Liberty University and its disgraced former president Jerry Falwell, Jr., have reached a settlement agreement, ending years of dueling lawsuits and back-and-forth allegations.
In a statement published online, Liberty announced Friday that the two parties had “reached a global resolution agreement settling all outstanding disputes on both legal and personal matters.”
The statement added that both Liberty and Falwell “sincerely regret the lengthy and painful litigation process, and each take responsibility for their part in the disputes.”
Without being specific, the statement said Falwell “acknowledges and apologizes for the errors in judgement and mistakes made during his time of leadership.” Similarly, Liberty’s Board of Trustees “acknowledge and apologize for the errors and mistakes made on their part,” the statement read.
Settlement ends four years of legal battles
Falwell’s legal battles with the school began in October 2020, just two months after Falwell resigned as president amid allegations of a sexual relationship involving Falwell, his wife, and a business associate, Giancarlo Granda. Falwell had also recently published a racy social media post that grabbed national attention.
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Falwell sued Liberty, claiming the school had “set out to destroy Mr. Falwell’s reputation” by repeating the allegations of the sexual relationship between the Falwells and Granda. Though Falwell’s wife, Becki, admitted to the affair with Granda, Jerry Falwell, Jr., denied he participated as a voyeur.
Two months later, Falwell dropped the defamation lawsuit.
Then, in April 2021, Liberty sued Falwell, claiming the former president withheld information from the school about the brewing scandals when negotiating his lucrative 2019 employment agreement. Falwell reportedly received a $10.5 million severance package when he resigned.
Falwell retaliated with a lawsuit against Liberty in March 2023, which argued that the school owed him over $8.5 million in retirement funds.
In July 2023, Falwell and his family trust filed another lawsuit, claiming that Liberty administrators were committing trademark infringement by using the late Jerry Falwell, Sr.’s likeness without consulting the family.
In yesterday’s statement, Liberty said that its settlement with Falwell “is based on a mutual understanding regarding the amount Liberty University will pay its former president in authorized retirement and severance under the various disputed agreements.”
The statement added that both parties had also come to an agreement about “the conditions under which the University will make use of Jerry Falwell, Sr.’s name, image, and likeness.”
Liberty did not disclose the specifics of the agreement. However, in its statement, the school praised Falwell.
“The University appreciates and acknowledges the many contributions of Jerry Falwell, Jr. during more than three decades of service to the University in various capacities, including his 13 years as president and agree that he was instrumental in building Liberty into the world-class Christian institution it is today,” the statement read.
It added that Liberty’s trustees and Falwell “are committed to move forward in a spirit of forgiveness and with the hope of reconciliation in a Christ honoring manner.”
Falwells welcomed back on campus, despite alleged misconduct with students
In the wake of the settlement, Liberty President Dondi Costin sent a letter to Liberty constituents, stating that Jerry and Becki Falwell would now be welcomed back on campus. He also stated that a former prohibition preventing Liberty employees from communicating with Jerry Falwell, Jr., about Liberty business and operations was now lifted.
Constin also stated in the letter that since both parties had resolved their differences, “it would be inappropriate and unhelpful to discuss, speculate, or gossip about details that have been publicly shared.”
Attorney Boz Tchvidjian, a prominent advocate for abuse survivors and former Liberty University law professor, sharply criticized Costin’s comments, especially given alleged misconduct between the Falwells and Liberty students.
In addition to the scandal involving Granda, a former Liberty student claimed that Becki Falwell initiated oral sex with him. And as The Roys Report previously reported, Falwell posted a bizarre exercise video with female Liberty students and liked the social media posts of bikini-clad students.
“Reports of sexual misconduct with students and walking through campus together playing ‘Would you rather’ and yet LU never conducted an independent investigation to find the whole truth of what, if anything, occurred between the Falwells and LU students,” Tchividjian posted on X. “Now they welcome them back with open arms and direct others not to ‘discuss, speculate or gossip about details that have not been publicly shared.’”
Tchividjian called Liberty’s actions a “toxic response” that’s “common within American Evangelicalism . . . and it’s not Christian.”
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16 Responses
How disappointing that any accountability for wealthy white evangelicals just… goes away if they wait a few years. How completely irresponsible to allow known sexual predators back to unfettered access to their prey.
Making generalizations about a racial group or gender (or in this case, both) is called stereotyping and it is racist, sexist and offensive.
in this (and enough other cases to be statistically accurate) case, it’s also true. We see it over and over and over on this page’s reporting. I only note his “whiteness” because it matters- whiteness confers the benefit of every doubt. I didn’t not gender because I didn’t need to, but maleness also confers a LOT of grace on leaders. and in american evangelicalism, we confer blessing on wealth- so much so that it’s unconsious assumption that “successful” men and churches are clearly “part of God’s plan”. It was all over the Robert Morris threads most recently- people assuming his innocence/repentance because why would God make his church so successful otherwise?
Wealthy, white males are conferred with every american advantage, and it’s not racist or stereotyping to acknowledge that. it’s the first step to treating everyone else more fairly.
It’s important for everyone to start learning what whiteness is, how we got here, and what impact it’s still having. I found this podcast very helpful. https://sceneonradio.org/seeing-white/
“white males are conferred with every American [sic] advantage, and it’s not racist or stereotyping to acknowledge that.” Yes it is racist and stereotyping to INCORRECTLY CLAIM that and make generalizations about a racial group and a gender group – it racist and sexist.
The laws of America ensure that every race and gender has equal opportunities in America. This is an equal playing field and in fact with quotas like the US Secret Service’s plans to make the agency at least 30% female even if it means passing over more qualified male candidates (quotas that were exposed in the news recently), it often looks like the White men you despise have DISadvantages here. If you are attacking WHITE MEN as a group for the failings of an individual White man, I’m sorry to tell you – you are racist and sexist.
it is incredible to me that you believe that the laws we have in place to create an equal playing field actually create an equal playing field- and then, in the same sentence talk about quotas in the USSS. Do you understand that if the playing field was actually equal, we wouldn’t NEED quotas for people to come even close to being represented in the percentages they exist? Women make up 50.49% of the country, and if jobs truly WERE available equally, they would be represented in all areas of work at 50%. Our job diversity would reflect the diversity presented in the society around that job.
You believe more qualified men are passed over for job, and based on that alone, statistically you’re likely to be an older, republican male. I can say that because of statistics, not racism. (https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2017/10/18/wide-partisan-gaps-in-u-s-over-how-far-the-country-has-come-on-gender-equality/)
I believe that men are generally mad that women are being considered for jobs that men have always gotten because they’re men (not because men are more qualified, but because men are believed to be more qualified). Quotas are needed to get us to see beyond our biases that are very strong in america that white men are the standard that all others are measured against, because white men have long held the ability create standards that look like themselves.
This is also very true in the white american evangelical church.
Jen is a virtual font of sophomoric leftist cant. She does not deserve to be taken seriously.
letting the fox back in the hen house. Shame.
So disappointing but not unexpected. Why don’t they just install him as president again? It seems like their only concern is financial prosperity and certainly was able to grow the university during the time there.
What on earth did they owe him? He already received over $10 million in severance. Now they’re basically characterizing all of his outrageous moral behavior as errors in judgment no worse than their own actions.
And yet Liberty will go on. I don’t know who thinks that is a safe place and why people keep on making the payments but they do.
It appears that each entity is as totally dishonest and sleazy as the other. I’m glad I have nothing to do with either.
The university’s handling this disgusting situation is shocking! I’d be afraid of getting a disease!
The Evangelical Industrial Complex loves the news and welcomes Falwell back to the Liberty campus.
The Evangelical Industrial Complex also now expects Dear Leader Trump to speak at the Liberty campus…. what corruption….
This is absolute conjecture on my part, but, I do wonder Jerry Jr knows where too many of the “bodies are buried” for Liberty to permanently break ties with him. It is impossible to say but, it would make an interesting made for TV miniseries.
Concerning “the settlement.” I wonder how long that will last? They will get things “settled” and maybe gone on for a while “looking good.” Then whamo! Another thing happens and another lawsuite!
And concerning allowing Jerry Jr back on the property of Liberty. That will be a great mistake! I promise you.
What Becki did is somewhere on the spectrum between sexual abuse and rape. I think the latter. What the heck is she doing being allowed within 50 miles of students? She’s needs the “sex offender” label so we can keep our children far away from her.
Liberty? Are you listening?
*crickets*
Exactly… just more of the same “family values” hypocrisy this whole cabal of maga/evangelical subculture keeps foisting on us (and getting away with…)
More proof that the devil not only infiltrated the churches but he runs many of them.