On January 12, 2011, Pastor Benny Hinn filed suit in Orange County, California, against self-described Christian media consultant Phil Cooke for disseminating false and defamatory information by improperly linking Pastor Hinn to a prominent female minister on his Twitter account.
In a tweet dated January 10, 2011, Mr. Cooke wrote, “TV EVANGELIST NEWS: Benny Hinn and Paula White reported engaged. Prayer cloths are rejoicing everywhere.”
Cooke’s utterly false report resulted in embarrassment and adverse financial consequences to Pastor Hinn, his family, and his church.
After Hinn filed suit, Cooke agreed to, among other things, recant his fallacious tweet. He did so on Saturday, March 12, 2011, writing, “My tweet last month that Benny Hinn was engaged was wrong—my source was mistaken. I’m sorry and apologies to Benny Hinn and his children.”
In exchange for this apology and the other concessions from Cooke, Hinn dismissed his lawsuit.
