Health Fraud: Health Ministry in Receiership

“Arrangement designed to save Christian Brotherhood Newsletter, not dissolve it”

An Ohio judge has put the troubled Christian Brotherhood Newsletter (CBN) under the control of a court-appointed receiver. The arrangement, sought by the Ohio attorney general, is intended to save the health-care ministry rather than to dissolve it.

The receiver, attorney R. Scott Haley, moved immediately to secure all CBN bank accounts and within 24 hours had removed founder Bruce Hawthorn, Hawthorn’s wife, and Ron Beers, Hawthorn’s handpicked operational vice president.

Haley brought back Gary Sprigg, formerly acting CEO, and removed staff members Hawthorn had installed at the Barberton Rescue Mission, replacing them with previous staffers. The receiver has the authority to negotiate a settlement with the IRS, which has been investigating the CBN for several years.

Knoxville pastor Bruce Russell, a reforming member of the CBN who was ousted by Hawthorn last December, told CT he is “very encouraged.” A challenge to his ouster from the CBN board has been mounted in an Ohio appeals court; that action is still pending. The judge’s April 25 order was agreed to by the attorney for Hawthorn; as a result, it cannot be appealed.

One of the few limits on receiver Haley’s power was the specification that the receiver “shall not have any authority to control or direct the religious services” at the mission, or at CBN.

Copyright © 2001 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere

The Christian Brotherhood Newsletter site only addresses the controversy in passing.

Christianity Today‘s earlier coverage of the Christian Brotherhood Newsletter includes:

Health Ministry Fraud Alleged | Ohio seeks $16 million in damages against Christian Brotherhood Newsletter. (Mar. 9, 2001)

Bearing (some but not all) Burdens | Clean-living Christians create an unusual way to share medical expenses. (Sept. 15, 2000)

Past coverage by other news organizations included

Lawyer takes over charity in Barberton | Attorney given control of charitable insurance company under scrutiny โ€” Akron Beacon Journal (Apr. 26, 2001)

Charity facing crisis, report says | Review recommends judge appoint receiver to oversee Barberton Rescue Mission newsletter โ€” Akron Beacon Journal (Apr. 6, 2001)

Rescue mission records reviewed | Judge appoints receiver to study charitable group accused of keeping funds โ€” Akron Beacon Journal (Mar. 23, 2001)

Fraud alleged at faith-based organization | Charity unable to make payments to subscribers โ€” WEWS, Cleveland (Feb. 23, 2001)

Good plan. Bad behavior? | Health newsletter’s success depended on trust and honesty โ€” Editorial, Akron Beacon Journal (Feb. 7, 2001)

Friends lose faith in health newsletter | Former supporters become whistle-blowers, allege abuses by founder of Barberton mission’s program โ€” Akron Beacon Journal (Feb. 4, 2001)

Receiver will control charity | Judge’s appointee to hold financial data as state alleges fraud, mismanagement โ€” Akron Beacon Journal (Dec. 28, 2000)

Mission faces state lawsuit | Barberton Rescue Mission in Wayne County is accused of improperly using millions in funds โ€” Akron Beacon Journal (Dec. 12, 2000)

Also in this issue

Solitary Refinement: Evangelical assumptions about singleness still need rethinking.

Cover Story

Solitary Refinement

Schools: School Fights Christian Athletes Club

Quotations to Stir Mind and Heart

Conservation: Protecting Bald Eagles and Babies

Sudan: No Greater Tragedy

Resisting Relevancy

Significance in a Small Package

Resisting Church Divorce

Merchants of Cool

"Education: Reading, Writing, Reform"

Investor Fury: Elderly Investors Target Accountant

Briefs: North America

Wild Child: How Bad Is Child Care for Kids?

Few to Receive AIDS Medicines

Flying Unfriendly Skies

Briefs: The World

Malaysia: Muslim Leader Appeals to Evangelicals

Nigeria: Teens 'Rescued' from Muslim Marriages

Ecumenism: Pope Apologizes

Does God Know Your Next Move?

Does God Know Your Next Move?

Does God Know Your Next Move?

Does God Know Your Next Move?

Does God Know Your Next Move?

Counteroffensive on RU-486

Wire Story

Indictments: Indictments Handed Down

Wire Story

Rainbow Ministry: Summit Equips Leaders for Ethnic Outreach

Wire Story

Islam Muslims Report Steady Growth

Review

Three Chords and the Truth

The Man Who Ignited the Debate

A Singular Mission Field

Surf Here Often?

Kissing Nonsense Goodbye

Does God Know Your Next Move?

Where Do We Go from Here?

Wire Story

Presbyterians Launch โ€™Confessing Movementโ€™

Bush's Prolife Strategy Questioned

Basic Buddhism

Weighed Down by Karmic Debt

Blood and Tears in Tibet

Hollywood's Idol

Mind Over Skepticism

The Genesis of Our Woes

Revisiting Mt. Carmel

Putting Faith Back in Public Service

Straight Outta Dharamsala

Letters

View issue

Our Latest

News

Gaza War Strains Bible Scholarsโ€™ Model of Christian Conversation

How Hamasโ€™ October 7 terror attack and Israelโ€™s response exhausted a group of evangelical Bible professors pursuing unity on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Being Human

The Four Spaces of Anxiety with Lisa Cuss

Learning to identify reactivity in ourselves and others.

News

Gordon Students Count Cells, Hoping to Unlock Cancer Mysteries

Cutting-edge microscopy research could explain why some get sick while others donโ€™t.

News

Chinese Christians Want the Church to Adopt Children with Disabilities

After China banned international adoptions, some believers want the Chinese church to step up.

News

Global Methodist Bishops to Dance

The new denomination tussles over its authority structureโ€”but also finds surprising points of unity.ย 

Excerpt

The Chinese Christian Who Helped Overcome Illiteracy in Asia

Yan Yangchu taught thousands of peasants to read and write in the early 20th century.

The Bulletin

A Brief Word from Our Sponsor

The Bulletin recaps the 2024 vice presidential debate, discusses global religious persecution, and explores the dynamics of celebrity Christianity.

News

Evangelicals Struggle to Preach Life in the Top Country for Assisted Death

Canadian pastors are lagging behind a national push to expand MAID to those with disabilities and mental health conditions.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube