Los Angeles (AP) — The star of Sean Feucht — once a little-known conservative Christian worship leader and musician — began to climb in 2020 as he challenged government restrictions brought on by the coronavirus’ tightening grip on the world.
At well-attended protest concerts that brazenly flouted social distancing rules, he became a poster child against public health regulations curtailing in-person religious practice. It put Feucht in league with high-profile conservative pundits and elected officials from President Donald Trump to conservative influencer Charlie Kirk and Pete Hegseth, now the secretary of defense.
As his popularity grew, revenue to Feucht’s ministry skyrocketed from $243,000 in 2019 to $5 million in 2020 — the last year his ministry filed a Form 990 with the IRS. However, this surge in funds has led former ministry staff and volunteers to accuse him of mismanaging the money.
Three former associates shared details about alleged financial mismanagement and verbal abuse within Feucht’s organizations. After being dismissed for seeking accountability, Christy Gafford, the former communication lead for Sean Feucht Ministries, questioned why funds weren't being directed to local initiatives instead of expensive real estate acquisitions.
Feucht counters the allegations, describing the former associates as embittered and morally problematic, arguing his ministry stands firm with financial authorities.
Despite this, questions remain over the legitimacy of the $7 million in properties acquired by Feucht's ministry since 2020. MinistryWatch gave Feucht’s organization an F rating for lack of transparency, citing failure to file Form 990s since 2020 despite significant revenue growth.
Allegations of blurred lines between personal and ministry expenses were voiced by Richie Booth, a former bookkeeper who noticed irregularities. Amid rising skepticism, Feucht maintains a substantial following, continuing to perform across Southern California and tapping into the political landscape within Christian circles, though former associates express concern for the well-being of the volunteers impacted by his management style.
At well-attended protest concerts that brazenly flouted social distancing rules, he became a poster child against public health regulations curtailing in-person religious practice. It put Feucht in league with high-profile conservative pundits and elected officials from President Donald Trump to conservative influencer Charlie Kirk and Pete Hegseth, now the secretary of defense.
As his popularity grew, revenue to Feucht’s ministry skyrocketed from $243,000 in 2019 to $5 million in 2020 — the last year his ministry filed a Form 990 with the IRS. However, this surge in funds has led former ministry staff and volunteers to accuse him of mismanaging the money.
Three former associates shared details about alleged financial mismanagement and verbal abuse within Feucht’s organizations. After being dismissed for seeking accountability, Christy Gafford, the former communication lead for Sean Feucht Ministries, questioned why funds weren't being directed to local initiatives instead of expensive real estate acquisitions.
Feucht counters the allegations, describing the former associates as embittered and morally problematic, arguing his ministry stands firm with financial authorities.
Despite this, questions remain over the legitimacy of the $7 million in properties acquired by Feucht's ministry since 2020. MinistryWatch gave Feucht’s organization an F rating for lack of transparency, citing failure to file Form 990s since 2020 despite significant revenue growth.
Allegations of blurred lines between personal and ministry expenses were voiced by Richie Booth, a former bookkeeper who noticed irregularities. Amid rising skepticism, Feucht maintains a substantial following, continuing to perform across Southern California and tapping into the political landscape within Christian circles, though former associates express concern for the well-being of the volunteers impacted by his management style.
