Latest news with #JerryFalwellJr.
Time of India
22-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Liberty University agrees to pay Jerry Falwell Jr. $15 million in settlement following 2020 resignation scandal
Jerry Falwell Jr. receives $15 million from Liberty University in final settlement of legal disputes. (Getty Images) Liberty University has reached a $15 million settlement with its former president, Jerry Falwell Jr., following a series of lawsuits tied to his resignation in 2020. The university confirmed the agreement, which includes both the resolution of lawsuits and a retirement package, as reported by USA Today. This move ends a lengthy legal battle that began after Falwell's departure amidst a public scandal involving him and his wife, Becki Falwell, and another man, Giancarlo Granda. The settlement was revealed in Liberty University's 2023-2024 tax form, confirming that Falwell would receive $5.5 million to settle the lawsuits, in addition to the nearly $10 million retirement package previously provided to him. The total amount of $15 million marks the conclusion of legal disputes between the university and its former president, who had led the institution for over a decade. Details of the settlement Liberty University's tax form disclosed that Falwell Jr. would receive $5.5 million specifically to settle litigation tied to his resignation. This sum adds to the retirement benefits Falwell already received, totaling nearly $10 million, according to the form. The settlement, finalized in 2024, was reached after Falwell and the university ended their years-long dispute over claims related to his time at the university and his leadership role. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Thị trường có dấu hiệu suy thoái không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo While the university did not publicly share details beyond the settlement, both parties emphasized the end of this painful chapter. As quoted by the USA Today, Liberty University spokesperson Ryan Helfenbein directed reporters to a statement released in 2024, which read, 'Both the University's Board of Trustees and Jerry Falwell Jr. sincerely regret the lengthy and painful litigation process.' The statement also included an apology from both sides, acknowledging errors in judgment made during the dispute. The 2020 resignation and aftermath Falwell Jr. resigned from Liberty University in August 2020 following a photo scandal that sparked national headlines. The photo showed him with his arm around his wife's assistant, holding a drink and with both their pants unbuttoned. Shortly after, allegations surfaced involving an affair between Falwell's wife and Granda, leading to public outcry. In the wake of his resignation, Liberty University launched an investigation into Falwell's conduct, while he filed multiple lawsuits against the institution, including claims over his retirement package and the use of his father's image. Impact on Liberty University Liberty University, one of the largest Christian universities in the US, has also faced external scrutiny. In 2024, the university was penalized $16 million by the federal government for fostering a campus culture that discouraged reporting sexual violence. This fine included a $14 million penalty and $2 million in required safety improvements, with the university placed under federal monitoring until 2026. Despite this, Liberty has maintained that the penalties were unfairly targeted by the US government under the Biden administration. The settlement with Falwell Jr. now brings closure to one of the most controversial chapters in Liberty University's history, marking a turning point for the institution as it moves forward from its leadership scandal. Invest in Their Tomorrow, Today: Equip your child with the essential AI skills for a future brimming with possibilities | Join Now
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Liberty to pay Jerry Falwell Jr. $15M settlement following high-profile sex scandal
Liberty to pay Jerry Falwell Jr. $15M settlement following high-profile sex scandal Show Caption Hide Caption Jerry Falwell Jr. resigns as head of Liberty University amid reports Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University, has resigned from the school amid reports of his wife's sexual relationship with a business partner. USA TODAY Liberty University will pay its former president, Jerry Falwell Jr., about $15 million to settle litigation following his 2020 resignation after a high-profile sex scandal that drew national attention to the private Christian institution. While the settlement was announced in 2024, neither Falwell nor Liberty shared details about what it included − or how much Falwell would get paid. But buried deep in a recently filed 2023-2024 tax form, the university revealed it's paying Falwell a multi-million figure to 'settle certain claims and close certain transactions.' As part of the agreement, Falwell agreed to pay the university $440,000 to settle "disputed expenses" between he and the university. Details about those claims were not included. In total, Falwell will receive roughly $5.5 million to settle the lawsuits in addition to roughly $9.7 million he already received as part of his retirement package, according to the tax documents. Liberty University declined to comment. University spokesperson Ryan Helfenbein instead directed a reporter to a 2024 news release about the agreement in which both parties said that statements beyond the settlement were not "necessary nor constructive." "Both the University's Board of Trustees and Jerry Falwell, Jr. sincerely regret the lengthy and painful litigation process, and each take responsibility for their part in the disputes," the release at the time stated. "Falwell acknowledges and apologizes for the errors in judgement and mistakes made during his time of leadership. The Board of Trustees acknowledge and apologize for the errors and mistakes made on their part as well." Falwell also declined to comment on specifics about the agreement, but said he was "very pleased with the outcome of the settlement negotiations and with the final settlement." The settlement could mark the end of an embarrassing chapter for Liberty, one of the largest Christian universities in the country. The school prides itself on promoting fundamental Biblical values. For instance, it prohibits its students from having sex outside of marriage or drinking alcohol (though that rule doesn't apply to online students not on campus), per its honor code, The Liberty Way. Falwell took over the university in 2007 following the death of his father and founder of the university, the Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr. The younger Falwell helped grow student enrollment, much of it through online classes, while making it a mainstay among top Republicans. And he was one of the first evangelical leaders to endorse President Donald Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign. But in August 2020, Falwell made headlines when he posted a photo of himself with his arm around his wife's assistant. He held a drink in his hand, and both of their pants were unbuttoned. He went on leave shortly after. He resigned just weeks later following news of a sex scandal involving him, his wife, Becki Falwell, and another man, . Giancarlo Granda. He said Falwell was a participant in the multi-year relationship. Falwell has described it as his wife having an affair. Falwell told The Wall Street Journal of his departure at the time that he wanted what was best for the university. Shortly after he left, Liberty launched an investigation into his conduct at the university. But Falwell then sued the university for defamation but dropped it months later. Liberty then sued Falwell in 2021, arguing he had breached his contract. Falwell then filed two separate claims in 2023 − one over his retirement package and the other against the university over its use of his father's image. As part of the ongoing dispute, Falwell and his wife were eventually barred from entering the campus. But by July 2024, Falwell and the university announced they would drop their claims. He was allowed back on campus and attended the university's homecoming game. And though Jerry Falwell Jr. is no longer working for the university, his brother Jonathan Falwell serves as chancellor and is the head of the massive Thomas Road Baptist Church, which was also started by the senior Falwell. In the meantime, the federal government, under the Biden administration, penalized the university $16 million in 2024 for creating a culture on its campus where students were afraid to report sexual violence. The penalty included a $14 million fine and required the university to spend $2 million 'for on-campus safety improvements and compliance enhancements.' The government also placed Liberty on federal monitoring through April 2026. The university said at the time and recently to the Department of Justice that it felt unfairly targeted by the Biden administration. Contributing: Steve Berkowitz Chris Quintana is an investigative reporter at USA TODAY. He can be reached at cquintana@ or via Signal at 202-308-9021. He is on X at @CQuintanaDC.
