Ian deGroot, Thompson’s accountant whom familiar with act as the treasurer for Maranatha, corroborated Thompson’s facts

DeGroot mentioned bankruptcy proceeding filings revealed Visser’s company owed around $800,000 to about several people in Maranatha or their unique companies, such as the Thompsons. DeGroot additionally offered paperwork of Thompson’s loans to Visser’s businesses.

Thompson mentioned when he realized that Visser wasn’t gonna spend him back once again, he submitted a lawsuit against Visser therefore the chapel in an attempt to recoup their cash. (Thompson mentioned his attorney suggested suing for $1 million because plaintiffs normally bring 1 / 2 of what they ask and Thompson would also incur legal fees.)

Thompson extra which he and Visser never reached a settlement as Zacharias’ suit alleged. Alternatively, Thompson mentioned he dropped the match because Visser moved broke.

Thompson mentioned he might have nevertheless pursued the suit up against the chapel and the denomination. But instead, the guy and Lori Anne decided to operate within the CRC denomination to bring accountability.

a€?Significant Investment Distressa€?

Both Brad Thompson and Ian deGroot laughed when I questioned if Thompson was a student in a€?significant monetary distressa€? after their so-called a€?settlementa€? together with pastor, as Zacharias’ suit alleges.

In the same way, Tamara Battiste, Lori Anne Thompson’s aunt, said: a€?Thompson was a millionaire . . . They don’t require funds. They’ve got never-needed funds.a€?

Taxation statements the Thompsons offered demonstrate that from 2010-2017, the Thompsons produced between $193,000-$552,000 each of those years. In 2017-the year the Thompsons sent the demand letter to Zacharias- the couple generated $443,000.

The couple furthermore gave nicely to charities and ministries during those years. In 2015, the Thompsons donated more than $102,000 to foundation. In 2016 and 2017, the couple donated about $50,000/year to charity.

James Hunt, President of UCB Canada-the premier Christian broadcasting system in Canada-said Brad Thompson had been one of UCB Canada’s significant followers ahead of 2017.

Look stated Thompson backed the airtime for Ravi Zacharias’ broadcast plan on UCB Canada. Search mentioned that’s precisely why Thompson got asked to sponsor a table on luncheon in which Brad and Lori Anne found Zacharias.

Through the years, look said he’s reached know Thompson better and described him as an a€?honorable guya€? and a€?someone of stability.a€?

Precisely why the Need Letter?

a€?As Lori Anne and I revealed more and more predation and brushing as well as the level of victims that predators posses . . . we know we’d a moral obligation, or a godly obligations, ahead of the Lord, to not ever do nothing,a€? Brad said.

Brad mentioned the happy couple weighed several options. One, was heading straight to the board of Ravi Zacharias Overseas Ministries (RZIM). However, the happy couple quickly ignored the concept because they thought Ravi Zacharias, his spouse, and his child, Sarah-who’s today President of RZIM-were all members of RZIM’s panel.

RZIM don’t posts the brands of its panel members. But in 2014, when RZIM last published an IRS kind 990, Zacharias, their spouse, and his daughter, Sarah, are in the panel. I attained out over repeatedly to RZIM, inquiring who was simply on their panel in 2017, but RZIM wouldn’t address my matter.

Thompson stated he and Lori Anne also considered visiting the ny days or some other significant publication. However the partners made the decision against it because he mentioned they both had been struggling with mind of committing suicide and mightn’t deal with the general public embarrassment that will push.

But the couple stated they performed discharge their particular comments a number of blog writers simply because they comprise positive phrase would not spread to her home town in Ontario.

But Thompson said the guy and Lori Anne both believed the only method to render Zacharias get them really was to submit the requirements page. The guy mentioned their attorney, level Bryant, suggested the $5 million figure as well as the pair dependable his wisdom.