Article: Bakker indicted in fraud

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Defrocked television evangelist Jim Bakker, forced to give up his PTL ministry in a sex scandal, was indicted Monday on charges of bilking his followers to finance his own lavish lifestyle.

Bakker and former aide Richard Dortch were charged in a 24-count federal grand jury indictment with mail fraud, wire fraud and conspiring to defraud the public through the sale of memberships at the ministry's theme park in Fort Mill, S.C., called Heritage USA.

The indictment charges that Bakker and Dortch diverted PTL funds for their own benefit.

Bakker resigned in March, 1987, from PTL, which stands for Praise the Lord or People That Love, after admitting a sexual encounter with ...

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