Joel Osteen Is Returning Over $4 Million Dollars To The Government. Here's Why

Part of the reason people felt the loan was eyebrow raising is that Joel Osteen is worth a jaw-dropping $100 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. As the New York Post reports, he lives in a $15 million mansion in Houston, and Daily Beast claims the preacher and author drives a $300,000 Ferrari.

Daily Beast also points out another reason why Lakewood Church was widely criticized for taking loan money from the government — it's tax exempt like other religious institutions.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the church has now shared bank statements proving the full amount of the PPP loan was repaid. It's important to note the US Chamber says loans can be forgiven if recipients prove they used the money to retain staff and maintain payroll expenses.

Critics were celebrating on Twitter that Osteen was "shamed" into returning the money nonetheless, with one person tweeting, "This is the best thing I've heard today."