More Lawsuits Filed Against Greg Laurie and Harvest Christian Fellowship for Abuse in Romanian Orphanage

Paul Havsgaard is accused of sexually abusing children while overseeing Romanian children’s homes.

Another group of plaintiffs, this time including seven women, have filed lawsuits against California megachurch Harvest Christian Fellowship and its lead pastor Greg Laurie for sexual abuse they claim to have suffered at the hands of Paul Havsgaard.

HCF Pastor Greg Laurie / Video screenshot

They join a group of 12 lawsuits filed previously by men who say that Havsgaard abused them at a children’s home in Romania supported by Harvest Christian Fellowship.

Cristina-Bianca Popescu is one of the plaintiffs who filed a recent lawsuit. She claims Havsgaard repeatedly sexually abused her from 1998 to 2002 when she was between the ages of 10 and 15.

Her lawsuit, like the others, alleges that Havsgaard was an employee and/or agent of Harvest Christian Fellowship while managing a network of orphanages and foster homes known as Harvest Homes.

“In the decade between 1998 and 2008, when Defendants operated the Harvest Homes in Romania, Havsgaard savagely molested and terrorized scores of Romanian children, including Plaintiff, a child in his custody and care,” the court documents state.

Popescu claims that Havsgaard would strip and spank her for his own sexual gratification and that he did not intervene when boys at the home repeatedly assaulted and raped her.

Before taking up his role at the Harvest Homes in Romania in 1998, the lawsuit claims Havsgaard was a senior pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship.

It also states Harvest Christian Fellowship had received reports about Havsgaard’s alleged abuse of children starting in 1999. These reports came from various sources, including the children, Romanian employees of the homes, volunteers who traveled to the homes from California, the wife of one of Harvest’s pastors, and from Harvest pastors themselves.

Despite these reports, the lawsuit claims that Harvest and its leadership “turned a blind eye,” continuing to employ and pay Havsgaard.

Photo of Paul Havsgaard

The lawsuit also alleges that the abuse reports had grown so notorious by 2004 that Harvest authorized an inspection. The result of the inspection, according to the lawsuit, showed “conclusive evidence that Havsgaard was sexually abusing children and misappropriating money, both on a shocking scale.”

Nevertheless, Harvest did not remove Havsgaard at that point, according to the court filing.

“Laurie instead engineered a ‘soft landing’: he let Havsgaard stay in charge, free to molest and rape, while Laurie slowly closed the money spigot, until the Romanian homes finally withered to nothing—four years later,” the lawsuit claims.

The lawsuit is seeking actions against Harvest and Laurie for negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent supervision and retention of Havsgaard, civil conspiracy to violate California laws, and violations of federal laws against human trafficking and illicit sexual conduct.

After the first lawsuit was filed in September 2025, Harvest Christian Fellowship issued a statement, stating in part, “The allegations in the lawsuit shock one’s conscience, as they shocked ours. The allegations are serious and disturbing, but the target here should be the alleged perpetrator, not our church. This misplaced lawsuit wrongly targets Harvest and our pastor as a form of financial extortion. It does not seek the truth nor does it seek to stop the purported wrongdoer.”

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EDITOR’S NOTE: MinistryWatch exists to help donors become more effective stewards of the resources God has entrusted to them. So, why does MinistryWatch report on sex crimes? These stories are tough to read and sometimes even tougher to report, but we think they are vital to our mission to bring transparency, accountability, and credibility to the evangelical church. Donors who are supporting these ministries need to know this information. Ministry leaders and others can learn lessons from these stories. Victims feel supported.  To read more about why and how we report these stories, read “Why MinistryWatch Reports On Sex Crimes.”

Another reason we report on sex crimes is to highlight for ministry and church leaders the importance of employing best practices for hiring and supervising employees in Christian environments.

Below is a list of best practices, curated from content on ministrywatch.com. These are adapted from discussions on Christian ministries, churches, and Christian educational institutions.

Clarifying Mission and Faith-Based Requirements

• Clearly define and document the organization’s religious mission to guide all hiring decisions, ensuring that faith alignment is central.
• Assess personnel needs based on what is required to fulfill the mission, recognizing that requirements may vary by role (e.g., teachers in a Christian school might need to model faith in curriculum delivery).
• Develop detailed job descriptions that explicitly link positions to the mission, including necessary faith commitments, conduct standards, and how they connect to the religious identity.
• Require candidates to affirm a statement of faith (e.g., a restatement of the Apostles’ Creed) to ensure they share the organization’s beliefs, as this is protected under federal laws like Title VII for religious nonprofits.
• Implement policies where employees assent to the mission, receive training on their role in it, are held accountable, and are treated consistently in evaluations or issues.

Avoiding Nepotism and Conflicts of Interest

• Create written anti-nepotism policies prohibiting direct reporting relationships between relatives (e.g., spouses or siblings) and limiting family members’ involvement in hiring, firing, or reviews.
• Establish boundaries to prevent conflicts, such as excluding relatives from decision-making roles in personnel matters.
• Promote transparency and open communication with staff and stakeholders about family hires to build trust and address potential issues.
• Adhere to any denominational guidelines, such as restrictions on family members serving on oversight boards or committees.
• Use resources like sample policies from the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and seek professional advice to tailor policies.

Thorough Vetting and Background Checks

• Conduct comprehensive investigations into candidates’ past, especially regarding allegations of misconduct like abuse, using independent firms if needed for objectivity.
• Create confidential channels for reporting concerns or additional information during the hiring process.
• Make relevant assessment findings public (while protecting sensitive details) to demonstrate integrity.
• Include spousal interviews or family vetting to assess overall fit with organizational values, though this should be handled carefully to avoid legal risks.

Legal Compliance and Conduct Expectations

• Hire based on shared faith and mission alignment, as federal law (e.g., Title VII) allows Christian organizations to prioritize believers without discrimination claims.
• Enforce a code of conduct aligned with “Judeo-Christian” values (e.g., prohibiting gossip or certain personal behaviors), but ensure it complies with anti-discrimination laws and does not overreach into protected areas like pregnancy or religion.
• Train new hires on core values, such as working “as unto the Lord,” to integrate them into the ministry culture.
• Be aware of limits: Secular aspects of the organization cannot mandate specific religious practices, and at-will employment allows flexibility but must avoid violations of federal protections.

These practices emphasize stewardship, accountability, and protection against legal challenges, such as those from employment laws or state requirements.