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Hillsong’s costs show the megachurch paid for memberships in clubs frequented by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, as well as other items purchased by founder Brian Huston. See expenses.
Journalist Stephen Drill discusses new podcast Faith On Trial, exposing the dark side of Hillsong Church.
A review of the Christian megachurch’s financial documents filed with Congress reveals a breakdown of the Hillsong founder’s income and expense claims.
Houston, 69, also charged the church $4,700 for membership in Soho House, the exclusive club where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had their secret first date in London.
The global club has chapters in West Hollywood and Los Angeles, near where Houston sometimes stays.
Justin Timberlake, Jessica Biel and George Clooney were regulars at the Soho House Club in California, but Kim Kardashian was denied membership.
The documents also reveal that his wife, Bobby, was being paid more than $400,000 a year by the church, but charged $143 for an “airport massage.”
Hillsong held a crisis meeting Thursday night to respond to accusations of money laundering and fraud using church members’ money.
Hillsong members were encouraged to attend in person as the church’s standard practice, the online broadcast, did not take place.
Houston also billed Hillsong for a subscription to The Daily Telegraph, the documents show.
Other items charged to the church included $86 for dog grooming, $85 for pool inspection, $136 for photos in Brian Houston’s office, and $16 for picture frames.
Mr. Houston’s wife, Bobby Houston, charged the church $9.27 for the pen, and other expenses on the list were $4.09 for “errand” parking and $13.98 for “shopping.”
Details were obtained from whistleblower documents filed with Congress by independent federal MP Andrew Wilkie.
Wilkie said under parliamentary privilege that Hillsong used “private jets like Uber” and accused the church of money laundering and fraud.
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A new podcast, “Faith On Trial,” also interrogates women about their sex lives, teaches women to physically submit to their husbands, and accuses the church of abusing victims of abuse.
Houston, who quit the church in 2022 after two women complained about his behavior, is trying to rebuild his profile in America.
But after the Face on Trial podcast called his lawyer this week, Houston posted on Instagram that he was arrested for DUI in Newport Beach, Calif., last year.
Mr. Houston preached last week at the Church Unleashed in Long Island, New York, claiming he was persecuted.
“Hey, no one likes opposition. I know what it is,” he said in a sermon.
“But the anointing breaks the yoke, and the devil cannot steal the anointing of your life. He cannot.”
stephen.drill@news.com.au
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