Less than a month after the December 2022 lawsuits against Kip McKean and the organisations that are currently or previously under his oversight, a new lawsuit has been filed by three anonymous women for similar allegations, including coverup of sexual assault (including those of children as young as 3 years old) and institutional abuse.

[Latest update: 18th February 2023]

According to the lawsuit document (Case No. 2:23-cv-00664) filed on 27th January 2023, anonymous plaintiffs Jane Roe 1, 2 and 3 have come forward to sue the following organisations and individuals:

1. INTERNATIONAL CHURCHES OF CHRIST, INC., a California nonprofit corporation;
2. THE INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH, INC., a California nonprofit corporation;
3. HOPE WORLDWIDE, LTD., a Delaware nonprofit corporation;
4. MERCYWORLDWIDE, a California nonprofit corporation;
5. CITY OF ANGELS INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH, a California nonprofit corporation;
6. THOMAS (“KIP”) McKEAN, an individual;
7. THE ESTATE OF CHARLES “CHUCK” LUCAS;
8. AL BAIRD, an individual;
9. JOE GARMON, SR. an individual; and
10. DOES 1 through 100, inclusive.

Warning: The accusations made by these three women is really painful to read as it includes details of their abuse and torture.

Here are just three snippets from Jane Roe 1’s story:

Jane Roe 1 was recruited into the ICOC in the South Bay Region in 1990, as a college student, and was immediately put into leadership, as the ICOC preyed upon college students and anyone that they deemed “sharp.” Part of the damaging culture within ICOC required that Jane Roe 1 go on forced “pure” group dates, which she did not want to do. The day after she was “baptized into” ICOC, she was forced to go on a date with a “brother” that she had no interest in and felt uncomfortable around. The dating rules inside ICOC were oppressive and disturbing. If members refused any dates, that member would be rebuked for being selfish and prideful.

The attractive single members of the ICOC were used as bait to lure new members into the fold. When members were attending Bible studies, called “First Principles,” they were instructed to parade the attractive “brothers and sisters” in front of the potential new recruits. The new recruits were told: “If you become a baptized disciple of Jesus Christ, then these are the types of people that you will be allowed to date.”

Points 104-105

In approximately early 1996, Jane Roe 1 went on another ICOC supervised date with a man she knew for four months before becoming engaged to be married. This man was a stranger to Jane Roe 1 when they married, as ICOC members were not allowed to be alone together, or to have any intimate conversations. Even their phone calls were monitored and timed, which demonstrates the high degree of control the church imposed upon its members.

What Jane Roe 1 did not understand at the time but would later learn is that this protocol was part of what she now describes as “Marriage Trafficking” wherein ICOC routinely and systematically micromanaged who members could date and eventually marry.

Points 108-109

After the rape, Jane Roe 1 was in shock, shut down and went into a catatonic state for a few days. Jane Roe 1 did not plan on telling anyone about the rape, but she was forced to tell a few of the “sisters”, because bruises and finger marks formed on her neck where he had violently choked her and one of the sisters accused her of having a “hickey” on her neck.

Jane Roe 1 asked this sister to promise she would not tell anyone about the rape because she had seen the manner in which other sexual assault victims were treated in the ICOC. Women were always blamed and victim-shamed, gossiped about, and humiliated for being raped. Most rape survivors were discredited and not believed while the “brothers’” stories were always believed by the congregation. Jane Roe 1 was acutely aware that men were not supposed to be in her apartment and she firmly believed that she would be blamed for her rape.

Points 113-114

Conclusion

These recent lawsuits may just be the tip of the iceberg as it seems more and more people are now coming forward to seek justice from the court system for their alleged abuses caused by McKean’s organisations.

As such, rather than creating a new article for each, I will soon create a new page on this website dedicated to keeping track all the recent lawsuits launched against the ICC.

So watch this space!

Latest updates

Lawsuits against Kip McKean and the ICOC/ICC have now become almost a weekly occurrence. So much so that a new website has been set up to keep track of all of them: icoc-icclawsuits.com. If you would like to stay up date on the latest lawsuits, this new website is the best resource to follow.

But I will continue updating my own blog when new filings come up as a supplementary resource to help my readers stay informed with the latest news.

18th February 2023

A new “abuse and torture” case was filed on 16th February 2023 under case #2.23-cv-01192. This filing has two women as plaintiffs: an anonymous “Jane Roe 8” as well as Joana Diaz, a 29 year old from California who was raised in the ICOC. Similar to the other recent lawsuits, it has been alleged that the church leadership (including Kip McKean) has prevented the reporting of child sexual abuse to the police.

A current standing ICC leader Alfredo Alanis of the ICC Latin Ministry in Portland, Oregon was named in this lawsuit for the grooming and abusing of children.

Defendants of this case are:

1. INTERNATIONAL CHURCHES OF CHRIST, INC., a California nonprofit corporation;
2. THE INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH, INC., a California nonprofit corporation;
3. HOPE WORLDWIDE, LTD., a Delaware nonprofit corporation;
4. THOMAS (“KIP”) McKEAN, an individual;
5. THE ESTATE OF CHARLES “CHUCK” LUCAS;
6. AL BAIRD, an individual;
7. STEVE GANSERT-MORICI, an individual;
8. JACQUELINE GANSERT-MORICI, an individual;
9. BRUCE WILLIAMS, an individual;
10. ROBIN WILLIAMS, an individual;
11. ALFREDO ALANIS, an individual;
12. and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive,

13th February 2023

The latest lawsuit (2.23-cv-00999) was filed on 9th February 2023. Just like the previous case, it involved the sexual abuse of minors, Jane Roe 6 & 7, who were 5 and 9 years old respectively when it first occurred. According to the specific allegations, complaints that were made to the church leadership not only fell on deaf ears (and unreported to the police) but the leadership sided with the abuser’s family.

Defendants of this case are:

1. INTERNATIONAL CHURCHES OF CHRIST, INC., a California nonprofit corporation;
2. THE INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH, INC., a California nonprofit corporation;
3. HOPE WORLDWIDE, LTD., a Delaware nonprofit corporation;
4. THOMAS (“KIP”) McKEAN, an individual;
5. THE ESTATE OF CHARLES “CHUCK” LUCAS;
6. NORTH RIVER CHURCH OF CHRIST, a Georgia nonprofit corporation;
7. AL BAIRD, an individual;
8. ALBERTO SCHIRMER, an individual;
9. ANNA MARIA SCHIRMER, an individual;
10. and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive,

3rd February 2023

A new case (2.23-cv-00765) that got filed on 1st February 2023 is also very difficult to read as it includes details of alleged historical sexual and physical abuse of two children, one of whom born with a physical disability.

Defendants of this case are:

1. INTERNATIONAL CHURCHES OF CHRIST, INC., a California nonprofit corporation;
2. THE INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH, INC., a California nonprofit corporation;
3. HOPE WORLDWIDE, LTD., a Delaware nonprofit corporation;
4. THOMAS (“KIP”) McKEAN, an individual;
5. MARK WILKINSON, an individual;
6. CINDY WILKINSON, an individual;
7. MARTY WILKINSON, an individual;
8. NANCY WILKINSON, an individual;
9. MIKE TALIAFERRO, an individual;
10. MISSION POINT CHRISTIAN CHURCH, a Texas nonprofit corporation;
11. and DOES 1 through 100, inclusive,