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Peter Popoff


Peter Popoff is a televangelist who has spent most of his career claiming to treat physical ailments, in a practice known as faith healing. He has claimed that the power of God works through him to cure various ailments, and many of his stage performances have involved him working alleged "miracles" by laying his hands upon members of the audience.

In the 1980s Popoff's ministry was investigated and debunked by noted skeptic James Randi. Randi worked with popular TV host Johnny Carson to expose Popoff's methods on national television, and Popoff's popularity (and viewing audience) declined considerably as a result. His ministry declared bankruptcy in 1987, though he perservered and continues preaching to the present day. James Randi's book The Faith Healers describes his investigation.

Popoff's apparent ability to know about his audience members' ailments was the central feature of his alleged fraud. This was accomplished by wearing an in-ear radio receiver listening to his wife, off stage, read from cards that the audience filled out before the show. Although Popoff was widely discredited as a fraudulent huckster, he has recently reappeared on late night television as a preacher.

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