Evangelist’s Planes Misused, Pilots Say

Airplanes sent to Zaire by evangelist Pat Robertson’s tax-exempt humanitarian organization were used for his diamond-mining business, say two pilots who flew them. Three airplanes were flown to Zaire in September 1994 by Operation Blessing. Chief pilot Robert Hinkle said only one or two of his 40 flights were humanitarian. He was backed by co-pilot Tahir Brohi of Britain. The remainder were mining-related, Hinkle told The (Norfolk) Virginian-Pilot. A Robertson representative said the planes were unsuitable for medical relief and that Robertson repaid Operation Blessing.