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by Stephanie Young
SAN DIEGO, Ca., Nov. 14, 2001/ John Paul Warren-- Case gives
literal meaning to scripture
verse, .false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Morris Cerullo claims to be a miracle maker, but he is under
investigation for being a money
taker. John Paul Warren, a former Senior Executive and successor
with Morris Cerullo World
Evangelism (MCWE) has filed a lawsuit claiming he was ousted
from the MCWE organization after
confronting Cerullo about unethical and fraudulent fund-raising
techniques. This is the
second such lawsuit against Cerullo. Warren, who is a
highly respected, third-generation,
ordained Assemblies of God Minister, filed his suit in May of
2000 in San Diego County
Superior Court. He is represented by attorneys Dean Broyles and
Tim Rutherford of San Diego,
and Hunter Lundy, based in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Lundy successfully
represented Marvin
Gorman in his suit against televangelist Jimmy Swaggart in 1991,
which resulted in a large
verdict against Swaggart.
Cerullo refers to himself as Dr. Cerullo, although
he does not have any degree earning him
this title, says Lundy. He runs MCWE from offices in San Diego,
which he calls mission
control, but he does not serve as the minister of any physical
church or congregation.
Cerullo raised millions of dollars and bought the defunct PTL
Network, theme park and
conference grounds from bankruptcy court after Televangelist
Jim Bakkers career ended when he
was convicted and sent to federal prison for fraud.
Cerullo purports to have first met God at the age of eight.
Since then, his life has
apparently been one unbelievable experience after another, says
Lundy. He says he was led
out of a Jewish orphanage by two angelic beings; transported
to heaven for a face-to-face
meeting with God; has the ability to predict the future; can
heal the sick; and has told
audiences when they look at him they are looking at God.
He also asks them to give me
your pocket books.
According to Broyles, Cerullos primary focus is raising
millions of dollars in the name of
God to support his own personal lavish lifestyle both overseas
and in the United States. He
says, The victims of Cerullos tactics and the source of
his millions are the elderly, widows
and poor here in the United States as well as in distressed third
world nations. Broyles
says Cerullos fundraising tactics include direct solicitations,
prayer rallies, the sale of
videotapes, prayer networks, television marketing and mail campaigns,
among others, all of
which are based upon misrepresentations and false promises.
Warren, who has first-hand knowledge of MCWE operations, says,
Cerullo made countless
promises to his donors he never intended to keep. He would raise
money for popular projects
that would generate extraordinary donor support, then never do
the project, but keep the
money. Warren says shortly after moving to San Diego to assume
the leadership of MCWE he
discovered that Cerullo used the charitable status of MCWE to
personally profit. Cerullo
merchandises the gospel for his own personal wealth, says Warren.
Warren has asked Cerullo
to repent for his deceptive fundraising practices and to return
millions to his donors, but
Cerullo refused.
Cerullos son, David Cerullo, runs the former PTL Network,
now known as the Inspiration (INSP)
Network based in North Carolina, which serves as a primary medium
for disseminating Cerullos
solicitation programs and generating names for future fundraising
efforts. Neither Cerullos
MCWE nor his Inspiration Network are financially accountable
to any group, says Rutherford.
In fact, Cerullo, his son David and his wife Theresa are all
members of MCWEs board of
directors.
Warrens attorneys say their sources report 70% of Cerullos
income comes from profit-oriented
business activities as opposed to the non-profit activities dictated
by his tax-exempt status.
Cerullo lives in plush comfort in a multi-million dollar mansion
behind two security gates on
a luxurious estate in the exclusive Ranch Sante Fe neighborhood,
purported to be the richest
neighborhood in the country. MCWE owns and controls numerous
business properties, several
luxury automobiles and a gold-plated private jet. He is reported
to have personally estimated
his net worth at 100 million dollars. Does this sound
like the lifestyle of a minister of the
gospel? asks Lundy.
Attorneys say trouble seems to be following Cerullo
and his MCWE ministry. Numerous former
employees have reported possible criminal violations to the Internal
Revenue Service, U.S.
Customs and the U.S. Postal Inspector. Cerullo has been banned
from television in Great
Britain unless he can authenticate the miracles he supposedly
performs, and the Jewish
community has protested what they call his underhanded attempts
to convert practicing Jews to
Christianity. In addition, many established, respected religious
organizations have distanced
themselves from Cerullo and MCWE.
Attorneys in this case are deeply concerned that Cerullos
fundraising practices are harmful,
especially to the elderly. Earlier this year, Superior Court
Judge Linda B. Quinn denied a
motion by Cerullo to dismiss Warrens claims. Cerullo has
appealed Judge Quinns ruling. He
seeks immunity from litigation under the First Amendment to the
Constitution. The appeal will
be heard in the Superior Court of Appeals of the State of California
at the San Diego County
Courthouse at 9am on November 14.
A news conference will be held outside the courthouse immediately
following the appeal hearing. |