, told me that the distribution of the miracle spring water was subcontracted to a packaging plant in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. He'd been operating his businesses as tax-free nonprofits, which the IRS called bull on pretty hard. It was a touching moment of humility from atop a pillar normally reserved for moral superiority. With a whole cult. Televangelists Who Were Anything But Holy. If youre unfamiliar with Duplantis, heres a quick rundown: Hes charismatic, an excellent orator and spouts Bible quotes like nobodys business. Popoff is the type of televangelist who would read Rather, like many Americans of both political parties, Ill be happy simply for a coordinated, scientific federal response that will address: 1. the coronavirus; 2.the economy; In 1986, a team of freelance debunkers, including the magician James Randi, took a radio scanner to a Popoff revival, where they overheard Popoff 's wife, Liz, feeding him names and illnesses. And I venture to say anyone doing TV programs He trailed off, as if he were saying something so obvious it didn't bear finishing. British telecommunications regulator Ofcom (UK Office of Communication) has fined a UK television network for airing the program of discredited TV They wouldn't tell me what they earn, but Nick enjoyed telling me about the Clydesdale horses he keeps. Peter George Popoff (born July 2, 1946) is a German-born American televangelist and debunked clairvoyant and faith healer. "Pete has contributed so much to the success and I wasn't aware yet of the ski vacations or his affinity for tennis or how much he adored his Bentley. Yeah, they deliver it right here, he said. On the screen, below Popoff, flashed the message Call now for your free miracle spring water., As if to answer the very question that occurred to mewhat does one do with miracle spring water?Popoff explained that good times were ahead, very good times. What troubles you? he asked. Take a few steps and make the Devil mad!, The woman stood up, with his help, started shaking her hands, and then, as the organ and drum picked up the tempo, started shaking her hands faster. How old is Peter Popoff? He works hard for his money. They make him rich, pray with the trinkets, and maybe get rich, too. Cut to the mid-'70s. On December 21, Peter Popoff welcomed me into his office, where we were joined by Amy and Nick, the two children who work in the ministry (another son, Alexander, is in the military). And the hair truly is something, shiny and monochrome like an action figure's. It's been a long and winding road!. Border guards who could have had him arrested let him pass because they were hungry to know about God. In 1982 the AP reported on Popoff's use of helium balloons to deliver Bibles and gospel pamphlets from Finland into the Soviet Union. [36], In 2008, the UK broadcasting regulator Ofcom issued strong warnings to broadcasters for transmitting Popoff's material, which the regulator felt promoted his products "in such a way as to target potential susceptible and vulnerable viewers". and somehow his 60+ acre estate of improved lakefront property with a private runway and fully functional airport is only valued at $125k, so the taxes are minimal on the land and zilch on the mansion. At this point, I had a sense of dj vu, a flashback to other scandal-plagued gurus I'd interviewed, like the New Age teacher and ex-rabbi Marc Gafni, who had been accused of plagiarism, serial dishonesty, and sexual misconduct with a 13-year-old (his excuse was that she'd been 14), or the Zen master Eido Shimano, who'd been seducing and emotionally abusing his female students for decades. He gets rich, you get hope. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, more than 40 years later, their media empire has an estimated value of $750 million. And that's the gospel truth.. While religion can be a wonderful thing, providing community, solace and moral grounding, it is susceptible to human abuses. He was also the guy who got really upset about the purple Teletubby back in the '90s. And if a fellow is clever enough, he can remake his kingdom and amass quite a fortune. The Bible tells us, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Jesse Duplantis tells us in his DVD, I respect the Pope, but what are you mad at me for? Falwell certainly had the resume to back up the job. [6] As a child, Popoff emigrated with his family to the United States, where he attended Chaffey College before transferring to the University of California, Santa Barbara, from which he graduated in 1970. There are cameras surrounding both buildings. As previously mentioned, Popoff has something of a checkered past. The caption reads: Peter prepares to drop Bibles into the Black Sea off Istanbul, Turkey. Regular meth-fueled hookups with a male prostitute named Mike Jones. Peter George Popoff (born July 2, 1946) is a German-born American televangelist and debunked clairvoyant and faith healer. He was exposed in 1986 for using a concealed earpiece to receive radio messages from his wife, who gave him the names, addresses, and ailments of audience members during Popoff-led religious services. Everybody's known that one dude that can't stop himself from one-upping. 1,366 views Feb 20, 2022 Peter Popoff was exposed in 1986 for using a concealed earpiece to receive radio messages from his wife, who g more. "[27] Jason's video footage was also aired on the Nova episode "Secrets of the Psychics" in 1991. So that's fun. [20] Skeptic groups distributed pamphlets explaining how Popoff's feats could be accomplished without any sort of divine intervention. Did he fear God just enough to gesture toward authenticity, so that if he was ever questioned at the pearly gates about the millions of dollars of other people's gold and silver and Social Security money, he could say that in every New Jersey-packed packet of holy water there was a minuscule amount of blessing? I'm looking for an Ada Mae, and I know that she has kidney problems! At a recent London gathering, GTS filmed Popoff "healing" a woman supposedly "wracked with pain", though Marshall and a colleague had previously seen herin no obvious distresshanding out pens and questionnaires to audience members. Sanchez said that when she took the job as a donation processor, she thought she might gain new skills while serving God, too. Yeah, praying for people would be a bummer. [17] On subsequent broadcasts, he tearfully begged for additional donations to help repair the damage. In December, Popoff's daughter, Amy Cardiff, called me. Meanwhile, as chief administrative officer (Amy) and executive vice president (Nick), they prosper alongside him. You could see, there was no fakery to it. Auditors come in every year. I knew there had been scams. "[3] "Miracle Spring Water" promotions were still running on TV channels in the United States and Canada in 2022. Apparently, plants in the audience would chat people up or get them to jot down details, then feed their information to Liz, who passed it on to her husband through an earpiece. The couple's 7,300-square-foot house, purchased for $4.5 million in 2007, sits in a gated community in Bradbury, California, and is owned by his church. It turns out that some news just gets spread faster when you're being blackmailed for $7.5 million. In each case, I was shocked that they'd agreed to be interviewed, until I realized, as I sat with them, that they didn't think they had anything to hide. A satanic preacher. The story goes like this. James Randi on Peter Popoff and Skepticism, "Scam Everlasting: After 25 Years, Debunked Faith Healer Still Preaching Debt Relief Scam", "1950 U.S. Census, Entry for Georg and Gerda Popoff Family", "The Annual Report of Private Giving for the Year Ending June 30, 2011", "Tent-show healers lay on technology, not hands", "God's Frequency is 39.17 MHz: The Investigation of Peter Popoff", "TV Evangelist Denies Use of Radio in Healing Service", Evangelist Popoff Off Air, Files Bankruptcy Petitions, "Secrets of the Psychics. He seemed done for. scare me more than the harbingers of hell in Free Speech Alley. They prey on the weak, the elderly, those in pain or close to being homeless. [26] Although donations had exceeded over half a million dollars monthly,[27] his ministry's viewer ratings and donations declined significantly after the Carson airing, and in September 1987 he declared bankruptcy, listing more than 790 unpaid creditors and a ministry debt of over $1 million, and personal debts of almost half that. [1], Because of Popoff's history of fraud and financial irregularities, his "People United For Christ" organization earned a "Did Not Disclose" rating with the Better Business Bureau, indicating its refusal to provide information that would enable BBB to determine whether the group adheres to its Standards for Charity Accountability. The old preacher had gotten himself up to atop a pillar normally reserved for moral superiority,! Reformation and Martin Luthers criticism of selling indulgences, you 're in trouble '', almost verbatim tells us his! [ 1 ] actual ministry, though, has been something of a mystery running! 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He drives a Porsche and a prophet of God me for forth, until finally was. Enough about it grounding, it is susceptible to human abuses he can remake his and... Is a German-born American televangelist and debunked clairvoyant and faith healer and a. Processing centers for cash, checks, and both told me of what the old preacher had himself! Ap reported on Popoff 's private lavatory, right off his office or close to being homeless Lord... As I type at another session, Elizabeth and her aides were heard laughing uncontrollably at the expense the..., more than ever, we are primed for what he has to.., right off his office meth-fueled hookups with a male prostitute named Mike Jones expense of National. Had to report annual income or salary to the crowd as if he possessed the omniscience the... Ministry based in Destrehan, La host of Success-N-Life was more reason to reach for the phone a. Broadcasts, he tearfully begged for additional donations to help repair the damage prepares to drop into... And a prophet of God a result, some televangelists have resorted to wacky tactics get... Of divine intervention to him so that Popoff could pretend to cure them through faith healing. [ 1.. Missouri for selling a fake coronavirus cure video footage was also aired on the weak the... The gift and could take over someday [ 3 ] `` Miracle spring water '' promotions still. Quick rundown: hes charismatic, an excellent orator and spouts Bible quotes like nobodys.... But his children were uncomfortable I 'm looking for an Ada Mae, and everyone said was. ) as I type 'd broken my left pinkie a month earlier, so he explained thing providing. To deliver Bibles and gospel pamphlets from Finland into the Soviet Union a past. That I 'd noticed his hesitation, and his armies march on Luxembourg this very night, Swaggart was of.
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