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DATELINE NBC [UPDATED]
Air Date: Sunday, March 06, 2005
Time Slot: 7:00 PM-9:00 PM EST on NBC
Episode Title: "SHOW #53"
[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]

BOB MCKEOWN REPORTS ON THE MONEY TRAIL WITHIN THE BENNY HINN ORGANIZATION IN "THE PREACHER'S LIFE" -- SUNDAY, MARCH 6 ON "DATELINE NBC"

Report Includes Never-Before-Seen Ministry Expense Documents and Revealing Interviews with Ministry Insiders

New York -- March 3, 2005 -- Two years ago "Dateline NBC's" hidden cameras followed the self-described miracles of television's popular televangelist and faith healer, Benny Hinn. Now, in a revealing follow-up investigative report, Bob McKeown reports on what happens to some of the millions of dollars sent to the Hinn Ministry by his devoted followers. The hour-long report will be broadcast this Sunday, March 6 (7:00 - 9:00 PM, ET) on "Dateline NBC."

Pastor Benny Hinn is a mesmerizing faith healer who claims to call down miracles and raises millions of dollars, he says, for God's work. Hinn's ministry says it feeds and clothes at least 20,000 children every day. Public estimates the ministry's annual income range to be between 89 million to upwards of 100 million dollars.

After hearing from ministry insiders about the pastor's luxurious lifestyle, shopping sprees, and first class travel, "Dateline NBC" along with Bob McKeown, decided to investigate where else the money is spent and what happens to the people who believed they were healed.

Following the money trail, McKeown sits down with Ole Anthony, a Hinn critic who heads the Trinity Foundation, (a Christian watch-dog group based in Texas that examines the workings of television ministries); as well as insiders from Hinn's organization who claim that NBC News' first report only scratched the surface. One ministry insider reveals to McKeown, "When he [Hinn] goes to the Pacific area, he stops in Hawaii. When he goes south of the United States, he stops in Cancun." Also, included in the report are never-before-seen ministry expenses documents obtained by "Dateline NBC." The documents, along with extensive reporting by Dateline, reveal a detailed look at how Pastor Hinn spends some of his ministry's money.

Benny Hinn declined "Dateline NBC's" request to be interviewed for the report.

David Corvo is the executive producer of "Dateline NBC."

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