Evangelical leader Jerry Falwell Jr. sought to sever business ties with a Miami Beach hotel pool attendant who had an affair with his wife in 2015 just before Donald Trump launched his White House bid, according to a report Tuesday.
POLITICO based its report on an interview with Giancarlo Granda who says his affair with Becki Falwell began in 2012 when he was 20 and that a year later she and Falwell put up money for a Miami youth hostel that he co-owned with Falwell’s son Trey.
Granda, 29, told the news outlet that at a meeting at Loews Miami Beach Hotel in May 2015, Falwell surprised him by offering to buy out his share in the hostel.
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Granda said at the meeting Falwell also told him that Trump was planning to run for president.
Granda told POLITICO the two events appeared to him to be connected: Falwell was trying to remove evidence of his family’s ties to Granda in anticipation of getting involved in politics, which could invite greater scrutiny of his activities.
“Jerry Falwell Jr. admired Trump’s strongman public persona,” Granda said, according to the news outlet. “Also, there was a noticeable personality change after Trump was elected. He was drunk on power and felt like he could get away with anything.”
The news outlet reported that according to Granda, he agreed to the buyout but Falwell never delivered the cash to close the deal.
POLITICO reported that Falwell never responded to its requests for comment.
A Falwell attorney did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment from Fox News.
In a statement Saturday Falwell, 58, said his wife had an “inappropriate personal relationship” with Granda “something in which I was not involved.” Becki Falwell is 53.
He also said members of his family cut Granda in on a real estate deal in Miami because Granda could manage it.
And Falwell said Granda demanded “monies” in exchange for not divulging the affair.
Jerry Falwell Jr., Giancarlo Granda, Becki Falwell
Tuesday afternoon, Falwell confirmed he had resigned as president of Liberty University, the conserviate Christian college in Virginia. He had taken a leave this month after posting a photo onlilne showing him with his pants unzippered and his arm around a young woman’s neck.
POLITICO reported that Granda admitted sometimes growing angry with the Falwells but that the only money he attempted to obtain from them was the buyout money.
“I was struggling with my mental health at the time and said some regrettable things, but I was hopeless and at times felt like the only way I could break away from their ‘hold,’ was by lashing out at them or ending my life,” Granda said, according to the news outlet.
Granda said Falwell would watch when he had sex with his wife and that he would do so in person and on video.
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“He enjoyed watching us in person and also remotely through video cameras. He also listened to our phone calls,” Granda said, according to POLITICO.
The news outlet reported that Granda declined to say how much of his relationship with the Falwells involved him and Becki exclusively, without Jerry present.
