Morris Cerullo scandal in London

San Diego — Morris Cerrullo, the La Jolla evangelist and faith healer who once bought the now-ramshackle El Cortez Hotel because he said God told him to, is in hot water with English authorities. The London Sunday Telegraph reported this week that Richard Jones, Cerrullo's chief of European and English fundraising, is under investigation for fraud. Jones helped organize a round of well-attended London rallies for Cerrullo last year, in which the evangelist pledged to help Britain pull out of its "rapid moral and spiritual decline." The London paper added that "Mr. Cerrullo's number two in California, Lynn Hodge, recently flew to Britain to suspend Mr. Jones, who had the title of vice-president of UK and European operations, and bar him from the Cerrullo offices in Hemel Hempstead, Herts. Mr. Hodge also arranged for all financial transactions to be handled by the San Diego headquarters." The paper described Cerrullo's rallies as giant fundraising events, during which Cerrullo's assistants told the faithful, "If you sow the seed, God will repay you a hundredfold." Volunteers with buckets then combed the aisles collecting envelopes filled with cash and credit card authorizations. About $2.5 million was raised. Asked what Cerrullo thought about the latest scandal to hit his long-running religious empire, Hodge replied, "I cannot speak for Brother Morris."

North Bay expose

A La Jolla foundation that has gleaned much favorable ink in the Union-Tribune was denied funding last week by a state assembly committee after the San Francisco Chronicle reported charges that its president exaggerated information about the number and capabilities of computers placed in California schools. La Jollan John Detwiler and his Detwiler Foundation had been seeking $6 million in state money for distribution of used computers for education. But the Chronicle quoted fired Detwiler aide Joseph Papa as claiming that the foundation had said it had placed 27,000 computers in California schools, while the foundation's records showed the number at about 17,000. "I pointed out this discrepancy to John Detwiler," Papa told the paper. "He specifically instructed me not to provide this report and to transfer the numbers to percentages so as to make it impossible to recognize the 27,000 figure as fictitious." Detwiler insisted his numbers were correct and dismissed the allegations as coming from a disgruntled former employee. In a subsequent interview, Detwiler furnished a letter from state prison officials, dated after the Chronicle story, verifying the 27,000 figure. He dismissed the assembly action as "pure politics." But the Chronicle quoted other unnamed ex-workers who backed up the charges. "They said they were interested in helping schools, but they were more interested in the power and the glory that goes along with being high-profile," said one former employee. The Chronicle also revealed Detwiler's annual salary from the nonprofit foundation to be $115,000. In his defense, the wealthy businessman told the paper he donated $250,000 to the program in its early years, adding, "I worked for free for five years."

Trading Shamu for Spielberg

Ex-San Diego Sea World honcho Michael Cross is heading for Japan to become senior vice president and general manager of Universal Studios, Osaka, which is the first Universal theme park to be built outside the United States ... WomanTours of Driggs, Idaho, will lead the first ever Trans-America Inn-to-Inn bike tour for women 50 and older during the second week of March next year. A tour for women 40 to 50 years old will depart two days later. The 57-day tour starts in San Diego and follows a southern route to St. Augustine, Florida. Besides having legs, participants have to fork over $5000 ... The Del Mar Fair has hired an expert on Hispanic marketing to work on "building community and vendor relations" with Hispanics in Mexico as well as locals.

Bill Evans won't like this

Need a place to stay on the cheap? Consumer Reports is out with its guide to discounted hotel rates, which can be had by booking through little-known hotel room brokers. In San Diego, the magazine says the differences can be substantial, with the Mission Valley Marriott asking $131 for its regular "rack rate," versus just $68 through brokers. Other hidden deals include a rack rate of $182 at downtown's U.S. Grant versus a broker's rate of $87, and a rack rate of $199 at the Mission Valley Hilton versus $104 offered by brokers.

Contributor: Matt Potter