{
  "id": 12356789,
  "title": "Jim Bakker, televangelist disgraced by sex scandal, dies at 86",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/jim-bakker-televangelist-disgraced-by-sex-scandal-dies-at-86-12356789",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-06T09:34:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/10/06/jim-bakker-televangelist-disgraced-by-sex-scandal-dies-at-86"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Jim Bakker, the once-prominent televangelist who built a media empire before being embroiled in a sex scandal and financial crimes, passed away on Monday at the age of 86, his second wife Lori Bakker confirmed. The cause of death remains undisclosed. The Jim Bakker Show, which the couple hosted together since 2003, marked their final public appearance. Bakker and his first wife, Tammy Faye Messner, gained fame in the 1980s through their Christian television program, The PTL Club. However, Bakker's career took a devastating turn in 1989 when he was convicted of defrauding followers of over $158 million for his Heritage USA Christian vacation park in South Carolina. Tammy Faye had since divorced Bakker and became an advocate for the LGBTQ community, passing away in 2007 due to cancer.",
  "summary": "Jim Bakker rose to prominence in the 1980s, achieving fame on the evangelical TV program 'The PTL Club'.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "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": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "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",
        "published": "2026-10-06T06:32:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "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"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Jim Bakker, televangelist disgraced by sex scandal, dies at 86",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/jim-bakker-televangelist-disgraced-by-sex-scandal-dies-at-86",
        "published": "2026-10-06T09:34:46.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Indian Express",
        "title": "Jim Bakker dies at 86: Televangelist lost his multi-million empire to sex scandal, crimes",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/06/jim-bakker-dies-at-86-televangelist-lost-his-multi-million-empire-to",
        "published": "2026-10-06T10:10:02.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}