Jim Bakker, the televangelist who built a $129m Christian empire before fraud and sex scandals brought it crashing down, dies at 86

From the Newshound archive · first published 6 October 2026 · last updated 7 October 2026.

Jim Bakker, who rose from tent-revival preacher to host of 'The PTL Club' — a Christian TV show reaching 13 million viewers nightly and generating $129m a year — died on Monday at 86 after suffering a stroke in 2020. His second wife, Lori Bakker, announced his death on social media, calling him a "pioneer of Christian television." The cause of death was not disclosed.

Bakker resigned from his ministry in 1987 after paying $265,000 in hush money to secretary Jessica Hahn, who said he had sexually assaulted her in a Florida hotel room when she was 21.

He was convicted in 1989 of defrauding followers through a holiday scheme linked to his Heritage USA Christian theme park, spending four and a half years in prison.

A judge told Bakker at sentencing: 'Those of us who do have a religion are sick of being saps for money-grubbing preachers and priests.'