Kenneth Copeland, an ultra-wealthy televangelist, is facing criticism for allegedly failing to deliver disaster relief supplies to Haiti’s earthquake victims, despite earlier promises. His ministry, Kenneth Copeland Ministries (KCM), has been under scrutiny for its use of nonprofit donations. Critics argue that pledged efforts have not been fulfilled, and questions remain about unaccounted funds.
Rich Vermillion, co-author of Angel Flight 44, highlighted that despite the urgent crisis in Haiti, the promised relief flights never materialized. Vermillion noted that KCM’s aviation ministry was announced during the Southwest Believer’s Convention but never became operational.
KCM originally introduced Angel Flight 44 to provide ongoing aviation aid following the hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2006. Despite collecting funds, reports suggest that no concrete actions were taken, raising concerns among donors and watchdog organizations.
Vermillion launched kennethcopelandblog.com to track KCM's activities and ensure accountability. He stated that Copeland's ministry did not establish the promised operations and failed to deliver on their commitments.
Kenneth Copeland, reportedly worth $760 million and owning a fleet of private jets, denied the allegations, calling them “misleading” and “damaging misinformation.” In a statement, KCM asserted its integrity and claimed that all finances are audited independently.
The ministry admitted to making one aircraft available during the 2006 disaster response but clarified that no firm commitments were made regarding future operations. KCM spokesperson, Dr. Stephen Swisher, stated that the collected donations—amounting to $7,788.43—were used for plane repairs, and the aircraft remains non-operational.
Swisher explained that additional funds are needed to fully realize their relief goals. “We are believing for the finances to support a fleet of aircraft dedicated to disaster relief efforts,” he said. Since 2005, the organization has received over $2.4 million in donations earmarked for disaster relief.
KCM defended its decision to support other organizations with existing infrastructure, arguing that collaborating with established relief agencies was the most effective way to assist the people of Haiti.
Rich Vermillion expressed disappointment over the situation, emphasizing that a generic relief fund does not equate to a functioning aviation relief ministry. He has urged KCM to fulfill its original commitments and provide greater transparency to donors.
For more information about Kenneth Copeland Ministries' financial disclosures and efforts, visit their official website at kcm.org.
