A three-year investigation into financial improprieties at six Christian ministries whose television preaching bankrolled leaders’ lavish lifestyles has concluded with the formation of an independent commission to look into the lack of accountability by tax-exempt religious groups.

The investigation report issued this week details the ministries’ luxury homes and cars, trips on private jets and expensive gifts, including two Rolls Royces that a third party reported was given to the Dollars as a gift from the church.

The so-called ‘Prosperity Gospel‘ — which claims that God wants you to be rich (but only after you give money to televangelists) — appears to work for a select group of people: relatives of the televangelists who came up with the ‘Blab-it-and-grab-it’ ploy.

Media-based televangelists benefiting from tax code exemptions are warned — Sen. Chuck Grassley is a terrier-like congressional inquisitor with time and a big stick on his side.

“I am not threatening them, at this point,” the Iowa Republican said.

Sen. Charles Grassley has provided an update on his investigation into the financial dealings of several televangelists

North Texas preacher Kenneth Copeland is leading a counterattack against the U.S. senator who is investigating alleged lavish spending by six high-profile televangelists.

Nearly two-dozen conservative Christian leaders have signed a letter to the Senate Finance Committee questioning an investigation into six large ministries that preach a gospel of prosperity.

As the Televangelist Kenneth Copeland continues to defy a Senate Finance investigation, internal ministry documents shed new light on how Copeland runs his $100 million church.

Television ministers Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar again have declined to answer questions sparked by news coverage of lavish lifestyles, according to a U.S. senator pushing the investigation.

One of two recalcitrant metro Atlanta televangelists under investigation by a Senate committee has decided to cooperate.

Four non-complying televangelists get another round of letters from Sen. Charles Grassley…

Upset that their ‘prosperity gospel’ scam is under scrutiny, televangelists try to hide behind the separation between church and state. [video]

A senator’s investigation into spending and oversight at six “prosperity gospel” ministries has hit a roadblock with a minister intensifying his efforts to fight the inquiry, but made progress on Monday when another turned over documents.

Grassley said his questioning of televangelists is a simple matter of wanting to ensure that non-profit organizations comply with the tax laws that are essential to their operations.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley is increasing pressure on five large ministries that have refused to respond to his financial inquiry even as political watchers say the investigation could hurt Republicans in the upcoming election.

An Iowa senator investigating six prominent television Christian ministries, including two in Atlanta, said Friday he will take up Creflo Dollar’s challenge to subpoena the documents he requested from them, if necessary. [video]