{
  "id": 12318403,
  "title": "Where is Jessica Hahn now? Jim Bakker's death puts spotlight on old sex scandal that brought down PTL televangelist - latest update",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/where-is-jessica-hahn-now-jim-bakkers-death-puts-spotlight-on-old-sex",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-06T06:32:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times - World News",
    "slug": "hindustan-times-world-news",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/where-is-jessica-hahn-now-photos-jim-bakkers-death-puts-spotlight-on-old-sex-scandal-that-brought-down-ptl-televangelist-latest-update-playboy-101791266262045.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jim Bakker, the once-famous televangelist, passed away at the age of 86, reigniting memories of the sex scandal involving Jessica Hahn, a young church secretary from Long Island, New York. The scandal, which occurred in 1980, brought down Bakker's PTL Club and led to a tarnished reputation. Hahn, who was 21 at the time, alleged sexual assault but Bakker denied the claims, stating that they had consensual sex. The encounter, as reported by The Charlotte Observer, lasted fifteen minutes in a Florida hotel room. Hahn later expressed anger at Bakker for exploiting his power and image as a man of God to manipulate her. Following the scandal, Hahn posed nude three times for Playboy, which she later regretted, calling it \"maybe not the best choices.\" She has since had relationships with comedian Sam Kinison and co-creator of Married... with Children, Ron Leavitt. In 2017, Hahn was married to Frank Lloyd, a retired movie stuntman who lived on a ranch north of Los Angeles. However, they divorced in 2023 after being separated since 2018 due to irreconcilable differences.",
  "summary": "Jessica Hahn and Jim Bakker had a sexual encounter and while the former went on to allege sexual assault, the televangelist said the sex was consensual.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Disgraced US televangelist Jim Bakker dies at 86",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/disgraced-us-televangelist-jim-bakker-dies-at-86",
        "published": "2026-10-06T06:30:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "Jim Bakker, TV preacher felled by scandals, dies at 86",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/jim-bakker-tv-preacher-felled-by-scandals-dies-at-86",
        "published": "2026-10-06T06:38:39.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Jim Bakker, televangelist mired in scandals, dies at 86",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/jim-bakker-televangelist-mired-in-scandals-dies-at-86",
        "published": "2026-10-06T08:37:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian US",
        "title": "US televangelist Jim Bakker, ensnared in fraud and sex scandal, dies at 86",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/us-televangelist-jim-bakker-ensnared-in-fraud-and-sex-scandal-dies-at",
        "published": "2026-10-06T08:55:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}