Ole Anthony, Dallas pastor known for relentless investigations into TV preachers, dies at age 82

Ole Anthony, a Dallas pastor known for his dogged criticism of numerous TV preachers and their lavish lifestyles, died Friday at age 82.

Anthony was president of the Trinity Foundation, a watchdog group founded by Anthony and other Christian leaders in 1972 that monitors religious fraud. He worked with the foundation through the 1990s and 2000s on investigations and lawsuits against televangelists including Robert Tilton, Benny Hinn and Jan and Paul Crouch.

In 2007, Anthony also helped the Senate Finance Committee during its investigation of nationwide televangelist abuses. The foundation continued to assist with the investigation through 2010.

Anthony was a founding member of a congregation that worked to help the Dallas homeless population in the 1990s and continues to help East Dallas families in need to this day. He was also actively involved with the Community on Columbia, a church congregation that split off from the Trinity Foundation in 2010.

Anthony received a diagnosis of lung cancer in 2017, and the disease eventually spread to his liver and brain, the Trinity Foundation said in a tribute posted to its website. He had a number of other health issues over the years, the foundation said.

A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. May 1 at Community on Columbia, 5644 Columbia Ave. in Dallas.