A former ORU accountant and two students have filed suits.

A former Oral Roberts University senior accountant filed a lawsuit Wednesday claiming he was forced to quit because he refused to stay silent about ORU and others allegedly requiring him to falsely list assets as expenses.

Trent Huddleston's lawsuit claims "he was directed, against his will and over his objections," to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, the Oklahoma Tax Commission and the public "in particular for the protection of . . . Richard and Lindsay Roberts . . ."

Richard Roberts is on a leave of absence as ORU president while university regents and independent auditors investigate allegations made in an earlier lawsuit by former professors John Swails, Tim Brooker, and Paulita Brooker. That suit claims the Roberts family misspent ORU and Oral Roberts Ministries money, among other allegations. Lindsay Roberts is his wife. Both are defendants in the earlier lawsuit. They have denied wrongdoing, and Richard Roberts has said that he pays for his family's personal expenses.

Huddleston's suit was filed by attorneys Gary Richardson and Paul Boudreaux. They also filed the

ORU Director of Public Relations Jeremy Burton said the university declined to comment on the student cases and was reviewing Huddleston's allegations. Richard Roberts' attorney did not return a call just before 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Huddleston and the two students each are suing ORU, the ministries, their governing boards and Richard and Lindsay Roberts. Huddleston is not giving interviews, Richardson said. His lawsuit alleges he was forced to quit two weeks after the earlier lawsuit was filed, the day a financial audit was scheduled to happen.

Huddleston's lawsuit alleges the Robertses spent ORU and ministries money for personal uses through this year, including $122,886.24 to remodel their home, more than $40,000 for a swimming pool, $4,780 for a pool table and more money for a wet bar.

Huddleston alleges in his lawsuit that he "was not allowed to question the authenticity of the expenditures or their legitimacy." He claims the Robertses used donations, such as from a church, in ways other than donors intended, such as for the Robertses' house.

Richard Roberts said last week that an Oral Roberts Ministries supporter made a donation in 1986 to the ministries to build the house his family lives in. He pays taxes and rent to the ministries for living there, he said.

The house has not been remodeled multiple times, he said, but has been repaired because of damage caused by improper construction and black mold. The university is responsible for repairs to the house, he said. Once, a wall in the house was knocked out to create a larger area for entertaining large groups.

Student suits

Cornell Cross II, a student studying government formerly under the ex-professors who filed the earlier lawsuit against ORU, claims the conduct of ORU, the ministries, their boards and the Robertses "devalued and ruined the reputation of any college degree" he might attain from ORU, his lawsuit states. He alleges he would lose about half of his credits if he tried to transfer to another college, putting him further in debt.

Cross also alleges the ORU administration tried to expel him.

Cross -- along with the former professors -- says ORU has canceled the government program since those professors are no longer working there. Cross alleges ORU has been unable to replace the professors who had doctoral degrees and extensive experience.

Cross said he wants ORU "to survive and continue," but he wants Richard Roberts' immediate family, not including ORU founder Oral Roberts, to be completely removed from the university and its daily operations.

Student David Brown also filed a suit, alleging he is unable to complete his history degree with a Middle East concentration because required classes now are being taught by allegedly unqualified instructors. Brown's lawsuit says he plans to transfer to John Brown University, another private, Christian school, in Arkansas.

April Marciszewski 581-8475
april.marciszewski@tulsaworld.com