Jim Bakker, who lost his ‘PTL Club’ televangelism empire in sex and money scandals, dies at 86

Key Points:

• Jim Bakker, the televangelist known for building the evangelical empire around “The PTL Club” with his first wife Tammy Faye, has died at age 86; the cause of death was not immediately disclosed.
• Bakker rose to fame in the 1980s with millions of viewers and a Christian-themed amusement park, but his career collapsed after a sex scandal and convictions for financial crimes related to his ministry.
• After serving time in prison, Bakker remarried and relaunched his television ministry with “The Jim Bakker Show,” though he faced legal issues as recently as 2021 over false COVID-19 cure claims.
• Tammy Faye Bakker, a cultural icon known for her distinctive makeup and emotional resilience during the scandals, divorced Jim Bakker in 1992 and passed away in 2007; the couple had two children together.
• Jim Bakker’s legacy is marked by both pioneering Christian television and a highly publicized fall from grace, with his life story inspiring a 2021 biographical film, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.”