Jim Bakker Biography: James Orsen Bakker born on January 2, 1940, is an American televangelist and convicted felon. From 1974 to 1987, he co-hosted the Christian television program The PTL Club with his then-wife, Tammy Faye, and operated the PTL Satellite Network. He also developed Heritage USA, a now-closed Christian theme park in Fort Mill, South Carolina. In the late 1980s, Bakker stepped down from his ministry following a scandal involving a hush money payment to church secretary Jessica Hahn, who accused him of sexual misconduct. This incident, combined with financial mismanagement and fraud, led to criminal charges, a prison sentence, and his eventual divorce from Tammy Faye. After serving his sentence, Bakker remarried and returned to televangelism. He established Morningside Church in Blue Eye, Missouri, and relaunched the PTL ministry.
Jim Bakker Biography
Jim Bakker was born on January 2, 1939, in Muskegon, Michigan, USA. He has been married to Lori Bakker since September 4, 1998, and was previously married to Tammy Faye Bakker. His knack for sales emerged early—one childhood story recalls him putting a freshly painted rowboat on display in his front yard with a “For Sale” sign. After the buyer discovered only the side facing the street had been painted, he tried to return it. From 1989 to 1994, Bakker served a prison sentence for financial fraud involving roughly $158 million. Following his arrest, skeptics mockingly claimed that PTL—his ministry’s acronym—stood for “Pass The Loot.” In defense of the missing funds, Bakker bizarrely alleged that Satan had infiltrated the ministry’s computer systems to cause the financial loss. When asked to prove it, he replied, “Can you prove he didn’t?”
Jim Bakker Biography 2025 Details
| Born |
James Orsen Bakker
January 2, 1940 (age 85)
Muskegon, Michigan, U.S. |
| Spouses |
Tammy Faye LaValley
(m. 1961; div. 1992)
Lori Beth Graham
(m. 1998) |
| Children |
7, including Jay Bakker |
| Church |
Assemblies of God (1960–1988)
Charismatic (2003–present) |
| Congregations served |
The PTL Club
Heritage USA
Heritage Village Church
Morningside Church |
| Category |
Singers Bio |
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About Jim Bakker
James Orsen Bakker is an American televangelist and convicted felon. Between 1974 and 1987, Bakker hosted the television program The PTL Club and its cable television platform, the PTL Satellite Network, with his then wife, Tammy Faye.
Jim Bakker Wiki
- Born: 1 February 1940 (age 85 years), Muskegon, Michigan, United States
- Spouse: Lori Bakker (m. 1998), Tammy Faye Messner (m. 1961–1992)
- Children: Jay Bakker, Tammy Sue Bakker
- Books: I was wrong, Prosperity and the coming apocalypse ·
- Parents: Raleigh Bakker, Furnia Lynette “Furn” Irwin
Early Life and Education
Jim Bakker was born in Muskegon, Michigan, to Raleigh Bakker and Furnia Lynette “Furn” Irwin. He attended North Central University, a Bible college in Minneapolis affiliated with the Assemblies of God, where he met fellow student Tammy Faye LaValley in 1960. At the time, Bakker was working in a department store restaurant, and Tammy Faye was employed at a nearby boutique. Despite being engaged to someone in Muskegon, he began dating Tammy Faye.
The couple married on April 1, 1961, left college, and began traveling as evangelists. They had two children: Tammy Sue “Sissy” Bakker Chapman (born March 2, 1970) and Jamie Charles “Jay” Bakker (born December 18, 1975). They divorced on March 13, 1992. On September 4, 1998, Bakker married Lori Beth Graham, also a former televangelist, just fifty days after meeting her. In 2002, they adopted five siblings whom Lori had come to know in Phoenix.
Jim Bakker Overview
Category: Richest Celebrities › Authors
Net Worth: $50 Thousand
Birthdate: January 2, 1940 (Age 85)
Birthplace: Muskegon, Michigan
Gender: Male
Profession: Televangelist
Nationality: American
Career Beginnings
He attended North Central University in Minneapolis, a Christian college where he met his future wife, Tammy Faye LaValley. The couple married in 1961 and left school to begin working as traveling evangelists. In 1966, they joined Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network, where they hosted a children’s program and helped grow the network. Bakker later hosted The 700 Club before leaving in 1972. He briefly co-founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network with Paul and Jan Crouch, but their partnership dissolved within months.
Rise of The PTL Club
After leaving Trinity Broadcasting Network, the Bakkers launched their own show, The PTL Club, in 1976 from Charlotte, North Carolina. The program aired on their PTL Satellite Network and became a national religious broadcast. Bakker developed the sprawling Heritage USA complex, which included a Christian theme park in Fort Mill, South Carolina. It was one of the most visited theme parks in the U.S. during its time.
Scandals and Criminal Charges
Trouble began in 1979 when the FCC started investigating misuse of PTL funds. By 1982, it became evident that donations intended for overseas missions were being diverted to pay for Heritage USA and personal luxuries. Instead of backing down, Bakker used the allegations to rally more fundraising.
In 1987, an even more serious scandal broke when it was revealed that Bakker and co-host John Wesley Fletcher had drugged and raped secretary Jessica Hahn, later silencing her with $300,000 in ministry funds. This led to Bakker’s resignation and a major investigation. After a lengthy grand jury probe, he was indicted and convicted on 24 federal charges. Though initially sentenced to 45 years, his punishment was later reduced, and he was released on parole in 1994 with a $6 million IRS debt.
Return to Broadcasting
Jim Bakker returned to the airwaves in 2003 with The Jim Bakker Show, filmed in Branson, Missouri. He shifted focus from prosperity preaching to apocalyptic themes and survivalist products. He also established Morningside Church in Blue Eye, Missouri, reviving the PTL ministry.
Controversial Statements
In his later years, Bakker made headlines for promoting controversial and unfounded beliefs. He attributed natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey to divine punishment and claimed to have predicted the 9/11 attacks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he falsely marketed colloidal silver as a cure for the virus, drawing criticism and regulatory scrutiny.
Books
Jim Bakker has authored multiple books throughout his career. Early titles include Move That Mountain (1976) and Eight Keys to Success (1980). After prison, he released I Was Wrong and Prosperity and the Coming Apocalypse. Other works include The Refuge and Time Has Come, both focused on spiritual survival in chaotic times.
Personal Life
Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker had two children: Tammy Sue and Jamie Charles. The couple divorced in 1992. In 1998, Jim married Lori Beth Graham, a former televangelist. They adopted five siblings together in 2002.
What Is Jim Bakker’s Net Worth 2025?
Jim Bakker is an American televangelist, minister, and TV personality with an estimated net worth of $50,000. He rose to fame as the co-host of The PTL Club, a Christian television show he ran with his then-wife, Tammy Faye Bakker. At their peak, the Bakkers were raising roughly $1 million per week from viewers, ostensibly to support ministry projects like a Christian theme park. However, a later IRS investigation revealed that $1.3 million—equivalent to around $4 million today—was diverted for their personal use. Bakker was eventually convicted of financial fraud in the late 1980s after it was revealed he had misappropriated additional millions and paid hush money to silence a rape accusation from church secretary Jessica Hahn. He was convicted on 24 counts including wire fraud, mail fraud, and conspiracy, receiving a 45-year sentence and a $500,000 fine.
FAQs
What did Jim Bakker go to prison for?
Jim Bakker was imprisoned for committing financial fraud involving approximately $158 million in donations to his ministry. He was convicted on multiple counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy in the late 1980s.
How long did Jim Bakker serve in prison?
Although Jim Bakker was originally sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, his sentence was later reduced, and he ended up serving nearly five years before being released on parole in 1994.
What is the story behind the air-conditioned doghouse?
Investigations revealed that Jim Bakker misused ministry funds for lavish personal purchases, including an air-conditioned doghouse—one of several extravagant and controversial items he bought with donated money.
What does PTL stand for and how was it mocked?
PTL originally stood for “Praise The Lord,” the name of Bakker’s television ministry. However, after his financial scandals, critics jokingly claimed it stood for “Pass The Loot.”
How did Jim Bakker explain the missing $158 million?
Jim Bakker famously claimed that Satan had infiltrated the ministry’s computer systems and caused the funds to disappear. When asked for proof, he retorted, “Can you prove he didn’t?”
What is a notable childhood anecdote about Jim Bakker?
As a child, Bakker once sold a rowboat he had only painted on the side facing the street. After the buyer discovered the deception, he tried to return it, showcasing Bakker’s early flair for showmanship.
