Many donors to "The John Ankerberg Show" thought they were funding audio Bibles that would bring Christianity to people who had never before heard the gospel, a whistleblower said.
Only a small portion of the donations went to that cause, the whistleblower said, making claims that have drawn a lawsuit from the ministry.
The money, he said, was mostly diverted to other, often luxurious purposes for the prominent Chattanooga-based ministry, including unnecessary private jet rides that went unreported to the IRS.
Andrew Jaeger, a former director of donor relations at the Ankerberg Theological Research Institute, filed an internal whistleblower complaint in the fall of 2022 to "The John Ankerberg Show." The program has for decades broadcast conversations and debates seeking to show that Christianity is true, and in recent years reported annual revenue approaching $10 million.
Jaeger left the institute around November, not long after filing the whistleblower complaint.
Last week, the organization sued Jaeger, accusing him of breaching the termination agreement, in which it said Jaeger promised he wouldn't keep or disclose confidential information about the organization and its donors.
At the institute's request, a Hamilton County Circuit Court judge has temporarily forbidden Jaeger from making further disclosures.
Reached for comment following the order, Jaeger said he was unable to discuss the matter.
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