Jim Bakker Dies at 86 After PTL Club Fame and Federal Fraud Convictions

Jim Bakker, the televangelist who built a national ministry with his first wife, Tammy Faye, through The PTL Club, has died at 86. His wife, Lori Bakker, announced that he died Monday, October 5. A cause of death was not immediately disclosed, according to.

Bakker became one of the most recognizable figures in religious broadcasting before a sexual misconduct scandal and federal fraud convictions brought down the ministry he had helped create. He later returned to television and continued preaching.

Building the PTL Television Ministry

Bakker and Tammy Faye met while attending Bible college in Minneapolis and married in 1961. They began their ministry traveling between churches, combining his preaching with her singing.

Their work eventually took them into television. Bakker hosted The 700 Club before establishing the PTL Satellite Network in 1974. The PTL Club became the centerpiece of an expanding operation that mixed sermons, music, guest interviews and appeals for donations.

The couple also developed Heritage USA in Fort Mill, South Carolina. The Christian vacation destination included a theme park and hotel, extending their ministry beyond the television studio.

For viewers, Jim and Tammy Faye became a familiar partnership. Their success made them nationally known personalities, while the scale of their operation placed them among the most prominent figures in American televangelism.

The Scandals That Ended His PTL Leadership

Bakker resigned from his ministry in 1987 after revelations that hush money had been paid to church secretary Jessica Hahn. She said Bakker had sexually assaulted her. He acknowledged a sexual encounter but denied rape, as Baptist News Global reported.

The scandal led to his departure from PTL, with fellow broadcaster Jerry Falwell taking control. It also brought renewed scrutiny to the ministry’s finances and the use of money contributed by its supporters.

In 1988, Bakker was indicted on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy. He was convicted the following year and initially sentenced to 45 years in federal prison. His sentence was later reduced to eight years, and he was released on parole in 1994.

The financial case concerned fundraising promises tied to accommodations at Heritage USA. It established criminal wrongdoing separate from Hahn’s allegation and left Bakker’s public reputation inseparable from the collapse of PTL.

Tammy Faye divorced him in 1992 while he was imprisoned. She died in 2007.

Later Years and Troy Brewer’s Tribute

Bakker married Lori in 1998 and returned to broadcasting with The Jim Bakker Show in 2003. Based near Branson, Missouri, the program gave him another platform after years away from the television ministry that had made him famous.

In the tribute shared by Troy Brewer, Bakker was remembered as a friend and ministry partner. Brewer said he had just received news of the death and had few details.

Brewer wrote that his friend had “gone the way of all men,” framing his farewell in familiar biblical language.

He offered prayers for Mondo and his family, expressed thanks for Bakker’s partnership in efforts to rescue children, and asked for blessings for Bakker’s teams and family.

Brewer’s message reflected the personal connections Bakker maintained despite his public downfall. His death leaves a history that includes both an influential role in Christian television and convictions that exposed serious abuses of the trust placed in his ministry.