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When young, charismatic Christian publisher Jason Christy was tapped two years ago to lead the powerful Christian Coalition, the group's leaders praised him for his ability "to inspire and encourage people of faith to action." But Christy's business dealings — both before and after his one-month affiliation with the Coalition — instead have inspired former customers and co-workers to file lawsuits charging Christy with defrauding their Christian businesses.

Christy, 36, who apparently had no previous public-policy experience, persuaded the Christian Coalition in 2005 to place him in one of the most visible and powerful positions in evangelical life. But before the coalition's leaders officially turned over the reins of their 1.2 million-member national lobbying group, they learned of a trail of legal and financial problems that has followed Christy from coast to coast.

Former associates and customers of Christy's many business ventures — mostly Christian magazines — say he cheated them out of money and threatened them. At least 10 of them have filed lawsuits, Associated Baptist Press has learned, and others have gotten court-issued restraining or protection orders against the Scottsdale, Ariz., businessman.

Christy says all the allegations are false. He and his supporters say "enemies" are spreading lies about him because of soured business relationships. But critics say Christy is a scam artist preying on trusting Christians.

Christy now publishes The Church Report, supposedly a conservative, national print magazine and web site. He has appeared as an analyst on CNN and spoken at megachurches like Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral. He hob-nobs with some of the evangelical elite and still has relationships with leaders in highly respected positions, like the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.

But Christian publishers like Gary McCullough, director of the Christian Communication Network and a competitor of Christy's, accuse him of running an "ongoing scheme that has defrauded many Christians."

McCullough says Christy uses his website to prompt Christian churches and organizations to buy ads for the corresponding magazine but then prints only "a few hundred copies" and mails them "as if they are part of a much larger distribution." Then, after the ministry has spent thousands of dollars and begins to ask for tear sheets or copies of the magazine, Christy balks, McCullough said.

"Each month Christy would apologize and give an excuse or wonder himself why I had not received copies of the magazine with my ad," McCullough said. "This was all an elaborate con. The Church Report was never printed with my ads — because it was never printed."

Christy apparently continues to sell ads and collect payment, claiming a circulation of 30,000, even though there apparently has been no print version of the magazine published in more than a year.

In a July 30 interview, Christy called the accusations "ludicrous" and said McCullough is trying to defame him. "I think it's absolutely atrocious," Christy said.

He said McCullough and others hold a grudge against him because he represents competition in the market of Christian publishing. A contingent of people in Christian media harbor a strong dislike for him, Christy said, and are prone to lash out by accusing him of fraudulent activities.

More than accusations, lawsuits have been won against Christy in at least three states — Wisconsin, Virginia and Arizona. Most plaintiffs were awarded damages in the thousands of dollars, with the largest sum totaling more than $125,000.

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August (Web-only) 2007, Vol. 51