Actually I don't believe that anyone is or can go to jail as a result of this investigation. The investigation will reveal if there needs to be more specific rules/laws (right now they are really vague and broad) enacted or if there needs to be further criminal charges brought and investigated. even if they do recommend a criminal investigation do to the vague nature of the laws regarding how much money you can pay a ministry person and what constitutes ministry I doubt they could bring forth any charges (regarding salary or misuse of funds, excluding outright embezzling) that would result in jail time.
Personally I think their income and paychecks are between them, their supporters and God. regardless of how disgusting it is to me, the people writing them checks are obviously ok with their incomes. they certainly don't make their lavish lifestyles a secret.
However their 501c3 status is another story. however . . .this is not nearly as important to the religiously fervent as one might think. after all if we keep quite just to preserve that we are essentially being bought off by the government . . . . I know one church I went to voted to voluntarily give that up if we needed to. and it only took a few seconds to decide that. it was a total non-issue. had it come to that it may have even inspired people to give more. So I doubt even losing that will effect the amounts that people give to these ministries. I mean this lavishness is typically what they are after and is no disgrace to them.
So far it looks like everyone being investigated is fully cooperating even if they are protesting the precedent this is setting. People with television ministries have a lot of give when it comes to defining reasonable expenses. I mean they have to look good for the camera right
: but still . . . you can justify designer clothes and large closets and private jets and stuff pretty easily when you are a major production company and doing global missions. and if no one who gives is complaining . . . .
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