MIAMI (FL)
Miami New Times
November 19, 2017
By Jerry Iannelli
Megachurches are often scams. Their owners and preachers become obscenely wealthy and don’t have to pay taxes. And a remarkably huge percentage of megachurch leaders become ensnared in ethically dubious (at best) conduct: Ultra-rich Houston pastor Joel Osteen infamously neglected to open his megachurch to Hurricane Harvey victims for days after the storm hit earlier this year.
But Osteen pales in comparison to Florida megachurch figureheads such as Bob Coy, the former Fort Lauderdale religious leader. Coy resigned from his 25,000-member Calvary Chapel in 2014 after a sex-scandal, but the church continued in business. This week, New Times outed Coy an accused child molester.
Shady priests are part of South Florida’s culture. Here’s a rundown of some other major culprits, (from past New Times issues if not otherwise noted).
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