Earlier than his fall from grace, Lentz was recognized for being a pastor to the celebrities -- together with Justin Bieber.
Anne Wermiel/NY Publish
Judgment Day simply isn’t letting up for this scandalized ex-preacher.
Former Hillsong Church pastor Carl Lentz’s popularity took yet one more blow this week when the megachurch’s inner investigation into his alleged wrongdoings was leaked to the press.
The Australia-based spiritual establishment had beforehand solely launched cherry-picked bits of the examination into its East Coast branches beneath Lentz’s management. The audit was carried out by an unaffiliated authorized agency and launched shortly after Lentz was fired for adultery in November 2020. In an electronic mail to congregants in February 2021, now-disgraced church founder Brian Houston introduced the investigation was full and had unearthed “important methods” the NYC operations had “did not mirror Hillsong world tradition” however provided little additional data, The Publish reported on the time.
These particulars have now lastly come to gentle: A model of the 51-page report was leaked to the Christian Publish, which on Monday printed lots of its most surprising allegations, together with that working with Lentz “precipitated” many churchgoers “to undergo from psychological sickness,” that his spouse Laura reportedly as soon as punched a former nanny and present Hillsong pastor within the face “with a closed fist” and that, along with his alleged affair with clothier Ranin Karim, he reportedly had at the least yet one more with a girl he met at a Brooklyn deli and saved in his cellphone contacts as “Germany.”
The investigation was carried out by the NYC legislation agency Zukerman Gore Brandeis & Crossman, LLP. In accordance with the Christian Publish, its report famous: “As a result of restricted quantity of documentary proof, the in depth assertion of failure of reminiscence by sure witnesses, and the need to depend on oral testimony and demeanor, the conclusions on this report, though they could be phrased in a ‘factual’ type for readability, needs to be understood because the contentions of a witness, or statements of opinion by the investigating attorneys.”
“It was not unusual for volunteers and employees who had frequent interplay with Carl Lentz to report that such interplay had ‘precipitated’ them to undergo from psychological sickness,” investigators wrote within the report.
In reviewing Lentz’s textual content messages, investigators additionally discovered that the 43-year-old father of three had been despatched worth quotes for massages and different sexual acts by numerous masseuses.
“Laura Lentz said that she had ‘hunches’ and ‘vibes’ that the massages had been ‘a bit unusual’ and that in 2019 the routine of Lentz receiving massages turned extra of an evening time incidence,” said the report, which famous that, when being interviewed by investigators, Lentz each attacked his accusers and bragged about being “an excellent liar” who purposefully hid his numerous imprudences.
“Such efforts included boldly mendacity to his spouse, Laura, when she caught him and Leona [Kimes] in flagrante delecto on a sofa” within the dwelling of former NBA participant Tyson Chandler, the report detailed. Kimes, who nannied for the Lentzes for seven years, has beforehand written in regards to the nightmarish expertise, through which she alleged she was “subjected to manipulation, management, bullying, abuse of energy and sexual abuse.”
The identical day because the Christian Publish printed its piece on the report, Laura posted a screed towards naysayers on Instagram.
“My household has remained silent all through this ordeal as a result of our precedence has been the therapeutic of our household. This doesn't imply we should not have so much to say!” she wrote. “When the time is true, we've got so much to say about what has occurred in addition to talking on to the RELENTLESS lies, accusations and hypocritical scapegoating that has sadly been so prevalent. Till then, we're so grateful for the fixed help of so many. Your kindness has meant the world to us. We're wanting ahead to a brighter day!”
Neither Hillsong nor Laura or Carl Lentz returned The Publish’s request for remark.
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