Jury Selection in Bakker’s PTL Fraud Trial Is Set to Begin Today

More than two years after a sex-and-hush-money scandal forced him out of his lucrative television ministry, PTL founder Jim Bakker goes to federal court here today, accused of defrauding his followers out of millions of dollars.

A weeklong round of jury selection begins what is expected to be at least a six-week trial stemming from charges that Bakker diverted donations earmarked for construction of a giant Christian theme park and resort to support his own lavish life style. One of Bakker’s closest associates will testify against him as part of an eleventh-hour plea bargain agreement reached Aug. 8. Opening arguments in the case are set for next Monday.

Bakker, who once reached millions of homes through his Praise the Lord television network based here, comes to court in vastly reduced circumstances. The former fund-raising powerhouse, who resigned from PTL in disgrace in 1987, and his wife, Tammy Faye, have been issuing calls for help to pay their “million dollars-plus” legal fees from their new base in Orlando, Fla.

Tried to Move Trial

Meanwhile, Bakker’s attorneys repeatedly have tried to get the trial postponed or moved to another jurisdiction, citing what they say is prejudicial publicity. Their latest attempt for a change in locale was rejected by U.S. District Judge Robert Potter last Friday.

Over the weekend, Bakker attorney George T. Davis declined to comment on any matters regarding the upcoming trial, citing a “gag” order. “We are bound by our court orders and by our respect for the judge,” said the 82-year-old Davis.

Bakker is charged with eight counts of mail fraud, 15 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy. All the charges are connected with the sale--for $1,000 or more--of “lifetime partnerships” good for annual vacations at PTL’s Heritage USA resort development in nearby Ft. Mill, S.C.

The indictment returned last December alleges that Bakker and former PTL Executive Vice President Richard Dortch fraudulently sold nearly 153,000 fully paid partnerships--for a total of at least $158 million--to help maintain “lavish and extravagant life styles.” The indictment alleged that Bakker had promised only 25,000 partnerships would be sold and that PTL executives spent more than $4 million on themselves and on operating expenses for the television ministry. If convicted on all counts, Bakker could be sentenced to 120 years in prison and fined more than $5 million.

Bakker’s wife, Tammy, was not charged, although the indictment alleged that she benefited from the almost $3.5 million in bonuses paid to her and Bakker from 1984 to 1987, despite Bakker’s knowledge that PTL was in poor financial shape and experiencing severe cash-flow problems.

Associate Will Testify

Originally, Bakker’s one-time confidant and associate Dortch was to be tried with his old boss. But two weeks ago, Dortch agreed to plead guilty to four counts of fraud and conspiracy in exchange for his testimony against Bakker, dropping 20 other charges against him and the promise that he would be sentenced to no more than 10 years in prison and fined no more than $500,000.

On Friday, two other former PTL figures--convicted in July of tax evasion--are scheduled to be sentenced. Brothers David Taggart, former PTL vice president and special assistant to Bakker, and James Taggart, former PTL interior designer, face up to 25 years in prison and more than $1 million in fines for diverting more than $1.1 million in PTL funds for their personal use and evading nearly $500,000 in federal taxes.