A plumber who recently found cash and checks inside of a wall at Joel Osteen’s Houston megachurch has been given a reward of $20,000.
The money had reportedly gone missing in 2014, as Lakewood Church gave Crime Stoppers in Houston $20,000 as a reward after $200,000 in cash and $400,000 was taken from the church’s safe. Recently, the plumber, who has only been identified as “Justin,” called into Houston’s 100.3 The Bull to reveal that he found 500 envelopes stashed in a wall inside the church last month. The man stated, “There was a loose toilet in the wall and we removed the tile, or they removed the tile. [I] went to go remove the toilet and I moved some insulation away and about 500 envelopes fell out of the wall and I was like, ‘Oh, wow.'”
In another interview, Justin revealed that he was “upset” that he had not heard from the church following his discovery and good deed. After attending Osteen’s service this past Sunday, he stated, “I wanted to hear [Joel Osteen] say, ‘You know, Justin, what you did was right. We understand what you did and what you could have done.'” He added, “I feel like, at this point, I should have heard something. I’m just a little upset.”
Lakewood Church released a statement after it was revealed that Justin would get the reward, “In 2016, Lakewood Church made a $20,000 charitable donation to Crime Stoppers of Houston to help solve this case and support them for all they do for the community. We are appreciative of the plumber, and we hope he pays the gift forward.”