Ex-ORU Student Donor Gifts were Misused

"This is the way things work. If you don't like the way it works,
then you can leave,"

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080830_11_A13_hThefo
474909

By SHANNON MUCHMORE
World Staff Writer
8/30/2008

The former ministry worker bolsters an accountant's lawsuit.

Donations to the Oral Roberts Ministry were deposited into an
unmarked, miscellaneous account and various other ORU accounts,
despite their earmarks, according to the affidavit of a former
ministry employee and ORU student.

The affidavit and other court documents were filed Wednesday in the
lawsuit of a former ORU accountant who alleges that he was forced
to "falsely list thousands of dollars as expenses rather than
assets."

The assets were then allegedly used to remodel the home of former ORU
President Richard Roberts and his wife, Lindsay Roberts, thereby
defrauding the IRS and the public.

The accountant, Trent Huddleston, was forced to quit because he would
not stay quiet about the practice, according to the lawsuit.

A hearing slated Friday in the lawsuit will be rescheduled because of
the illness of one of the defendants' lawyers.

A new date has not been set for Huddleston's case against ORU and its
leaders. It was filed in November.

Vanessa Patrick alleges in the affidavit that she once handled a $500
donation meant for a student who could not otherwise afford to go to
ORU but which was instead deposited into a miscellaneous account.

When she went to supervisors to report the irregularities, she was
intimidated and told, "This is the way things work. If you don't like
the way it works, then you can leave," according to the affidavit.

Patrick has resigned and left the ministry and the university.

In court documents filed Wednesday in the case, Huddleston's
attorneys deny ORU's claims that no written records exist for an
audit conducted at ORU by a Washington, D.C., law firm in October.

ORU has maintained that it was an oral audit delivered to the board
of regents and that no written records exist.

Huddleston's lawyers have requested that ORU release the audit
report, bank accounts and ledgers from the time period Huddleston
worked for ORU, and documentation from meetings of the board of
regents.

ORU has refused to do so, and its lawyers said the requests were
overly broad, unduly burdensome and, in some cases, irrelevant.

In the documents filed Wednesday, Huddleston's lawyers said that if
the audit was delivered orally to the regents, it is "ridiculous to
now allege that the requested meeting records are irrelevant and that
the report 'does not exist.' "

Allegations of misspending of university funds by Richard and Lindsay
Roberts were first leveled in an October lawsuit by three former ORU
professors who said the Robertses used university money to support a
lavish lifestyle.

The Robertses have denied the allegations.

Richard Roberts resigned in November, and Yukon businessman Mart
Green and his family later gave $70 million to the university, which
had announced that it was $55 million in debt.

ORU has since created a new board of trustees, with Green as
chairman, and reduced its debt to about $19 million.

A presidential search has been narrowed to about 25 candidates, and
the trustees expect to name a president by next summer.

Reader Comments
----------------------------------------------------------
----------
Show: Most Recent Comment First Add your comment

38 readers have commented on this story so far. Tell us what you
think below!

You might notice a difference with our reader comments. Those who
have registered for a tulsaworld.com account can now fill out their
new personal web site in the Tulsa World social network. Upload a
profile photo that will run next to your screen name in comments.

Tell a little about yourself. Join forums and groups. Connect with
other people on this site. Bookmark stories that you want to save. If
you don't have an account, sign up at www.tulsaworld.com/register.
We've made it quick and easy for anyone to join the network.

-- Web Editor Jason Collington

Chuck U.Farley, (8/30/2008 7:43:19 AM)
"The Robertses have denied the allegations."
--
Are you kidding me?!
These people are squeeky clean and everyone knows it.

Graychin, Eucha (8/30/2008 9:40:13 AM)
It's surprising to hear that ORU is claiming that a written audit
report doesn't exist. Of course it exists.

It's possible that no written copy was left at ORU, and that a claim
could be made that the report is subject to the attorney-client
privelige. That's why ORU hired a law firm to do the "audit," and the
law firm hired the accountants.

Obviously, the audit report contains information that is damaging to
ORU. The cover-up continues under the new regime.
James from MWC, Midwest City (8/30/2008 10:32:15 AM)
As a Christian, these kind of con-artists outrage me. The Bible says
that a house built on sinking sand cannot stand. I hope they bulldoze
ORU and turn it into a parking lot.
QLC, (8/30/2008 10:36:37 AM)
Well, the biggest sucker is the Green family that either bought ORU
or bailed them out. We just need enough information to take away
their tax free status, and stop the donations. Then they can do what
ever they care to do.
Pelagius, (8/30/2008 10:40:24 AM)
Well, it may be a small piece of evidence, but it is evidence
nonetheless. I agree with QLC that the tax-free status needs to go.
It is particularly appalling that the $500 was to assist a student.
One of the first rules of dealing with donations is that the money
goes where the donor intended it to go.

Where does the choking sense of entitlement come from that the
Roberts clan can remodel a perfectly decent home while a student
needs assistance to live on? This is disgusting.

The constant delays in the hearing(s) are also disgusting. The
Roberts lawyers and family are turning this into a game. Let's get on
with this and get the evidence out. No one who refuses to deal with
transparency and accountability needs to have control of so much as a
plug nickel.
Anne M. Green, Tulsa (8/30/2008 11:35:22 AM)
Graychin - "Obviously, the audit report contains information that is
damaging to ORU."
I disagree. What is obviuos is that the report contains information
damaging to "Richard Roberts and family." ORU is NOT Richard and
Lindsay. It is a student body, faculty and staff, who had nothing to
do with The Robertes personal delusions of power, insatiable greed
and alleged (have to say that for cover) misuse of ORU monies. That
this accountant was asked to cook the books, is completely
intolerable. But, those involved represent a miniscule fraction
of "ORU."
I also disagree also with "The cover-up continues under the new
regime." The swift actions of the NEW Board of Trustees, occured
immediately to reorganize the board and rectify previous glaring
problems, when Mart Green's offer was accepted by the OLD Board of
Regents. Once Mr. Green had the acceptance of his offer, there was NO
delay in transparency.
I would agree with you that "it's possible that no wirtten copy" of
the report was left at ORU. In fact, I think that may have been legal
advice they were given. "Let us give you (New Board of Trustees) an
oral report. (No pun intended.) If it is oral only, then the contents
of our audit are merely "counsel", and are protected by privacy."
While you and others may consider this NON-transparency of the new
regime, I honestly see it as an attempt at compassion for an exiting
President who doesn't need the new Board to kick him to the curb.
They know he will be held accountable for his actions, and for Oral's
sake, they were simply allowing Richard (whether deserving or not)
the chance to leave without tar and feathers.
And finally to James from MWC. I would repeat again, ORU is NOT
Richard Roberts. The students, faculty and staff are innocent victims
of the bad behaviour of a few. To suggest "I hope they bulldoze ORU
and turn it into a parking lot." shows your lack of understanding of
the subject matter, and a misdirection of your derision.
Graychin, Eucha (8/30/2008 11:48:41 AM)
If the audit report is not damaging to ORU, there is no reason for
ORU to withhold it in this trial for the sake of saving Richard and
Lindsay Roberts from further embarrassment.

If the report is not damaging to ORU, it is the duty of the present
board to release the report to better defend ORU from in this lawsuit.

But the audit report remains a closely-held secret. Why?

Lucas, (8/30/2008 11:58:52 AM)
The Roberts family has been taking money from well- intentioned
people for their own
personal wealth for years,under the guise of religion. Oral Roberts
once told people that God had told him he (Oral) would die, if the
donors didn't give enough money Tthe Roberts are a bunch of
charlatans who have been swindling people out of their hard -earned
money for generations. What followers of Christ live like
millionaires while asking widows to send part of their social
security check to them? This sanctimonious family is among the best
of scam artists. If people hadn't given willingly the family would be
in jail - hopefully they will be found guilty of misusing funds.
TulGal, Tulsa (8/30/2008 11:59:46 AM)
Graychin--I agree with Anne. It sounds like the audit was completed
and dealt with before Mr. Green was entrenched with ORU.

And James MWC: Couldn't you come up with something
original?.."bulldoze it and make a parking lot.." We've heard this a
gazillion times since this mess rose to the surface. I agree that the
original bunch were conniving, as well as the majority of their BOR.
And the same goes for the other televangelists (I believe I've seen
the term Prosperity Pimps) whose sermons are "send money and you'll
get well, be happy, be prosperous and go to Heaven."

Even though I have no respect for OR, I hope the school survives.
Bville Yellow Dog, (8/30/2008 12:25:52 PM)
The recent US News and World Report college rankings lists ORU in the
4 th - bottom quarter. TU was in the top quarter. Maybe TU could use
the buildings. Why anyone would actually pay money to go there is
beyond me. Or why would any business hire a graduate?
Certainly the taxpayers should not be subsidizing them. If "no child
left behind" was applied to ORU they would flunk.
Pelagius, (8/30/2008 12:32:18 PM)
Anne, yes, ORU is separate and distinct from the Roberts family in
everyone's mind but the Roberts family's. Perhaps there is compassion
for the exiting president, but why should there be? He has exploited
the donations of well-intentioned and well-meaning people who thought
they were building a school, not paying for Richard's private jet or
the remodel of his house.

For the sake of people who love ORU, I hope that the previous
chicaneries of the Roberts administration will come to light, be
dealt with, and remedied. But the assumption of many people, when
posting, is that the Roberts family saw ORU as their own personal
private fiefdom, for their exploitation, and with Richard as the head
of the organization (a tax-exempt one, I might add) people all over
ORU were made willingly or unwillingly complicit with his shady
dealings. Unfortunately, that reflects on the school. As the
aristocracy of the Prosperity Gospel movement, they have a
responsibility for "nobless oblige," to obligate themselves to
transparency and accountability, to act nobly and in the interest of
the people they serve. Nowhere has this been evident with the Roberts
family, and ORU has suffered because of it.

Because of this link between the family and the school, I believe it
is highly probable that the audit contains some damaging information
that erode confidence among donors that could be fatal to the school.
It is possible the audit is being withheld for that reason. That's a
terrible shame, if that's the case, and it is sad that the school
can't come clean and move on, but if that IS the case, then the
responsibility for that rests solely on the Roberts family
management, or mismanagement, of an institution that means a lot to a
lot of people.
MSK2008, (8/30/2008 1:27:57 PM)
I wonder if people know that the Roberts have bought 2 brand new
houses in a Jenks neighborhood, which one their daughter lives in,
hmmm hiding money in real estate investments...hmmmm
Jigsaw, 100 acre woods (8/30/2008 2:54:31 PM)
well the bakers did it why not them?
1artist, KIEFER (8/30/2008 4:05:17 PM)
Dear Ms. Anne M. Greene
Did you ever work on that campus? If you did while the Roberts'
family was living on the compound, then you would know that ORU was
their personal playground. Gossip tells that while their daughter
lived in the dorm security was told to leave the back door unlocked.
Gossip tells the girls used security golf carts like go-carts on the
racetrack all over campus for their personal use. Gossip tells us
they 'forced' an employee from their contracted foodservice labor
pool to clean their dog-pooped house. Gossip would tell you that ORU
paid for cases and cases of aquafina and coca coca cola and dr.
pepper that was hand-delivered to their house for years. Gossip tells
us about how the Roberts' clan built and stocked an underground cache
in fear of Y2K. Gossip tells everybody on campus to never get on
Lindsay's bad side. So, if this was a university that your daddy
built and you've had access to it for twenty-something years,
wouldn't you feel like it was yours?

I'd like to believe they all started out with honorable intentions,
but with some people the temptation to abuse power is just too much.
There have been some terrific folks who have put their lives into
making ORU a better place, and there are some employees who couldn't
care less about the school, but you'll find that in every
organization on the planet.

I hope that this is resolved, and I don't want to see the place razed
to the ground, but I'm not God.

Comment, (8/30/2008 5:17:04 PM)
Graychin. You are soooooooooo right. The cover up continues. Does
anybody know where LR and RR went? Are they still on the compound?
Are they in Tulsa or California w/grandpa oral?
pm, (8/30/2008 9:09:05 PM)
MSK2008 There is nothing wrong with the Roberts buying a house in
Jenks, if that is what they really did. They have to have somewhere
to live, it would be a crime for anyone in the world to be homeless.
I looked at the real estate documents and no where does it say that
the Roberts brought a house in Jenks or anywhere else.

Comment: Yes the Roberts are still in Tulsa, but I don't know where
in Tulsa as it is none of my business. I do know that the offices for
OREA is somewhere on E Skelly according to the documents. No they are
not on the compound if I am not mistaken they moved from the compound
sometime before Easter, also OR does not have any quarters on Campus
anymore. He as ordered all of his things be moved off of Campus. When
OR is in town he will be staying with one of his children.

Also everyone is having fits about the audit, Greene himself said
that there was nothing going on and if there was the Greene family
would not have donated money to ORU. I don't remember when he said
that the news and tulsa world but he did.

Pelagius, No RR will not see orange jumpsuit. He has not done
anything illegally just stupid. The documents state that none of this
is criminal just civil and stupid management.

Also rumor has it that RR's attorney has filed documents proving that
RR has not done anything criminally wrong just was stupid in
managment. Also rumor has it that the IRS has all the same documents
that RR's attorney has filed and that the IRS has fined OREA but that
RR has not done anything wrong just stupid.

pm, (8/30/2008 9:13:19 PM)
1artist you are right there was alot of Gossip going on around
campus, even when I was there. Luckily I did not listen and believe
all that I heard. I just worried about school and my job. Prayed to
God all of the time for support, love and guidance. Like I once told
a friend you can not always believe everything you heard and
sometimes what you saw because like words sometimes actions can be
deceiving.
Observer3, T.B.D. (8/30/2008 11:01:13 PM)
pm: Have you ever heard the quote, "All that is necessary for the
triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"? Sticking your head in
the sand when you hear and see evil is not a solution, it just allows
evil to continue. Thank God someone saw, listened, and took action. I
agree with Yellow Dog - why would anyone send their child there?
pm, (8/31/2008 12:24:42 AM)
Observer3 Yes I have but I don't believe. Unfortunately I have learn
from experience not to judge. Sorry it has took me so long to commit
back but I have been on the phone long distance to family in NO and
they are on there way up here to safety. Everyone you want to talk
about evil lets talk about all of those politicans in NO who have not
done anything about the levees for years and now innocent people are
paying the price with there lives and homes. What is a crime is how
many people lost there homes and lives in Katrina and now in this
hurricane. That is more important than this mess. I am praying with
all of my heart that my family make it out and to safety. I know my
parents are safe but I am not sure about my sister and her family.
pm, (8/31/2008 12:37:28 AM)
Wake up call. My 13 year old was reading some of the comments and she
commented about how much hate there is. I was thinking about it and
she is right, there is a lot of hate. I could not tell her that she
was wrong because she is right. I won't say what she said because
everybody will probably put her down, call her evil, and condemn her.

Observer3 I do not stick my head in the sand when there is evil, but
I don't want to destroy anyone either. God loves everyone no matter
what and that is what I try to do.
jonas x3, Tulsa (8/31/2008 1:02:18 AM)
It is a fact – ORU/ORM have been putting earmarked monies in the
general fund for decades.

Its common knowledge in the ORU community.

pm, (8/31/2008 1:09:37 AM)
One more thing that my 13 year old has said that everyone is having
fits about giving money to Ministers what about the people on Donate
give money to people like Beth Moore and/or Kay Arthur. Why isn't
anyone have fits about them too. Also she said that if everyone is
having fits about giving money to people, what about when they do the
offering every Sunday in Worship Service. That is giving money to
people also, why isn't anyone having fits about that. I hate to cut
this short but the phone is ringing prayfully it is the rest of my
family from NO telling me at they are on there way.
pm, (8/31/2008 1:32:33 AM)
jonas x3 now that ORU/ORM are separated like everyone wanted they
will not be doing that anymore. There will be separate accounts now
so no one can say anything about it anymore because they are two
separate businesses now. The only thing they have in commone is that
OR is the founder and Chancellor of ORU/ORM and that OR is on the
board of trustees for ORM for life and no one can do anything about
it according to the legal documents. OR is a lifetime member of ORM's
board of trustees. He has no say on the board of trustees of ORU at
all. The only reason his name is on the board of trustees is because
he is the Chancellor and founder of ORU but he has no say in what
happens at ORU, but he does have somewhat a say at ORM because he is
still an active board member of ORM but not an active board member of
ORU.
pm, (8/31/2008 1:33:14 AM)
OK I really have to go now, I have some praying do so, also pray for
the safety of my family.
Pelagius, (8/31/2008 10:28:34 AM)
pm, hope your NOLA family is okay and can get out safely and to OK.

Your daughter is right about the hate; there are people who feel that
what the Roberts family did/does is like the thing that caused Jesus
to turn over the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple...ripping
people off. If you remember that story, an animal without blemish was
required to sacrifice, and poor people were paying the moneychangers
for what they thought were pure animals, but they weren't. These
people were paying top dollar for a deficient return on their money.

Ring any bells? And your daught is right that people DO give money to
other televangelists and teachers. But many of those operate with
transparency and accountability, and belong to the Evangelical
financial accounting group that monitors the appropriate use of
funds. The Roberts family does not.

And don't forget that Senator Grassley has an investigation going on
with the Prosperity Pimps to see if they are violating their tax
status. People pay taxes on their hard-earned money and when they
give to these places that are prohibited from violating their tax-
free status, they are giving to what they think are non-profit
entities that do are supposed to do the Lord's work, and not engage
in political favoritism or influence.

People OUGHT to expect and demand accountability from the people they
donate to, and if they don't get it, they should give their money
elsewhere.
pm, (8/31/2008 4:48:22 PM)
Pelagius That is why I don't donate/pledge money to anyone because it
is to much of a hassel. I don't let my family do it either. There is
no since in donating money if all everybody does is complain about
it, I might buy popcorn from boy scouts and girl scout cookies every
now and then but that is it and that may be once every three years,
again because everyone complains about the money again. Instead of
complaining about money, people should help people like the hurricane
victims in NO, or something like that, but it seems like people don't
want to spend the money to help anyone they just complain about the
money.
Serenity, Tulsa (8/31/2008 6:39:24 PM)
pm: It is not hate, It is concern that naive people keep giving money
to these money oriented religions who use the name of God to get rich
and have all the pleasures of life with other people's money.
pm, (8/31/2008 7:48:12 PM)
Serenity You call destroying people is not hate. Also it is no one's
concern what I do with my money. The only person who should be
concerned where the money goes is my husband and I not anyone else.
It is my money not anyone else. I would never destroy anyone ever it
is not right. There is alot of money oriented religions who use the
name of God to get rich and have all the pleasures of life with other
people's money but you don't see people destroying them. Like I said
earlier I am not saying what I told my 13 year old because of all of
the hate and people being destroyed. She has a mind,heart of her own
that she needs to follow not anyone elses. This is why I do not let
my 13 year old on sites like this unless it is for school and she is
only aloud to print out the article not anything else.
1artist, KIEFER (8/31/2008 10:27:49 PM)
pm - Who is it exactly that got destroyed? I still see RR & LR on the
TV. "Just send us your donation of $100. and we'll pray for you."
Anyway, they are the ones who set themselves up for scrutiny - nobody
made them do it; and they will still have faithful followers, no
matter what anyone says.

I don't hate the Roberts'. I have scorpions in my yard and I just
know to stay away from them.

I think the main reasons people get so upset about televangelists
doing fundraising is that we just don't trust them. God doesn't need
money. What's He going to do with it? People like them need money to
promote themselves and make more money.

If you read the bible, believers are supposed to be givers, too, but
I don't think it's necessary to give all your money to a church or to
an organization. Haven't you ever given money to a stranger on the
street? Have you never given a ride to someone walking? Have you ever
fed a total stranger who visited your home? Have you ever bought a
bill of groceries for a family in need? Have you ever spent time with
a lonely person? There are many ways to give, if you want to be a
blessing.

It's a shame when people are victimized by an emotional ploy, but
there are a lot of weak people who don't think for themselves, and
then there's a lot of little old ladies who want to buy their way
into heaven - because their husband is gone and what else is there
for them to look forward to? If this is the case, then a purpose has
been served - is hope a crime?

If this whole issue makes us think a little bit deeper about how we
measure up as a steward of what we have been given in our own
personal lives, then a bitter lesson has not been in vain, but if we
simply use this occasion as a forum to judge and condemn, then we are
no better than they.

Fifty Dollar Fine, (9/1/2008 12:05:26 AM)
PM - I wish the best for your family. AFA ORU and "hate" is
concerned, you might tell your daughter it's the hate that hate
created.

This is the result of 50+ years of hatemongering in the name of phony
supernatural healing which changes nothing; living high on the hog
and taking advantage of people who just wanted an education; direct
influence of the GOP, as laid out in one of the many suits; creating
an army of christian robots forcing themselves "into everyman's
world", etc.

The Roberts family brought this mess on themselves with their endless
hubris.

Again, the result of the irrational belief that one can pray one's
own "god" down from the skies, say, to inflict hurricanes on cities
that have gay pride parades, for example.

Fifty Dollar Fine, (9/1/2008 12:10:27 AM)
1artist - "If this whole issue makes us think a little bit deeper
about how we measure up as a steward of what we have been given in
our own personal lives, then a bitter lesson has not been in vain,
but if we simply use this occasion as a forum to judge and condemn,
then we are no better than they."

Only problem with that is, the Robertses and Robertsons, Falwells,
Grahams, Hinns, Crouches, Bakkers, and the most current crop of
ripoff artists like that whackjob Patricia "Whoaaaa" King live off
the misery of others by giving false hope.

IMO, false hope must be judged, condemned, and totally rejected.
Otherwise, we allow it to persist.
pm, (9/1/2008 12:55:32 AM)
Fifty Dollar Fine My parents, sister and her family got out alright
but I am not sure about my aunts. Everyone thank you for asking. It
was asked where they would live if they could not go back to there
house. Like my Dad said they will live in there travel traveler, that
all that matters is that his wife and children are safe, he is not
worried about the money he is more worried about my mom and sister,
he know I am safe because I don't live in LA.
Fifty Dollar Fine, (9/1/2008 12:57:48 AM)
Again, best to you and yours during this distressing time. The I-10
must be an absolute mess. So depressing.
pm, (9/1/2008 4:06:56 AM)
Fifty Dollar Fine, you are right from what my parents have told me 1-
10 is a mess. Yes it is depressing seeing all of those people
misplaced, possibly homeless, etc during and after this. I pray for
them but I am also thankful that my parents and sister are not in
it.
~sojourner, Adair (9/1/2008 6:17:06 AM)
If what this little gal is saying is true, that monies donated to
help a poor student were diverted into another account that
personally profitted the already wealthy Roberts', well... that would
just be disgusting beyond belief! WOW! Talk about a pack of wolves!
I can just picture some kid in his dorm eating raman noodles... while
cases of pop are being delivered to the Roberts' front door.
I would say if this were true the Roberts ought to be ashamed of
themselves.. but those people seem completely shameless, so what
would be the point?
I contacted Senator Grassley's office last week to inquire on the
investigation. I encourage any who are concerned to also contact him
and let him know we are still here, and waiting for some answers.
The Bible says what's done in darkness (secret) will be brought into
the light. I pray this for Richard & Lindsay, and every charasmatic
leader in this nation. If folks are being deceptive and trying to
trick people out of their money then those being tricked have a right
to know. Grassley has a duty to protect these people who for whatever
reason cannot defend themselves. We as a society need to encourage
this.