LYNCHBURG, Va. – A former Liberty University student told Politico that Becki Falwell climbed into bed with him and gave him oral sex one night back in 2008 while he was staying over at the Falwell’s home.
The student was 22 at the time of the incident, which he said happened around the start of the fall semester after band practice with her eldest son.
According to what the student told Politico, the wife of then-university president Jerry Falwell Jr. initiated the act and he went along with it.
He told the online publication that he did reject further advances, but claimed that Falwell continued to pursue him, offer him gifts and sent him Facebook messages.
The messages provided to Politico suggest a flirtatious relationship.
In one message in particular, Falwell talked about a mutual friend who “said that she wants you to cut [your] bangs when you get your hair cut. I think that you are beautiful just like you are,” Becki Falwell wrote in a message sent in September 2008. “You don’t want to cover up those killer eyes of yours and you know the bandana drives me wild … 🙂”
The former student says he sent a message in December of 2008, telling Falwell that he no longer wanted any romantic involvement with her. In response, she wrote: “Maybe time will heal whatever wounds that I have caused and your Christian heart will allow you to forgive me.”
Jerry and Becki Falwell responded to the allegations in a statement, saying:
“It is unfortunate that the coverage of our departure has turned into a frenzy of false and fantastic claims about us. These false and mean spirited lies have hurt us and our family greatly and we will respond fully with the truth at an appropriate time. At this time, however, we think it is best to move on and help the Liberty community focus on its very bright future…”
According to Politico, another member of the former student’s band came forward anonymously and said that the student told him about the sexual encounter with Becki Falwell within a month of when it happened.
On Monday, Reuters published an interview with Giancarlo Granda, who told the news organization about his years-long sexual relationship with Becki Falwell.
He said that he first met the couple in March 2012 while working as a pool attendant at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel.
He started having sex with Becki that month and into 2018, while Jerry looked on, according to Reuters.
Granda told Reuters that through the course of the relationship, these sexual encounters would happen multiple times a year at either hotels in Miami and New York or even at the Falwells’ home in the Lynchburg area.
Jerry officially resigned as Liberty University president on Tuesday and received a reported $10.5 million severance package in return.
Earlier this month, Falwell was placed on an indefinite, paid leave from the university, but leaders said in their statement Monday night that “additional matters came to light that made it clear that it would not be in the best interest of the University for him to return from leave and serve as President.”
On Aug. 7, 2020, Falwell Jr. agreed to take an “indefinite leave of absence” from his roles at the university just days after he posted, then deleted a photo of himself and a woman both in unzipped pants.
After the photo went viral, a GOP lawmaker and former Liberty University instructor called for Falwell Jr. to resign.