Former Oral Roberts University Regent member speaks out
{{date|November 9, 2007}}

Harry McNevin, explained in a recent interview that he quit the Board of Regents at [[w:Oral Roberts University|Oral Roberts University]] in disgust in 1987 after 16 years of service when he learned that [[w:Richard Roberts (evangelist)|Richard Roberts]], [[w:Oral Roberts|Oral Roberts]] and other Roberts family dipped into the school's endowment fund for personal expenses. 

McNevin noted that he resigned after the board practically "rubber-stamped" the "use of millions in endowment money to buy a Beverly Hills property so that Oral Roberts could have a West Coast office and house." In addition he said a country club membership was purchased for the home. The home was reported purchased for [[w:US$|US$]]3 million and another $3.5 million was spent remodeling it.

The ''Associated Press'' also cited Patti Roberts, Richard's first wife, who wrote in her 1983 memoir, "Ashes to Gold," about expensive gifts including a blue Mercedes as a Christmas gift for Richard, a Jaguar for her, Italian suits and Palm Beach vacations.  Suzanne Culpepper, the Roberts' former nanny, said Lindsay (Richard' second wife) and Richard spent money wildly. This included 275 pairs of shoes for Lindsay, 120 pairs of shoes (including 18 pairs of golf shoes) for Richard, 165 suits for Richard and other large amounts of clothing in their walk-in closest.

Previously the Roberts were accused of illegal political and financial wrongdoing, which forced the president to step down from his position.

A [[United States]] Senate committee is currently investigating six major ministries over their finances. Three of these ministries are headed by members of ORU's Board of Regents.

Recently [[w:Tulsa World|Tulsa World]] wrote that Oral Roberts University raised $8.8 million starting in 2001 for a new student center, but construction has begun and officials said "the school has used some of the money for scholarships and operations." Tulsa World requested documents about the ORU student center, but the "university released details but not records about money raised for the center."

==Related news==
*{{wikinews|title=Senate committee investigating six televangelists|date=November 6, 2007}}
*{{wikinews|title=Oral Roberts University president accused of illegal political donations and financial misappropriation|date=October 5, 2007}}

==Sources==
{{wikipedia|Oral Roberts University}}
{{wikisource|Swails, Brooker, Brooker v. Oral Roberts University|Swails, Brooker, Brooker v. Oral Roberts University}}
*{{source|url=http://newsok.com/article/3167493/1194678007
|title=Fired nanny says she saw hundreds of shoes, garments
|author=Tony Thornton and John Estus
|pub=The Oklahoman 
|date=November 10, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=071108_1_A1_hTheu15656
|title=Project at ORU hung up 
|author=Ziva Branstetter
|pub=Tulsa World
|date=November 8, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hts11eOY7H11NnIWiVKcH4wZJt2QD8SPM0OO0
|title=Oral Roberts' Son Accused of Misspending
|author=Justin Juozapavicius 
|pub=Associated Press
|date=November 8, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.kten.com/Global/story.asp?S=7332046&nav=menu410_3
|title=ORU leaders accused of lavish spending while the campus falls in debt
|author=Associated Press
|pub=KTEN
|date=November 8, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.kcci.com/news/14545200/detail.html
|title=Spendy Evangelical Leaders Draw Suspicions
|author=Associated Press
|pub=KCCI
|date=November 8, 2007}}

==External links==
*{{source|url=http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/content/2007/oru-lawsuit/default.html
|title=Oral Roberts University Lawsuit Collection
|author= 
|pub=Tulsa World
|date=November 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://kotv.com/files/0710/oru.pdf
|title=Swails, Brooker, Brooker v. Oral Roberts University, Board of Regents et al
|author= 
|pub=United States District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma
|date=October 13 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://kotv.com/sva.pdf
|title=Scandal Vulnerability Assessment
|author=Stephanie Cantees
|pub=Oral Roberts University
|date=October 2007}}

{{publish}}
{{archived}}

[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Oral Roberts University]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Christianity]]
Harry McNevin, explained in a recent interview that he quit the Board of Regents at Oral Roberts University in disgust in 1987 after 16 years of service when he learned that Richard Roberts, Oral Roberts and other Roberts family dipped into the school's endowment fund for personal expenses. 

McNevin noted that he resigned after the board practically "rubber-stamped" the "use of millions in endowment money to buy a Beverly Hills property so that Oral Roberts could have a West Coast office and house." In addition he said a country club membership was purchased for the home. The home was reported purchased for US$3 million and another $3.5 million was spent remodeling it.

The Associated Press also cited Patti Roberts, Richard's first wife, who wrote in her 1983 memoir, "Ashes to Gold," about expensive gifts including a blue Mercedes as a Christmas gift for Richard, a Jaguar for her, Italian suits and Palm Beach vacations.  Suzanne Culpepper, the Roberts' former nanny, said Lindsay (Richard' second wife) and Richard spent money wildly. This included 275 pairs of shoes for Lindsay, 120 pairs of shoes (including 18 pairs of golf shoes) for Richard, 165 suits for Richard and other large amounts of clothing in their walk-in closest.

Previously the Roberts were accused of illegal political and financial wrongdoing, which forced the president to step down from his position.

A United States Senate committee is currently investigating six major ministries over their finances. Three of these ministries are headed by members of ORU's Board of Regents.

Recently Tulsa World wrote that Oral Roberts University raised $8.8 million starting in 2001 for a new student center, but construction has begun and officials said "the school has used some of the money for scholarships and operations." Tulsa World requested documents about the ORU student center, but the "university released details but not records about money raised for the center."
Politics and conflicts Oral Roberts University United States Oklahoma Christianity