As a devoted sports ignoramus, I knew nothing about Tim Tebow until I started work on this investigation with Mother Jones and "Pablo Torre Finds Out." It was quite the introduction to him!
For the uninitiated, Tebow is revered in the sports world. He had an incredible college football career, followed by a considerably less dazzling NFL tenure, as well as stints as a minor-league baseball player and ESPN commentator. Through it all, he was known for his devout Christianity—so much so that kneeling to pray before games became known as “Tebowing.” His charity work is impressive—his foundation is especially well known for its work to combat human trafficking.
But these days, Tebow is heavily involved in Life Surge, a Christian investment seminar company that puts on star-studded events—and uses those as opportunities to sell pricey stock market and real estate classes. In fact, Tebow is on track to headline 10 Life Surge events by the end of this year.
I spoke to several Life Surge customers who told me they attended because of Tebow—and ended up tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Complaints to the Federal Trade Commission and on social media and the Better Business Bureau echo their stories.
And all that was just the beginning. As I discovered, some Life Surge execs have run into trouble in the past.
I had so many questions: Does Tebow know about the complaints about Life Surge? And if he does, why would he put his wholesome reputation on the line to headline the events? We dug in—you can watch Pablo Torre’s podcast here—and read my investigation here.
—Kiera Butler
