By Michael Gryboski | Editor
Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Liberty University has agreed to pay its former president, Jerry Falwell Jr., approximately $15 million as part of a settlement following his 2020 resignation in the wake of a sex scandal and mounting legal disputes.
Although the prominent Evangelical university based in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Falwell had announced a settlement last year, financial details of the agreement had been kept confidential until now. According to a report published Tuesday by USA Today, newly available tax documents reveal that Liberty will pay Falwell about $5.5 million to resolve litigation, in addition to approximately $9.7 million as part of a retirement package.
In exchange, Falwell agreed to repay $440,000 to the university to settle what were described as “disputed expenses.”
“I’m very pleased with the outcome of the settlement negotiations and with the final settlement,” Falwell told USA Today.
Falwell Jr. is the son of the late Rev. Jerry Falwell Sr., founder of Liberty University and one of the most influential conservative Christian voices in American politics. After his father’s passing in 2007, Falwell Jr. took over as chancellor and president, helping grow the university into one of the largest Christian institutions in the world.
Falwell Jr. gained national attention during the 2016 U.S. presidential election as one of the first major Evangelical leaders to endorse then-candidate Donald Trump, drawing both support and criticism from across the religious and political spectrum.
Scandal and Resignation
In August 2020, Falwell Jr. resigned from Liberty University under pressure from the Board of Trustees following a series of allegations concerning personal misconduct. Central to the controversy was a public claim involving Giancarlo Granda, a then-29-year-old man who alleged he had engaged in a long-term affair with Falwell’s wife, Becki Falwell—a relationship that he claimed began when he was 20 years old.
Granda asserted in a 2020 interview with Reuters that Falwell Jr. had knowledge of the affair and had allegedly watched the interactions. While Falwell Jr. later admitted that his wife had an “inappropriate personal relationship” with Granda, he denied participating in or condoning the affair.
Following his resignation, Falwell sued Liberty University, accusing the administration of acting prematurely on “inaccurate claims” without due diligence. Over the years, the two parties exchanged legal actions, leading to multiple lawsuits filed between 2020 and 2023.
Settlement Details and Statement
The July 2024 settlement announcement marked the end of a lengthy legal battle. At that time, both Falwell and the university issued a joint statement, emphasizing that the agreement resolved “all outstanding disputes on both legal and personal matters.”
“This agreement is grounded in a firm commitment to protecting and preserving Liberty’s original mission of developing Christ-centered men and women with the values, knowledge, and skills essential to impact the world,” the statement read.
The settlement also includes an understanding regarding the future use of the name, image, and likeness of the late Jerry Falwell Sr., suggesting the university intends to continue honoring its founder’s legacy while separating it from the recent controversies.
Liberty University has yet to release an independent public statement on the exact financial details now made available through tax records.
Looking Ahead
The financial resolution closes a contentious chapter in Liberty University’s history. Though Falwell Jr. is no longer affiliated with the institution, his tenure as president significantly shaped the university’s growth and public image.
Whether Liberty University will face further scrutiny or institutional change in the years ahead remains to be seen. The case stands as a cautionary example of the complex intersection of faith, leadership, personal conduct, and public accountability within major religious organizations.
