Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, led by prominent pastor Greg Laurie, faces explosive allegations after two Romanian men filed federal lawsuits claiming years of sexual abuse and trafficking at a shelter run by former Harvest pastor and missionary Paul Havsgaard.
In a series of lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court, accusations have been leveled against Havsgaard, who allegedly exploited susceptible children at a Bucharest facility for nearly ten years. The claims describe a harrowing environment where these children were subjected to constant sexual and physical abuse and were manipulated into engaging in sex work.
The plaintiffs, Marian Barbu and Mihai-Constantin Petcu, along with numerous others, recount enduring brutal mistreatment. Court documents claim Havsgaard enticed homeless children by promising food and shelter, only to trap them in what Barbu termed “a torture chamber inside a prison.” The allegations extend beyond sexual misconduct, such as Havsgaard’s inappropriate behavior in bathrooms, to barbaric punishments like forcing children to kneel on walnut shells or restraining them to furniture.
The lawsuits also assert that Havsgaard coerced older boys into sex work, arranging paid meetings through video chats or at local bathhouses while profiting from their earnings. It is alleged that Havsgaard manipulated the children by asserting, “I know what God wants; what I want, God wants.”
Harvest and its leader, Greg Laurie, are implicated in the lawsuits for purported negligence, accused of failing to monitor Havsgaard despite numerous alerts from donors and visitors. The court documents suggest that church officials neglected warning signs and continued to send $17,000 monthly to Havsgaard’s bank account. Additionally, they allegedly permitted him to bring children to California to use their narratives for Harvest’s fundraising efforts.
In response, a representative for Harvest Christian Fellowship dismissed the allegations, describing the lawsuit as a misguided attempt at financial extortion rather than a pursuit of truth or justice. The church maintained that many of the lawsuit’s claims are entirely unfounded and slanderous.
Harvest has stated that it has offered to collaborate with authorities and reported the claims to law enforcement. However, it contends that the plaintiffs and their attorney have refused to engage in voluntary discussions with U.S. agencies. Furthermore, the church maintains that the Romanian shelter operated autonomously, without direct oversight from Harvest, and accuses the plaintiffs of misrepresenting this relationship in their filings.
Jef McAllister, attorney for Barbu and Petcu, says he will file additional suits on behalf of at least 20 others claiming similar abuses. He explains, “Some of them are still illiterate even though they lived in these homes where they were supposed to get an education,” and most victims remain impoverished and emotionally scarred. “They’ve had a hard slog. They would really like to get some sense that they’ve been heard and that the injustices they’ve suffered are recognized.”[source]
Harvest asserts it will “vigorously defend” itself in court, citing Scriptures and maintaining faith in God while facing what it calls damaging and false accusations.
The outcome of these lawsuits could have far-reaching implications for the accountability of megachurches and the supervision of overseas missions—raising urgent questions about oversight, reporting, and the pursuit of justice for vulnerable children.
