A Grammy award-winning gospel musician from Cleveland, Tn., has been indicted for converting ministry funds to his own use, the Knoxville News-Sentinel reported.
Phil Driscoll, 58, was charged by a Federal Grand Jury in Knoxville along with his wife, Donna Lynne Driscoll; and his mother-in-law, Annie Christine McDonald-Blankenship.
The indictments say the trio have been converting funds from the tax-exempt ministry to their own use for nearly a decade.
Phil Driscoll operates Mighty Horn Ministries Inc., Phil Driscoll Ministries and the Spirit of Freedom Foundation Inc., as well as Mighty Horn Records.
His television ministry is called the "Phil Driscoll Connection."
The newspaper said the indictments charge the Driscolls and Blankenship with filing "false and fraudulent income tax returns as part of a scheme and artifice to evade reporting in excess of $1 million in the Driscolls' personal income."
It says they "disguised the sale of personal assets."
The couple is charged with using ministry funds to pay for a funeral as well as to pay their mortgage and car payments.
It is charged that the conspiracy was carried out in Cleveland, Chattanooga and Jacksonville, Fla.
Arrest warrants were issued for all three.
This is the bio of Phil Driscoll on his website:
Phil Driscoll's earliest memories are of his mom playing piano and his father preaching in one of the fifteen churches this pioneer evangelist built.
Phil played music in the church throughout his early years and a true God given gift became evident as his abilities on the trumpet earned him extensive awards and recognition.
With over 60 full scholarships offered the young Driscoll, he accepted an offer from Baylor University where, as a freshman, he formed Baylor's first jazz band. His second year found him recording his debut album with the noted Stockholm Symphony Orchestra. A Touch of Trumpet immediately became a best seller for Word Records. With a Christian record company's refusal to accept a more contemporary style, Phil's creative gifts needed an avenue to express themselves and he was drawn into the mainstream music industry. As a senior at Baylor, he won more than a dozen rounds of the CBS talent search series The All American College Bowl, winning over Karen and Richard Carpenter in the final competition. With appearances on Ed Sullivan, Merv Griffin, Steve Allen, and Della Reese Shows, Phil's secular career was secure. He soon found himself touring for four years with rock & roll legend Joe Cocker as well as writing and collaborating with such groups as Blood Sweat & Tears, Steven Stills, Leon Russell and .38 Special.
CBS noticed Phil's remarkable talents and awarded him a contract to write and produce for himself and other artists. He built a studio onto his home on the ocean in Jacksonville, Fla., in conjunction with creating and performing in Jacksonville's hottest night club, Driscolls.
After ten years of running away from God, Phil's mom and dad convinced him and his girlfriend, Lynne, on Christmas morning, to go to church with them. Expecting only to appease Phil's parents, they were amazed and touched by the presence of God as the worship service began. As God's presence surrounded them, all their worldly dreams and aspirations paled in comparison. Nothing had ever been as fulfilling as those moments. That morning they committed their lives to Jesus Christ. Phil's father soon married Phil and Lynne and shortly thereafter, went on to his heavenly reward.
Phil's deliverance that day was astounding. He found himself freed of his extensive cocaine addiction, but he had other problems. Two weeks later his home was surrounded by 19 federal agents. Phil was arrested and charged with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine. By a series of miraculous interventions, he was acquitted. By now Phil knew that God had a plan for his life.
In 1981 Phil began work on his first Christian album in over 10 years. Since then, he has expanded the boundaries of contemporary Christian music with his artistry, his improvisational abilities, and technological innovations. Twenty albums later, he is the owner of a Grammy Award, other Grammy nominations, as well as many Dove Awards. Undoubtedly, he is one of the world's greatest trumpet players, while his soul stirring vocal abilities are equally as impressive. For these gifts, Phil Driscoll gives all the glory to God.
Because of Phil's past, he has a tremendous ability and license to relate to the world and to communicate Jesus Christ; he is truly a gifted evangelist. There was a time in my life when God wasn't in the picture, says Driscoll. Now I want to reach as many people as possible with my music and tell them what a difference He can make in their lives.
Today, after all the success, the awards, thousands of appearances, and so many lives that have been touched by his ministry, Phil Driscoll gives little thought to slowing down. In fact, his desire to keep going is as strong, if not stronger, than ever before.
What does it is the true presence of the Lord, says Driscoll. That's what causes me to be able to go again and again. They that wait on the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles... Eagles fly from the time they are young until they breathe their last breath. With God's help, I believe I will continue to fly.
Phil Driscoll