Lawsuits Seeks 17 Years of RZIM Financial Records to Prove Payouts for Ravi Zacharias Sex Scandal
Lawyers for donors Derek and Dora Carrier have sued Ravi Zacharias International Ministries for access to 17 years of their financial records and papers, asking for expedited access in an effort to prove that Zacharias, who for years was engaged in the sexual abuse and exploitation of untold number of women, diverted donations to cover up this scandal, and that RZIM allowed it, according to Christianity Today
This burgeoning class action wants all records dating back from 2004, when Ravi first became a partner in the spa and massage therapy game, in order to have them reviewed in a forensic scan to see if any women were paid out, hushed up, or if the money was used to hire public relation specialists to distract and cover it up. (And perhaps, is still being used to cover up any new victims that come forward)
Their view isn’t that RZIM simply failed to keep proper tabs on Zacharias as he was groping women all through the world, but rather provided him the resources and cover to do it. Drew Ashby, one of the lawyers representing the couple, explained:
“RZIM is sitting on a pile of money, and no one knows how RZIM is spending that money. Our clients view this as God’s money, not their money, and they want that money back to invest in legitimate ministry purposes to build the kingdom of God.”
So far RZIM and their lawyers have been frustrating their efforts, with CEO Sarah Davis explaining to do so would cots too much money and time, and there isn’t anything to see there anyway, with Carrier’s lawyers fisting back that RZIM has already shown itself to be deceitful and of poor judgment.
“We are going to get to those books. The question is how long can … RZIM keep us from looking behind the curtain.”
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What a sordid mess. So disappointed in this man I looked up to for years.
Perhaps we need to ditch the money, power, celebrity, mega churches and those who find (or seek?) glory, fame and riches in the ostensibly American Christian world?? Also the politics in faith, too??
How about Christians just follow Jesus Christ instead, wherever we are in the world and whoever we are??!!
It shocked many people that Zacharias was essentially a false prophet, or much more likely a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but we are warned over and over again about this.
The early churches were not conduits of wealth, privilege, celebrity and visceral excitement, on the contrary they were people’s homes, cellars, lonely places often filled with the marginalised, lost, poor and lonely.
We should remember this. Wherever money, power and influence is, there will be temptation and many wolves in sheep’s clothing. Get back to the Gospel message and simply follow Jesus Christ! Get into praying, too!