Fresh allegations of concealing sexual abuse at Daystar Television Network have surfaced, marking the Christian broadcaster's second major scandal since its 2010 affair coverup controversy.

Written By Rebecca Johnson // EEW Magazine Online

*Daystar Television Network faces a crisis amid cover-up allegations—drawing parallels to past scandals. (EEW Magazine)*

The latest allegations against Daystar Television Network have sparked renewed scrutiny and raised troubling questions about the Christian broadcasting empire's history. Could there be a pattern of alleged cover-ups?

As previously reported by EEW Magazine Online, Jonathan and Suzy Lamb allege that Daystar president Joni Lamb and her late husband, Marcus Lamb, concealed the sexual abuse of their granddaughter by a male family member, according to an exclusive investigation by The Roys Report.

For longtime observers of Daystar, these accusations feel eerily reminiscent of a scandal that rocked the Christian broadcasting empire over a decade ago.

The Seven-Year Affair Cover-up

Although Marcus Lamb is no longer here to weigh in on the current allegations, the record of a major scandal from 2010 remains well-documented.

Fourteen years ago, Marcus Lamb, then head of Daystar, admitted to a seven-year affair with a Daystar employee. The revelation came to light during a fraud lawsuit filed by Jeanette Hawkins, Daystar’s former marketing director. Lamb, who passed away in 2021 from complications related to COVID-19 and preexisting heart conditions after publicly opposing vaccines, became the central figure in the controversy.

*Marcus and Joni Lamb met in 1980 at church and were married two years later in 1982. (Credit: Facebook/Marcus Lamb)*

Hawkins presented damning emails as evidence, exposing significant cracks in the multimillion-dollar Christian media empire’s carefully constructed public image.

These emails allegedly included lewd statements and evidence that ministry funds had been used to finance trysts. Perhaps most shockingly, one email reportedly revealed Marcus Lamb expressing his desire to make his mistress "the next Mrs. Marcus Lamb," according to Hawkins’ lawsuit.

*Marcus and Joni Lamb were married from1982 until Marcus's death in 2021 due to complications from COVID-19. (Credit: Facebook/Marcus Lamb)*

In response, Marcus accused whistleblowers of attempting to extort $7.5 million from the network to keep the affair quiet. However, police found no evidence of criminal extortion.

Some have speculated that claiming an extortion attempt made Marcus Lamb a more sympathetic figure, shifting focus away from his admitted infidelity and onto the alleged actions of his accusers.

In a 2010 televised public statement, Joni Lamb characterized her husband's affair as "an emotional relationship" that eventually developed into "an improper relationship”—meaning sexual.

The scandal became a significant embarrassment for Daystar, one of the most popular networks among evangelical Christians, forcing Marcus and Joni Lamb to shine a light on unethical behind-the-scenes dealings.

"They're trying to take our pain and turn it to their gain," claimed Marcus Lamb during a one-hour live show with his wife by his side and supporters surrounding him. "We're not going to take God's money to keep from being humiliated."

Hawkins, the complainant, claimed the fallout from the affair and its subsequent cover-up caused her severe emotional trauma, ultimately leading to her resignation and a stay in a mental institution. In her lawsuit, she further alleged that the Lambs defamed her by publicly portraying themselves as victims of extortion.

At this tumultuous time, the Lambs took further steps to address their public image by appearing on Dr. Phil, where they discussed their efforts to repair their relationship. During the episode, Dr. Phil McGraw cautioned against “trivializing” or “minimizing” the affair by blaming “the devil.”

As months passed, the legal battle grew increasingly complex, with former employees filing suits against Daystar in both federal and Dallas courts, while Daystar countersued in Tarrant County. Ultimately, both sides dropped their suits, resolving the matter out of court with no financial settlements exchanged.

The employees’ attorney stated that their decision to withdraw was influenced by a desire to honor New Testament teachings against Christians suing one another in secular courts.

History Repeating?

Fast forward to today, and echoes of past scandals once again reverberate. Is history repeating?

According to The Roys Report, Jonathan and Suzy Lamb allege they were targeted, manipulated, tracked, and fired after raising concerns about their daughter’s alleged abuse and voicing religious objections to Joni Lamb’s recent marriage to Doug Weiss—a divorcee who married Joni less than two years after Marcus Lamb’s death.

Jonathan and Suzy Lamb say their motives are being misrepresented in a bid to salvage Daystar’s reputation and undermine their credibility.

*Suzy and Jonathan Lamb and their two children (Credit: Jonathan Lamb Instagram)*

Jonathan Lamb, dismissed on November 16 from his role as Vice President, claims his termination was directly tied to his efforts to seek answers about the alleged abuse and navigate the family’s complex dynamics following Joni’s remarriage.

Daystar, however, disputes these claims, accusing Jonathan of engaging in a "smear campaign" fueled by disappointment over not being named the network’s future president after Marcus Lamb’s passing. The network cited a “15-month review” of Jonathan’s performance and alleged failure to meet improvement plans as the official reason for his termination.

The controversy extends beyond Jonathan. His wife, Suzy Lamb, as well as her parents—who were also employed by Daystar—have reportedly been fired, says TRR.

Adding fuel to the fire, The Roys Report obtained expense reports suggesting that Joni Lamb charged approximately $100,000 to her Daystar credit card for her 2023 honeymoon in Los Cabos, Mexico, with Doug Weiss. While Joni has publicly denied using ministry funds for the trip, the documents raise fresh concerns about the network’s financial accountability.

In a statement on Daystar, Joni Lamb asserted that “not one penny of Daystar’s money” was used for the honeymoon.

*Newlyweds Doug Weiss and Joni Lamb pose with their "Mr." and "Mrs." coffee mugs. (Credit: Instagram/Joni Lamb)*

According to Julie Roys, Jonathan Lamb stated that when he objected to the honeymoon charges during an August 2023 Daystar board meeting, board member Tom Calender decided to “gift” the $100,000 for the honeymoon to Joni. Jonathan further noted that Joni might have since reimbursed the ministry for the expenses.

In a post on X, Joni explained that she had used her corporate credit card points for payment and confirmed repaying the balance owed to Daystar. She added that "Daystar's finances are subjected to an independent, third-party audit by an accounting firm on an annual basis.”

Some, however, are still questioning whether such a trip should have been considered a ministry expense at all.

Joni Lamb’s Legal Team Involved

In response to the latest allegations of a sexual abuse cover-up, Joni Lamb strongly denied the claims during a recent episode of Joni Table Talk, dismissing them as “absolutely a lie.”

“This is a narrative that was written by some low-level blogger who knows nothing, never heard the other side of the story, and is doing nothing but trying to destroy my family,” Lamb said, referring to the investigative series by journalist Julie Roys.

Daystar attorney Michael D. Anderson, of the law firm Kelly Hart, has demanded in a letter to Roys that she retract or correct her reports or face litigation, calling the stories “false” and claiming they have “zero basis in truth or fact.”

“The statements were fabricated as part of the smear campaign that Jonathan and Suzy Lamb launched against my clients,” Anderson alleged. “The Roys Report does not have any evidence to support the statements.”

However, The Roys Report has released a series of recordings from closed-door meetings that appear to support Jonathan and Suzy Lamb’s claims, intensifying the public scrutiny of Daystar’s internal operations.

As allegations and denials dominate the headlines, the echoes of 2010 are impossible to ignore. Then, as now, accusations of intimidation tactics to enforce silence plague the network. And then, as now, the Lamb family's private struggles have spilled painfully into the public eye.

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