Televangelist Jim Bakker Dead at 86: PTL Club Founder Dies After Scandal-Plagued Life

Jim Bakker, the televangelist who co-founded the PTL Club with his first wife Tammy Faye and built it into a multimillion-dollar evangelical broadcasting empire, died Monday at the age of 86. His second wife, Lori Bakker, confirmed the death in a statement. No cause was immediately provided.

Bakker rose to national prominence in the 1970s and 1980s as host of 'The PTL Club,' a daily talk show that blended prosperity gospel preaching with celebrity interviews, drawing millions of viewers and donations. At its peak, the ministry operated a sprawling Christian theme park, Heritage USA, and a satellite network. But in 1987, Bakker resigned after revelations of a sexual encounter with church secretary Jessica Hahn and subsequent hush-money payments. He was later convicted of fraud and conspiracy for overselling lifetime partnerships at Heritage USA, and served nearly five years in federal prison. The scandal, along with the fall of fellow televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, permanently altered the public perception of televangelism in America.

After his release, Bakker returned to television with a new program, 'The Jim Bakker Show,' and continued to court controversy, notably with end-times prophecies and the sale of survival supplies. His death marks the end of an era for the prosperity gospel movement he helped popularize. Reactions from evangelical leaders and former followers have begun to pour in, reflecting on a legacy that is both influential and deeply polarizing. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.