Plumber discovers money, checks in wall of Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church

[left-of-center2012]

A plumbing repair at televangelist Joel Osteen's megachurch in Houston reportedly led to the discovery of "bags and bags" of cash and checks in a bathroom wall. The discovery came several years after someone stole $600,000 in cash and checks from a safe at Osteen's Lakewood Church, according to a report from KRPC Channel 2. The station suggested that whoever stole the money in 2014 may have been hidden it in the bathroom wall.

A plumber named Justin, who works for a large contractor, told the station he got a call about a loose toilet at the church on Nov. 10. "Justin said he started working on the toilet and had to remove the tile and insulation," the station reports. "Once he removed the insulation, he discovered about 3,000 envelopes full of checks. Some had cash in it.”

In 2014, Houston police said
$200,000 in cash and $400,000 worth of checks were stolen from a safe at the church. At the time, the church said
the stolen money represented funds that were contributed during one weekend of services.

"Justin said the church or HPD never thanked him or reached out to him about $25,000 reward money," the station reported, referring to the reward that was offered following the 2014 theft. "Justin said he even called Crime Stoppers about reward money, but never heard back. He even tried reaching out to Joel Osteen but hasn’t heard back."

https://www.rawstory.com/joel-osteen-church-money/

[StarryNite]

1. These mega churches are obscene.

[Mister Ed]

10. That is exactly the word that came to my lips when I saw the photo in the OP.

Then I scrolled down and saw your reply.

They truly are obscene.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

20. That church used to be called The Summit which is the arena where the Houston Rockets played.

[Gore1FL]

32. So are the small scale versions. nt

[dchill]

38. You got that right.

[rockfordfile]

46. I agree

[fierywoman]

2. I wish he would have kept the cash.

[underpants]

7. In my younger days

I might have put an envelope or two in my pocket.

Now, I definitely would put them in my pocket. 😄

[mercuryblues]

9. me too

and reburied the checks in another stall.

I am hoping the insurance company screws good ole Osteen over.

[msongs]

3. $600K tax free in one weekend. the bible says no heaven for them nt

[underpants]

6. No kidding. $600K

Jesus.

[TheBlackAdder]

37. Hey man, give some slack. Bi-Annuals on multiple Gulfstreams does not come cheaply.

[Hekate]

41. That is some collection plate

And the grift goes on

[FakeNoose]

4. Well the checks are worthless, but the cash money should still be good

Just makes me wonder who originally stole it? Must have been someone with plumbing experience.

[LisaL]

5. Why did whoever stole it hid it in the wall?

Weird.

[NullTuples]

25. I'd have no idea how thieves think, but maybe they couldn't get it out of the building...

and planned to come back later. Then life happened and the intended retrieval...didn't.

[Gore1FL]

34. It may have been an act to simply deny the proceeds.

No desire to steal would be necessary in such a scenario.

[ymetca]

8. Hmmm

So who actually "stole" the money then, now that it has been found?

Stinks like an Insurance scam, does it not?

[Takket]

11. i wonder why someone go through the risk of stealing it only to abandon it in the wall???

[Dan]

24. Because it was an inside job.

[Deuxcents]

12. This preacher is full of surprises

During Hurricane Harvey, the doors were locked when hundreds of people needed refuge. He n his whole outfit are obscene. It’s all about the money.. tax free money, most likely

[keithbvadu2]

13. CBR - Cash Based Religion.

[dchill]

40. CRT - Cash Religion Theory.

[NowISeetheLight]

14. Multi-Millionaire Preacher...

Celebrity net worth:

https://www.celebritynetworth.com/richest-celebrities/joel-osteen-net-worth/

Joel Osteen is an American preacher, televangelist, and author who has a net worth of $100 million. Joel Osteen is most famous for being the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. He has become a somewhat controversial figure due to his personal wealth and general advocacy of the "prosperity gospel." His messages have been criticized for being too focused on individual enrichment and improvement. His mega-church in Houston is 600,000 square-foot former sports stadium that has a 17,000-person seating capacity.

[TexasBushwhacker]

36. His humble abode

?imwidth=720

[keithbvadu2]

49. The "prosperity gospel" collectors seem to do much better in the prosperity than the investors/donor

The "prosperity gospel" collectors seem to do much better in the prosperity than the investors/donors.



Judas was an early, modern-day, conservative disciple.

Judas got 30 pieces of silver, but just once, for selling Christ.

Joel Osteen, Jim Bakker, Pat Robertson, and their ilk get millions of dollars repeatedly for selling Christ.

Judas was a fool for doing a one-time sale.

[skypilot]

15. Am I understanding this story?

The money was stolen from one Osteen church and hidden in the bathroom wall of another? And why would station KPRC speculate so specifically about where the money might be hidden?

[tclambert]

16. God spoke to me and He said, "Ya know, I never see one penny of that collection money."

"I'm sure I gave them the correct routing number, what with me being infallible and all. I'll tell ya, I'm beginning to suspect someone at the church is keeping that money for himself."

[dlk]

17. Grifters aren't usually known for their generosity

No matter what they preach.

[LiberalLovinLug]

18. They never thanked him because they were mad at being caught

Some top church officials hid it, and held it there to get out later. They are probably pissed that he found it.

[Maggiemayhem]

19. Wasn't this an episode of The Gemstones?

[Thunderbeast]

22. I thought it was familiar!

https://www.hbo.com/the-righteous-gemstones

[spanone]

21. If there's a hell there should be X-tra Hot Seats for these grfiting flim flam men

fools and their money

[monkeyman1]

23. I've always called mega -church a organized legal racket & this -

proves it to me now ! amen & pass the money !

[Rebl2]

28. Got that right

[Rhiannon12866]

26. He is just so creepy

Why anyone would send him money is a mystery to me...

[Captain Zero]

29. Yeah. I bet no chapter on this in any of his

prosperity gospel books.

[Midnight Writer]

27. Obviously there was leak in the laundry room. Good plumber to find that.

I wonder how much difference there is in what Osteen said was stolen and collected insurance for and how much money they actually found?

[Blue_playwright]

44. Laundry room!!! Lol!

[brush]

30. Sure seems like an inside job to me. Whoever cached it there thought it...

would always be there for when needed.

[dupagelib]

31. Selling salvation

Perfect scam, no one asks for their money back if they are not saved. Catholic church sold indulgences, it's the same scam. Did anyone remember the movie "Marjo" the story of child preacher? I recall a scene where the "preachers" are diving up the collection after the service. $20 for me, $20 for you, the nickel that fell on the ground, that was for God.

[heckles65]

33. That plumber, who could have pocketed some or all that lolly,

was a lot more honest than Osteen.

[jcgoldie]

35. noshit!

Might as well put it in your pocket it was already stolen once!

[AllaN01Bear]

39. many of these mega churches only care about one thing, $.

dont give a hoot hoot hoot about the rest . what have they done for the poor . a lot of my hot buttons have been hit tonite .

[RussBLib]

42. saw some great concerts in that building

when it was called The Summit, before Osteen bought it and brought his filthy perverted herd of sheep along with him.

[turbinetree]

43. So it ....reads like he is a dead beat that doesn't pay rewards....

and then looking at that picture looks like a infestation pool ......worshiping a dead beat....

[Hekate]

45. Sounds like a good smiting is in order

[North Shore Chicago]

47. Where is instant karma when it is needed?

As the poster above used the adjective, he will be called Joel Obscene.

[struggle4progress]

48. Insurance fraud? "We was robbed!"

[onethatcares]

50. but was it

4K or 6K in cash?

Are there any ledgers or spread sheets the loss was listed on?