APnc 07/11 0416 PTL-Taggart


   CHARLOTTE  (AP)  --  PTL  auditors say they have found several
cases in which it appears that former PTL  Vice  President  David
Taggart  may  have  used the TV ministry's money for his own use,
but Taggart says he has receipts for all the money he spent,  and
he doesn't trust the current PTL management.

   WBTV  reported  Friday  that  its  own  investigators  and PTL
auditors  are  investigating  whether  Taggart  may   have   used
thousands of dollars in ministry funds for his personal use.

   PTL's chief operations officer, Harry Hargrave, told WBTV that
the  ministry's auditors were unable to locate records on how the
former close aide to Jim Bakker may have used the money.

   "I would hope that his position would be  and  that  he  could
defend  his  position  that  those  expenses  were  for  ministry
business," Hargrave said in a televised interview.

   Through a spokesman, Taggart said he didn't leave receipts for
the money he spent at PTL because he  didn't  trust  the  current
management.

   The  television  station  said  it  had obtained copies of two
checks drawn on the ministry's account  --  one  for  $45,000  in
March  and  another  for  $30,000  made out in April -- that were
co-signed by Taggart.  Both were used to pay  Taggart's  personal
credit card account, the station said.

   PTL  auditors  have  discovered  no  evidence  that proves the
$70,000 was used for ministry expenses, Hargrave said.

   WBTV said Taggart refused its request for an  interview.    He
did  issue  a  statement  that read in part: "I am not and do not
intend to become a public figure in any sense ... in due  course,
all the relevant facts will be disclosed."

   Taggart was a PTL vice president until he was fired two months
ago.

   WBTV  said  its  investigation  also  turned  up evidence that
Taggart may have used a PTL certificate of  deposit  at  a  South
Carolina bank as collateral for loans be received from the bank.

   "PTL  has  guaranteed  a  loan  that  David  had  at Rock Hill
National Bank," Hargrave said. "The disposition of that loan, I'd
rather not discuss at this point and time."

	Hargrave said the loan was for "approximately $70,000."

   The PTL's chief operations officer also confirmed that Taggart
had withdrawn about $640,000 in cash from PTL's accounts over  an
18-month period.   There were no receipts for the withdrawals, he
said.

   As PTL vice president, Taggart reportedly earned  $620,000  in
salary and bonuses for the period January 1986 to March 1987.

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