Wes Campbell and the Newsboys: 2026 Defamation Suit and Schrum Countersuit

Wes Campbell, co-founder and manager of the Newsboys, is at the center of two federal lawsuits in Tennessee. In April 2026 he and the band filed a sprawling complaint of their own, seeking at least $50 million and naming more than 30 defendants across the Christian music industry; separately, a Tennessee pastor sued Campbell and five of his family members in June 2025 for $600,000 over a church split. The Wes Campbell Newsboys lawsuit filed in 2026 alleges defamation and antitrust conspiracy; the earlier suit against him alleges defamation, conspiracy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

What Campbell’s 2026 Federal Suit Claims

Campbell and the Newsboys filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee. The complaint runs more than 265 pages and advances two broad theories: defamation and antitrust violations under the Sherman Act. It seeks at least $50 million in damages, plus punitive damages and retractions.¹

The complaint identifies Waterland Private Equity, a Netherlands-based investment firm, as the “primary antagonist.” According to the suit, Waterland consolidated the Christian concert market by acquiring the promoters Transparent Productions, Premier Productions Holdings, and Rush Concerts and merging them into LiveCo/TPR, which the complaint says now controls roughly 80% of contemporary Christian music concerts in the United States.²

Campbell’s own company, Thriving Children Advocates (TCA), sat at the intersection of touring artists and charities. During concerts, artists would pitch charities such as World Vision to audiences, and for each fan who signed up as a sponsor the charity paid a fee, historically around $200 and later closer to $500 per sponsor. The complaint describes that revenue as a “substantial part” of artists’ road income.¹

The core allegation: Waterland offered to buy TCA for $50 million, and after Campbell agreed, used confidential information gathered during the deal to bypass TCA and build its own internal platform connecting artists to charities. When TCA kept competing, the suit says, Waterland orchestrated a “whispering campaign” to destroy its reputation.³

Other named defendants include:

The Roys Report and its founder Julie Roys, accused of publishing what the complaint labels “the Fargo Fabrication” and of coordinating with a competitor rather than reporting independently.
LiveCo/TPR, the merged promotion company said to dominate the Christian concert market.
MercyMe, accused of breaching its contract with TCA to work with a rival promotion firm.
World Vision, accused of entering a “secret deal” with Waterland-affiliated companies to pay $500 per sponsorship, cutting TCA out.¹

Why Campbell Says He Sued: The Tait Scandal and Fargo

Michael Tait was the Newsboys’ lead singer from 2009 until he abruptly departed in January 2025, telling bandmates he had been “living a double life.”⁴ In June 2025, The Roys Report and The Guardian published allegations from multiple men that Tait had drugged and sexually assaulted them over roughly two decades. Tait responded on Instagram acknowledging years of cocaine and alcohol abuse and admitting he had “touched men in an unwanted, sensual way.”⁵

The reporting that Campbell most forcefully disputes concerns a December 2014 Christmas tour stop in Fargo, North Dakota. A 23-year-old Pulse Evangelism intern identified as “Nicole” alleged Tait drugged her at a hotel bar and that Newsboys lighting technician Matthew Brewer then raped her in his hotel room while Tait watched. The Roys Report also reported that Newsboys tour manager Steve Campbell, Wes Campbell’s brother, had helped cover up the incident; Steve Campbell denied the claim.⁶

Campbell’s complaint points to the original Fargo police report, which concluded the encounter appeared consensual, and notes that no testing for drugging was conducted. The suit argues The Roys Report omitted those police findings. Brewer, through an attorney, has also called the encounter consensual.⁷

The commercial fallout was fast. Capitol Christian Music Group dropped the Newsboys three weeks after releasing World Wide Revival (Deluxe), with frontman Adam Agee announcing the decision at a festival on June 22, 2025. K-LOVE pulled all Newsboys and DC Talk music from rotation, and promoters canceled tour dates worldwide.⁸ On July 10, 2025, Campbell resigned from the Gospel Music Association board. In a leaked resignation letter he denied knowing about Tait’s criminal behavior before a December 30, 2024 meeting at which, he said, Tait confessed to a “double life,” cocaine use, and “sensual activity.” Campbell also disclosed that members of his own family had come forward as victims.⁹

Campbell’s suit frames those business losses as the product of coordinated attack rather than consequences of reporting. The complaint contends that The Roys Report’s coverage was “concocted in league with a competitor” to eliminate TCA from the market.¹

How the Defendants Have Responded

Julie Roys said the lawsuit’s allegations are “not grounded in fact” and that her reporting was “based on multiple independent sources” and carefully corroborated. Her attorneys said they would seek dismissal under Texas’ anti-SLAPP statute if formally served.³ LiveCo disputed the characterization of its business and said it would mount a “vigorous defense.” World Vision acknowledged the suit and declined to comment while reviewing it.¹

Separately, the Brentwood, Tennessee police department had opened a preliminary investigation into the allegations against Tait as of mid-2025.⁵

The Separate Suit Against Campbell: Schrum v. Campbell

Campbell was already a defendant when he filed his own case. On June 3, 2025, Randall Schrum, former pastor of Hilltop Fellowship House of Prayer in Primm Springs, Tennessee, sued Wes Campbell, his parents Colin and Nancy Campbell, and two siblings, Rocklyn (“Rocky”) Campbell and Evangeline Johnson. The case, Schrum v. Campbell et al., was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.¹⁰

The dispute grew out of a church split. Colin Campbell had founded Hilltop Fellowship in January 2021, and services were held on property owned by Colin and Nancy. Schrum, serving as an elder, led an effort to address what the complaint calls the “improper conduct” of Evangeline Johnson. When Colin Campbell rejected the disciplinary recommendations, the conflict escalated.¹¹

According to the complaint, on March 30, 2025, a group of 16 Campbell family members disrupted a Sunday worship service, with individuals making threats including “I’m going to get you” and “I will come after you.” Three days later, Schrum and his family were woken at 3 a.m. by law enforcement responding to what the suit describes as a false anonymous report to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services accusing Schrum of child abuse. The suit alleges Evangeline Johnson filed the report. Schrum also claims his tires were slashed twice and that the family harassed services at his new congregation, Refuge Ridge Fellowship, forcing it to meet in secret.¹²

Wes Campbell is accused specifically of telling church members Schrum was “stealing” the church, “running things,” and had a “questionable history.” The nine-count complaint alleges defamation, conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and obstruction of justice, and seeks $200,000 in compensatory and $400,000 in punitive damages, for a total of $600,000.¹¹ Campbell has denied the allegations, calling the suit “factually inaccurate” and without merit.¹²

Where the Cases Stand

Campbell’s federal lawsuit against The Roys Report, World Vision, MercyMe, Waterland, and the other defendants was pending as of mid-2026, with no reported rulings on the merits.¹

In the Schrum case, Campbell filed a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and for lack of jurisdiction in October 2025. His attorney later withdrew in November 2025. A jury trial is scheduled for August 31, 2027, in Columbia, Tennessee.¹³

The Newsboys, now led by Adam Agee with Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein, and Jody Davis, have continued to perform live after losing their label and radio airplay.⁸

1
Variety. Newsboys Lawsuit MercyMe Christian World Vision Michael Tait
2
Nashville Banner. Newsboys Wes Campbell Christian Music Lawsuit
3
Religion News Service. Newsboys Co-Founder Sues Julie Roys, World Vision, and Rival Promoters
4
Christian Broadcast Network. Newsboys Dropped by Music Label in Wake of Michael Tait Sexual Assault Allegations
5
Billboard. Michael Tait Accusers Seek Justice, Allege Singer Had Many Victims
6
The Roys Report. Woman Accuses Michael Tait of Drugging Her and Watching While She Was Raped
7
Church Leaders. Newsboys Lawsuit Claims Survivors Rape Allegations Were False, Consensual
8
Billboard. Newsboys Dropped by Label Amid Michael Tait Allegations
9
Baptist News Global. Wes Campbell Resigns From Gospel Music Association Board After Tait Sex Abuse Allegations
10
Christian Post. Newsboys Manager, Family Sued Amid Church Dispute
11
The Roys Report. Newsboys Owner Sued for Defamation, Conspiracy, Infliction of Emotional Distress
12
Church Leaders. Randall Schrum Sues Newsboys Owner Wes Campbell
13
Justia Dockets. Schrum v. Campbell et al., Case No. 1:2025cv00039