John Oliver's recent episode of "Last Week Tonight" brought to light the soft rules surrounding the registration and taxation of churches in the United States and to demonstrate how easily TV pastors can take advantage of believers in the name of faith, Oliver created his own church "Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption," as HNGN previously reported.
The YouTube video has since gone viral and garnered more than 5 million views. Oliver's exposé has put a great deal of pressure on the IRS with some media outlets going so far as to say that that the episode could force the IRS to launch an investigation into wealthy televangelist organizations, according to CBS News.
"They keep trying to send more money, more money, more money so they can get healed," said Ole Anthony, President of the Trinity Foundation, a group that investigates religious fraud. According to Anthony, televangelists can earn millions because the IRS has turned a "blind eye" to their tax-exempt churches.
The IRS suspended church audits completely from 2009 to 2013, with only three audits conducted from 2013 to 2014, according to government records, Newsweek reported.
In case you missed it, Here's the video:
