Federal agents raid Dallas headquarters of Benny Hinn Ministries
IRS agents and inspectors with the U.S. Postal Service conducted a raid on the headquarters of Benny Hinn Ministries in the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Grapevine, Texas on Wednesday morning.
Around 40 to 50 federal agents were reportedly involved in the search that started around 9:00 a.m. U.S. Postal Service inspectors and IRS criminal investigators returned on Thursday to continue searching the offices of the ministry, according to NBC 5.
The agents at the scene did not disclose the nature of the investigation, but they said their unit is primarily responsible for investigating Title 26, which is tax evasion and general fraud against the government.
Investigators noted that most of the employees went home, and Hinn himself was not at the office. A schedule posted on the ministry's website indicated that Hinn is in Paris, France.
Hinn, who is known for his "Miracle Crusades" and his energetic preaching style, was one of the six well-known televangelists who were investigated by the Senate Finance Committee beginning in 2007.
The inquiry raised questions about the personal use of church-owned planes, luxury homes and credit cards by pastors and their families. There were also concerns about the lack of oversight of finances by boards, which were often filled by Hinn's relatives and friends.
The committee cleared Hinn and the other televangelists of any official wrongdoing after more than three years of investigation.
At that time, Hinn maintained that he complied with tax regulations for nonprofits and that he had made changes to how he ran his ministry and set compensation after the investigation.
The pastor is considered to be a "prosperity gospel" preacher and has been repeatedly criticized for living extravagantly.
In a 2009 interview with ABC's Nightline, Hinn responded to the criticism, saying the Holy 'Spirit gives him the "anointing" to heal diseases like cancer. He revealed at the time that his salary was more than $500,000, but he did not give an exact figure.
Following Wednesday's raid, the ministry issued a statement, saying it will fully cooperate with the IRS' investigation.
"As has been widely reported, Benny Hinn Ministries is cooperating fully with the governmental entities that are reviewing certain operations of the Church," the ministry stated in a Facebook post.
"The ministry has undergone intense scrutiny over the years, and we remain confident that there will again be a positive and speedy outcome in the days ahead," it added.