Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, led by prominent pastor Greg Laurie, faces explosive allegations after two Romanian men filed federal lawsuits claiming years of sexual abuse and trafficking at a shelter run by former Harvest pastor and missionary Paul Havsgaard.

In a troubling case that has emerged in the U.S. District Court, lawsuits have been filed accusing Havsgaard of exploiting vulnerable children at a Bucharest facility over nearly ten years. Allegations include severe sexual and physical abuse, as well as coercing the children into sex work.

Marian Barbu and Mihai-Constantin Petcu stand as plaintiffs in these legal actions, representing themselves and numerous others who reportedly suffered under a harsh regime of abuse. The court documents claim Havsgaard enticed street children with promises of food and shelter, only to trap them in what Barbu described as “a torture chamber inside a prison.” The allegations paint a grim picture of sexual misconduct, including incidents where Havsgaard allegedly entered bathrooms to leer at boys while they showered or engaged in inappropriate behavior. The complaints further describe brutal punishments, such as forcing children to kneel on walnut shells or tying them to furniture.

The lawsuits also assert that Havsgaard exploited older boys by pushing them into sex work, arranging paid encounters through video chats or in local bathhouses, and taking a portion of their earnings. Havsgaard is accused of manipulating the children by claiming, “I know what God wants; what I want, God wants.”

Harvest Christian Fellowship and Pastor Greg Laurie have been implicated in the lawsuits for purported negligence. The complaints allege the church failed to oversee Havsgaard properly, despite warnings from donors and visitors. It is claimed that church officials not only dismissed these warnings but also funneled $17,000 monthly into Havsgaard’s personal account and facilitated his trips to bring children to California, where their stories were used to solicit funds for the church.

In response, a representative for Harvest Christian Fellowship dismissed the claims, labeling the lawsuit as a misguided attempt at financial extortion rather than a pursuit of truth or justice. The church vehemently denied the allegations, stating, “Most of what is in the lawsuits about our church is absolutely and entirely false; some of it is plainly slanderous.”

Harvest claims it offered to cooperate with authorities and reported the allegations to law enforcement. However, it alleges the plaintiffs and their lawyer have declined voluntary interviews with U.S. agencies. The church also insists the Romanian shelter was functionally independent, not under direct Harvest oversight, and accuses plaintiffs of misrepresenting its relationship in the filings.

Jef McAllister, attorney for Barbu and Petcu, says he will file additional suits on behalf of at least 20 others claiming similar abuses. He explains, “Some of them are still illiterate even though they lived in these homes where they were supposed to get an education,” and most victims remain impoverished and emotionally scarred. “They’ve had a hard slog. They would really like to get some sense that they’ve been heard and that the injustices they’ve suffered are recognized.”[source]

Harvest asserts it will “vigorously defend” itself in court, citing Scriptures and maintaining faith in God while facing what it calls damaging and false accusations.

The outcome of these lawsuits could have far-reaching implications for the accountability of megachurches and the supervision of overseas missions—raising urgent questions about oversight, reporting, and the pursuit of justice for vulnerable children.