Soon, the Falwells would invest in a hostel in Miami, which would be managed by Granda, reportedly only 11 months after Granda met the couple.
“At this point, my dreams were coming true,” Granda said. “I can see how I can make that first million [dollars].”
The documentary went on to portray the deal as an attempt by Jerry Falwell Jr. to keep Granda from publicly disclosing the sexual relationship between himself and Becki, lest Granda bite the hand that fed him.
Publicly, the Falwells have maintained that they involved Granda in the deal for altruistic reasons, merely giving a promising young man an opportunity to grow a business.
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Nevertheless, Granda said that when he later attempted to put an end to the sexual nature of his relationship with Becki after meeting a girl his age, Becki made him feel guilty, arguing that God had put the two together.
While Granda said that the sex did stop, his emotional relationship with Becki persisted, even as he dated another woman. Granda further expressed that he quickly felt as though he was under the couple’s thumb, with Falwell Jr. angrily calling Granda if ever he did not respond to Becki’s correspondence in a timely manner.
Even though he felt uncomfortable, Granda said he didn’t want to walk away from a potentially multimillion dollar business.
Further bringing Granda into their circle, the Falwells introduced him to none other than future president Donald Trump when he visited them in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 2012.
After spending time at Liberty University, Granda expressed that he felt a sense of moral dissonance. Students at Liberty must adhere to “The Liberty Way,” which attaches fines to the offenses of dressing immodestly, cussing, possessing alcohol, and engaging in sexual activity outside of marriage—all things the Falwells were allegedly doing with Granda.
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“I started feeling guilty,” Granda said. “The students, they have no idea what’s really going on behind the scenes. They all think that the Falwells are this godly, perfect family. I just felt very awkward.”
