Televangelist Sued for Fraud, Stealing Text Messaging Business

A US religious televangelist Rev. Creflo A. Dollar, his son and ministry staff have been accused of stealing a "devotional" text message business concept that the ministry then marketed to his television audience, according to three law firms representing a California businessman in a lawsuit filed in California state court.

Devone Lawson, of Marina del Rey, Calif., alleges that the World Changers ministry and its employees worked with Lawson's company, The Giant Killers, for more than a year on the business venture before the ministry violated a non-disclosure agreement and formed another company controlled by Rev. Dollar's son, Jeremy, to launch the text message service in 2006. After Lawson discovered the theft, and attempted to resolve the matter amicably, he was told by the ministry to just "sue us."

The lawsuit alleges that in 2004, well before the explosion of SMS text messaging and subscription daily text message services, Lawson and his company developed a business idea to create an SMS text messaging service that would enable subscribing members of various church congregations to receive daily devotional or inspirational SMS text messages from the church organization or church leaders themselves.

According to the lawsuit, the ministry's "Word on the Go" text messaging service, which was launched in late 2006, was Lawson's proprietary business idea. The service sends paid subscribers daily devotional text messages from Rev. Dollar and is believed to generate in excess of US$50 million per year in revenue to the ministry.

Quentin Williams, of The Butler Lappert Williams Firm PC, noted, "Our clients allegations against Rev. Dollar and the other defendants are very disturbing, especially since Rev. Dollar controls one of the most successful and lucrative television ministries in the world. Mr. Lawson put his trust in the defendants, but as we allege, they stole his ingenious and lucrative business idea."

The allegations include breach of non-disclosure agreement, fraud, unjust enrichment, civil conspiracy, breach of contract, and misappropriation of trade secrets.

The case is "The Giant Killers, Inc., and Devone Lawson v. Rev Creflo A. Dollar, et al.," (Case No. BC 416392 in the Superior Court of the State of California for the County of Los Angeles).

Posted to the site on 25th June 2009