LIBERTY University has opened an investigation into its ousted and controversy-laden ex-president, Jerry Falwell Jr. The evangelical school, located in Virginia, announced on Monday that officials would be looking into Falwell’s tenure at the college. The school’s board said in a statement on Monday that it had retained an outside firm to investigate “all facets” […]
LIBERTY University has opened an investigation into its ousted and controversy-laden ex-president, Jerry Falwell Jr.
The evangelical school, located in Virginia, announced on Monday that officials would be looking into Falwell’s tenure at the college.
The school’s board said in a statement on Monday that it had retained an outside firm to investigate “all facets” of the school’s operations under Falwell.
The board said it was “committed to learning the consequences that have flowed from a lack of spiritual stewardship by our former president.”
“This past week challenged all of us to the core,” the statement read.
“While we had been willing to extend grace and understanding to Jerry Falwell, Jr. before, once the revelations about his past personal life came more fully to light, we acted swiftly and decisively to ask for his immediate resignation, which we received.”
Falwell, who voiced his support for President Donald Trump in 2016, took over as the president of Liberty University after his dad, evangelist Reverend Jerry Falwell Sr, died in 2007.
Falwell oversaw a period of expansive growth and transformation: the school’s online program and endowment exploded, and the campus underwent a massive transformation, and the athletics programs improved.
But, he resigned last week after several controversies had him in hot water with the religious college.
After news of his resignation came to light, Falwell denied stepping down from his position, but soon after confirmed he did leave his role.
Liberty asked Falwell to take a leave of absence after he posted a photo of himself with his wife’s assistant with their pants unzipped earlier this month.
This comes around the same time Giancarlo Granda, 29, claimed he had sex with Falwell’s wife Becki, 55, while Falwell watched.
Granda claims he engaged in a years-long sexual relationship with Becki after they met at a Miami hotel when he was 20.
He said the sexual encounters occurred “multiple times per year” in hotels in Florida and New York, as well as in Falwell’s home in Virginia.
Granda backed his claims with emails, text messages, and other evidence.
In audio released last week, Becki appeared upset that Granda had moved on from their relationship, having told her of his romantic encounters with other women.
Becki said she spent a day crying over Granda.
Falwell said in a statement: “We have categorically rejected this person’s demands while dealing with him and this particular member of the media who seemed just as obsessed with the prurient, untrue aspects of this story, however fantastic.”
“It was like living on a roller coaster,” he said referencing the years spent dealing with the alleged threat of the affair going public.
Falwell is expected to receive $2.5million over the next two years, and then an extra $8million in retirement as part of a contract that he signed in July 2019.
Liberty University on Monday acknowledged that Falwell’s biggest critics have long been calling for a departure.
“Some may say that all the signs were there for a long time before last week,” the statement said.
“It’s certainly fair to say that there were questionable comments made, worrying behavior, and inappropriate social media posts, but all the signs were not there until the start of last week.”
