Former pool Giancarlo Granda has opened up about his longtime relationship with Holy roller Jerry Falwell, Jr. and his wife, Becki Falwell. In a tell-all interview with Talking Points Memo, Granda details years of harassment, manipulation and sex he endured with the couple.
Granda became a household name in 2018, when Buzzfeed published a scandalous article detailing shady business dealings between Granda and the Falwells. A subsequent expose in 2020 also revealed the longtime sexual relationship between the three, which usually involved Granda having sex with Becki while Jerry watched.
Now, after years of public scrutiny, Granda has spoken out. The new interview confirms that Granda first got involved with the Falwells in 2012, when he was 21 and working as a pool boy at the luxe Fontainebleau hotel in Maimi. He first noticed Becki snapping pictures of his shirtless body, and the Falwells eventually introduced themselves. At the time, Granda claims he didn’t know about the couple’s ties to Liberty University, the fundamentalist Christian school started by Jerry’s father (and noted homophobe), Jerry Falwell, Sr. The three engaged in sex that very first day. The next morning, according to Granda, Jerry suggested he partner with Liberty University for a real-estate endeavor.
Granda now describes the situation as “psychological torture,” alleging that the couple “groomed” him as a sexual plaything, and used the possibility of the real estate deal as a means of control. The couple would meet Granda in New York for sex and conversation, and even invited him to a summit at Liberty University where Donald Trump gave a guest speech. Granda claims various people at the summit–including Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen–noticed him, and seemed a bit perplexed as to how the couple became involved in a business venture with a former pool boy. Within two months of meeting the Falwells, Granda had quit his job to focus on the real estate investment, which would carry a price tag of $4.7 million. The couple had also introduced Granda to their sons, Trey and Wes.
Becki Falwell, meanwhile, bombarded Granda with sexual text messages. “I was watching some video clips on my phone..Woww!!! These are two people that are very passionate at love-making!” Becki wrote in one 2012 message. “But seeing you in person and looking at you in the eyes makes me want to rip your clothes off and get the sh*t f*cked out of me.”
As the relationship progressed, the Falwells began taking Granda on family trips to use as a sexual plaything. The couple also encouraged Granda to lie to their children so he and the couple could sneak off for sex. For Granda, his guilt over the situation continued to swell. The couple also began taking videos of their sexual encounters.
Those videos would come into play by 2013, when the Falwells began blackmailing Granda into continuing the sexual relationship, which he’d tried to end. Jerry Falwell would also guilt Granda over the real estate deal to coerce him into sexual situations. The relationship, therefore continued, with the couple even trying to seduce Granda at Trey’s wedding in 2014.
Related: Jerry Falwell Jr. played sex-ranking games, had crushes on men, according to alleged ex-lovers
By the time 2015 rolled around, Granda had a serious girlfriend and tried to break things off with the Falwells. He also wanted out of the real estate deal, despite the hefty income it could generate. Granda had found the Falwells increasingly creepy, especially after Jerry sent him a picture he’d snapped of a female Liberty student. The camera was angled to shoot up her skirt. Contact–and occasionally, sex–would continue over the next few years.
Then, in 2018, the Buzzfeed expose’ dropped, thrusting Granda and his relationship with the Falwells into the spotlight. Friends and family began to nag Granda about the relationship. Feeling isolated and scared, he asked to meet with the Falwells, not knowing who else he turn to.
Granda now says that Becki Falwell immediately tried to restart the sexual relationship, even sabotaging the WiFi when Granda stayed in their guest house. He suspects that she purposely disabled it as an excuse to see him alone. It worked: Granda agreed to have sex with Becki again, while Jerry watched.
Meanwhile, reporters continued to call. By late 2019, Granda says he was on the verge of suicide over the public scrutiny and damage to his reputation. By that time, Granda had enrolled in Georgetown University where his “pool boy” status followed. He says he was unceremoniously fired from an internship, and fellow students often questioned him about his relations with the Falwells. In the meantime, the Falwells continued to send Granda sexual videos, beckoning him to restart the sexual relationship.
Feeling the Falwells had “ruined his life,” Granda informed the couple he wanted to go public in June 2020. The admission infuriated Jerry Falwell.
“You should by now understand that I will not be extorted,” Jerry told Granda. “I have always treated you fairly and been restrained in response to your threats because I did not wish to ruin your life.”
“You can’t promise people life-changing sums of money and opportunities then call it a crime when they try to collect on said promises, especially when there’s evidence to verify everything I said,” Granda responded.
Reuters published its chronicle of the Falwell-Granda relationship in August 2020. By that time, Liberty University had already placed Falwell on leave after a photo of him with another woman with both of their pants unzipped circulated on social media. With the publication by Reuters, the Falwells admitted to the affair, but denied that Jerry had ever watched Becki & Granda have sex. Other stories about Becki’s relationship with Liberty students also began to circulate, and the university eventually forced Jerry to resign as president. He pocketed a $10.5 million severance package on his way out the door. The school also opened an inquiry into other areas of Falwell’s conduct as president, including some shady financial dealings, censorship of students critical of Donald Trump and abuse of Liberty’s tax-exempt status.
Jerry Falwell is now suing Liberty University for slander. Giancarlo Granda, however, has refused to stay silent. He provided Talking Points Memo with scores of emails, text messages, photos and videos which the website claims corroborate his stories regarding the Falwells.
Jerry and Becki Falwell continue to deny any financial improprieties as well as Jerry’s involvement in the affair with Granda.
Donston
Whatever shit you and your partner is into is your business. But it’s apparent that they’re sociopaths who went too far. They got off on being manipulative, using people, having an “all-American family” image, hiding behind an anti-gay and anti-homo institution. The “subversiveness” of it all was a huge part of the appeal. Bringing in an array of students, making promises they knew they had no interests in keeping, even bringing their kids into it to some degree- they were messy as hell.
IndependentForever
Being manipulative and using people is a past time for the Evangelical church. They have been doing it for decades.
Donston
I’m well aware of the litany of hypocrisies within most religions. I chose to highlight the misdeeds of this specific couple rather than turning this into another tired criticism of Evangelicals.
MynameisSid
Does this kid have a unicorn dick or what?
rray63
Being almost 60 years old I wonder if we no longer teach anyone anything or they are just stupid. I mean one phrase I was taught as a youngster is, “if it sounds to good to be true, it usually is”. Did any of these so called legal age victims not look in the mirror and wonder why they were chosen for million dollar deals by “ANYONE”? I know folks aren’t really responsible for their actions anymore but, shouldn’t there be SOME personal responsibility?
marshal phillips
Just to tell the truth and let the chips falwell they may.
xiphoid76
That’s what I was thinking to while reading this. While the Falwell family was creepy – doesn’t seem like they did that much wrong. This guy was legal age and actively participated voluntarily. He wanted sex and money from the real estate deal. Probably when he saw that he wasn’t going to make enough money he got greedy. He needs to take responsibility for his own actions.
Cam
Kids at liberty could get kicked out for kissing and here this hypocrite is out soliciting gangbangs.
rodzilla
‘ “But seeing you in person and looking at you in the eyes makes me want to rip your clothes off and get the sh*t f*cked out of me.” ‘ Ah, my favorite scripture – Revolutions 20:77. (Simular to Revolutions 20:69 but… you get eight more!)
WSnyder
It’s very sad how many people get taken in by these fraudulent ‘Religious Leaders’. These turds are hardly the first or last frauds who will exploit people and do so using Religion as a cover for their vile behavior. The draw for these charlatans is the tax-free status for ‘Churches’ and how there’s very little oversight into what they do and how they do it. Change that and a lot of the heartache they cause unwitting people will diminish. I’m not talking about what they teach, as Religious Freedom is a corner stone of our Constitution, I’m talking about how churches operate financially and in business matters. Put that under a microscope and the attraction for crooks to exploit will vanish.
Openminded
Totally agree with you. I believe we need to tax “churches” the same as any business. IF the gov’t would do it fairly, they could then reduce everyone’s tax burden since the church would be adding to the coffers. Those who felt inclined to, could donate their tax savings back to the church. Assuming the church is doing a good job, they would recoup their tax liabilities from the donated tax savings of the congregation. Just look around at the properties that churches hold that generate zero property tax revenues. This includes non church buildings such as day care centers, senior centers, etc..
Just another dream that will never come true.
My2CentsWorth
It is sad. No, maybe pathetic that the people who continue to believe and support the very dishonest fakes. The Falwells were not the only bad people who used and abused religion. Check out some of the other very wealthy evangelical leaders. When I was listening to radio programs I would hear them beg for money, encouraging listeners to send money – even if they had very little. Assuring them that if they sent money to help in doing God’s work they would be rewarded.
Bad people, many who have displayed a contempt for religion, are able to use religion to get the support of people. There are millions in the U. S. who are convinced that Trump was sent by God to save them from the people who are committed to bring about harm to the good folks. I have heard a number of people praying and thanking God for giving Trump to them.
marshal phillips
The reason churches aren’t taxed is because they are nonprofit; nonprofits aren’t taxed.
Businesses are taxed because they are for profit.
If a church runs a for profit business, that’s different.
StudioTodd
Marshal Philips, there has never been a business that is more profitable than the church. They are not “nonprofit” and never were–despite whatever classification they have conned the government into granting them. Calling themselves “nonprofit” is just another lie you can add to the list when it comes to how churches present themselves. History’s most successful and long-term grift..
fur_hunter
Interesting……I see they DELETED my comment regarding that Piece of S HIT, Hate-Mongering, Hypocritical, Scumbag, A SS HOLE, Falwell. What’s the problem? Is there some F UCKING Baptist on the review panel here??? You can KISS my A SS since you can’t seem to take the criticism.
Liquid Silver
But seriously, tell us how you really feel. 🙂
And yes, they seem to delete things if you even faintly imply anything they don’t like, use a slightly off word, or hurt the delicate fee-fees of anybody faintly important (and they all seem to think they’re far more important than you are).
NateOcean
This story had more cruelty, corruption and depravity than could be handled by just Jerry Falwell Jr alone.
So no surprise that Donald Trump’s name would soon appear.
blackhook
Falwell Jr is every bit as freaky as his weird daddy …not to mention, creepy Liberty University — which has about as much credibility as Trump U. Liberty knew *exactly* what Falwell was doing, and until the end, when they were found out, they just looked the other way …and kept cozying up to Trump. Good riddance to bad evangelical trash!
amj86
“Granda claims various people at the summit–including Trump’s then-lawyer Michael Cohen–noticed him, and seemed a bit perplexed as to how the couple became involved in a business venture with a former pool boy.”
Hahaha. When even Michael Cohen raises an eyebrow at the situation, you know you’re in trouble.
SPEEDOSWIMMER
FAKE christians and Genuine creeps…