For a celebrity evangelist family, the Swaggarts don’t shy away from controversy.
Donnie Swaggart, the face of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries (JSM), put Judy Swaggart in the limelight when he married her in 2003.
But their marriage hit a snag, and Judy has been off the limelight since.
Where is Judy Swaggart Now?
Judy’s whereabouts are a mystery to many who followed JSM’s controversies and scandals.
Since her divorce from Donnie, she has not publicly commented on her marriage or revealed anything about her personal life.
But it seems she chose to move on and live a quiet and private life from the glitz and glamour.
Judy is inactive on social media and hasn’t appeared on public records.
Apparently, she stays part-time in Louisiana, Monroe, Arkansas, and Pangburn.
It’s not clear whether she remarried or is dating at the moment.
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Sparks and the Donnie – Judy Marriage
Donnie met Judy at JSM in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she had fellowshipped for two years.
Sources say it was love at first sight for Donnie, whose marriage with Debbie had ended in a bitter divorce.
And so they tied the knot in 2003 before their close friends and family.
Judy, a master’s degree holder, was a professional counselor and had inherited a fortune from her parents.
According to rumors, she appeared to be a staunch Christian who walked in the ways of the Holy Spirit.
Rumors of Infidelity
But Donnie and Judy’s matrimony trip didn’t last.
Donnie filed for a no-fault divorce three short years into the marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.
A no-fault divorce doesn’t require showing wrongdoing by either party. Maybe the Swaggarts were trying to keep some skeletons hidden?
Rumor had it that Judy had an affair with another man and got caught.
But this is quite hard to believe since there is no evidence of it. Also, Donnie and Judy didn’t share the personal details of their relationship.
Did Frances Swaggart Interfere in the Donnie – Judy Marriage?
Others said Judy’s independence was a problem for Frances Swaggart, Donnie’s mom. Apparently, Judy could not be controlled, and Frances wanted her gone.
Frances never approved of Donnie’s marriage to Judy. She wanted him to reconcile with Debbie, his ex-wife whom he’d left in 2003.
Donnie’s mother was also concerned about the integrity of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries.
Judy’s alleged infidelity could have damaged the ministry’s image, especially after Donnie’s father’s indiscretions with prostitutes in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Judy Swaggart Left in Style
The couple’s divorce was finalized in 2006, and Donnie remarried Debbie, his first wife.
In a surprising turn of events, Judy did not contest the divorce. Neither did she seek alimony from Donnie.
And while many expected her to write a memoir about life with the Swaggarts, she did not.
Donnie’s Heart Still Holds a Torch for Judy
According to some rumors, Donnie Swaggart still has feelings for his ex-wife Judy.
He allegedly divorced her to reconcile with two of his children, who had cut ties with him because of his mother, Frances.
He supposedly asked Judy to come back to him after a year of separation, but she refused.
She reportedly did not trust that Frances would not interfere with their marriage again and cause another divorce.
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