Ravi Zacharias International Ministries Class Action:
- Who: Ravi Zacharias International Ministries is being sued by donors now that sexual misconduct allegations have come to light about the organization’s late founder and namesake
- Why: The donors say they they gave money to Ravi Zacharias believing he was an honest Christian leader and were shocked to find out he was a “prolific sexual predator” who allegedly paid off victims with the donated money.
- Where: The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Atlanta, Georgia.
Prominent evangelical Ravi Zacharias, behind Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, Inc., bilked tens — if not hundreds — of millions of dollars from well-meaning donors to perpetrate sexual and spiritual abuse against women, a new class action lawsuit alleges.
The class action lawsuit was filed in Atlanta on August 4 by lead Plaintiffs Derek and Dora Carrier who allege that Zacharias and affiliates took money from donors who believed RZIM and Zacharias to be faith-filled Christian leaders, when “in fact, Zacharias was a prolific sexual predator who used his ministry and RZIM funds to perpetrate sexual and spiritual abuse against women.”
According to the claim, Zacharias, through conferences, seminars, and audio programming, promised donors that their charitable contributions would support RZIM’s mission, which includes spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and training disciples to defend Christianity around the globe.
“Instead, donated funds both supported an organization led by a sexual predator and financed Zacharias’ sexual misconduct, including, but not limited to, financing massage spas where Zacharias engaged in sexually predatory behavior and paying hush money to the targets of his sex abuse,” the class action lawsuit reads.
As part of its outreach, RZIM ran a weekly podcast program titled “Let My People Think” and a daily, 15-minute audio program called “Just Thinking.”
After years of listening to the RZIM podcast and hearing the uniform messages of Zacharias’s strong Christian leadership and RZIM’s mission, the Carriers felt moved by RZIM’s purported success in developing and training proper apologetics and leading thousands of people to place their faith in Jesus Christ, they say in the claim.
In late 2019 and early 2020, the couple “carefully and prayerfully” considered which ministries would receive their yearly givings, or a portion thereof, and they accepted the call to provide financial support to Zacharias and RZIM. On January 21, 2020, they contributed $30,000 to RZIM, the claim states.
The couple hold themselves out to be Christian apologetics charged with defending Christianity, according to the class action lawsuit, and are pious followers of the Holy Gospel, maintaining a religious level of morality and following the teachings of Jesus Christ.
“Zacharias explicitly presented himself as a devoted Christian who was living a Christian lifestyle in keeping with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and who was worthy of leading others in their Christian faith.”
Zacharias founded RZIM in 1984 “to support, expand, and enhance the preaching and teaching ministry of Ravi Zacharias, distinctive in its strong evangelistic and apologetic foundation, intended to touch both the heart and the intellect of the thinkers and opinion-makers of society with the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
However, Zacharias was not who he claimed to be. Since at least as far back as October 2014, Zacharias was, in fact, a serial sexual and spiritual predator and a prolific sex offender, the claim states.
Zacharias was also an investor in two health spas where nearly two dozen therapists at reported inappropriate, sexual behavior by Zacharias during these massages, including nudity, maintaining an erection, asking therapists to touch his genitals, and groping, the class action lawsuit reads.
“Zacharias would demand sex from women after providing for their financial needs, sometimes using ‘religious expressions to gain compliance.’”
RZIM learnt about the abuse, but defended Zacharias – even after his death in 2020 – until an article was published in Christianity Today, which spurred an investigation.
The investigation supported the abuse claims and also showed RZIM funds were funneled to women subjected to Zacharias’s sexual misconduct, the claim reads.
“As a result of Defendants’ consistent and uniform misleading and deceitful acts, financial donors, including Plaintiffs and putative Class Members, have suffered an ascertainable loss, injury in fact, and have otherwise suffered harm based on Defendants’ conduct,” the lawsuit reads.
The Carriers want to represent anyone in the U.S. who has made a donation to Zacharias or RZIM. They are suing for unjust enrichment and violations of the Georgia Charitable Solicitations Act. They are seeking certification of the Class, injunctive relief, damages, interest, attorneys fees and costs, and a jury trial.
Do you think the donors should get their money back from RZIM? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section!
The Carriers are represented by Michael L. McGlamry of Pope McGlamry PC; Brad R. Sohn of The Brad Sohn Law Firm PLLC; and Graham LippSmith, MaryBeth LippSmith and Jaclyn L. Anderson of LippSmith LLP.
The RZIM Donation Scam Class Action Lawsuit is Derek and Dora Carrier v. Ravi Zacharias International Ministries Inc. et al., Case No. 1:21-cv-03161, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
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