Recently, ESPN's Matt Miller was in a car accident. However, since his accident, allegations (and reporting) have revealed that he may have a history of fraud in which he deceived people into paying for services never provided. The discussion of ill-gotten gains has been brought to the forefront.
There is not much in life that unites the opinions of the masses like financial theft. Outside of those who also like to steal — and even that is flimsy, as the old moniker of there being "no honor among thieves" holds some water — it is almost universally believed that defrauding others of their money is wicked.
Naturally, this is especially true in the Christian worldview, and that is where this piece will focus.
Recently, a major car accident involving an ESPN employee brought the conversation surrounding ill-gotten gains to the forefront of many Americans' conversations.
Matt Miller, who has been with the company since 2022, primarily operating as an NFL Draft analyst, was in a serious accident in Missouri. According to local news, Miller caused the collision by crossing the center line and hitting a semi-truck head-on that was traveling in the other direction. The driver of the truck suffered no serious injuries. The same was not true for Miller. As a result of the collision, he broke multiple bones in his legs, broke several ribs, suffered extensive nerve damage, and had to have his left arm amputated.
Upon putting his story on social media alongside a GoFundMe page, Miller began to receive allegations of previous wrongdoing. Specifically, a large number of sports fans on the internet made claims against Miller, alleging financial deception and various types of fraud. According to the accusers, among other things, Miller organized pay-in fantasy football leagues, football-related charitable giving opportunities, football scouting classes, and prospect camps but never delivered on much of what was promised. Allegedly, he never paid out the winners of the fantasy football leagues, never gave money to charity, and never provided the scouting classes or camps, even after receiving payment. In these stories, most attempts at recouping money went unanswered by Miller.
The allegations and complaints against Miller have been loud and plentiful, so much so that, as of last week, the Missouri attorney general's office confirmed that they are investigating. The GoFundMe created for Miller (one that quickly raised over $50,000 in support) has been paused in the wake of the investigation, though it is unclear whether Miller, GoFundMe, or another party made that decision.
On Friday, Miller announced that he was on leave from ESPN but claimed it was due to his health and ongoing recovery. Awful Announcing reporter Sean Keeley has since reported that ESPN plans to address Miller's indefinite leave and the allegations "when appropriate."
While it is important to recognize that the allegations against Miller are, at this point, merely accusations, the bridge to discussing the biblical concept of ill-gotten gains (which will also be called "unjust gains" in this story) is a short one.
Clearly, financial fraud of any kind is wrong, both biblically speaking and from a worldly perspective. But what does Scripture have to say about the idea of benefitting financially at the expense of others?
This story will deviate slightly from Narrow's typical approach. Instead of working through the facts and observations and political opinions surrounding this issue before diving into God's Word, this story will immediately jump into what the Bible says.
What are ill-gotten gains?
It must be noted again that, while evidence has been presented against Miller, he has not been formally charged with a crime, and nothing about financial misgivings has been proven. Still, the concepts surrounding the subject can be addressed from a biblical perspective.
According to the dictionary standard at Merriam-Webster, ill-gotten gains are anything gained or "acquired by illicit or improper means." It is important to note that this is not limited only to money crimes, though financial impropriety sits atop the list of the most-often-associated activities with the term.
The Bible speaks often about money and the sin that surrounds our human fascination with wealth.
In Exodus 20:15, Moses relays God's Eighth Commandment, saying, "You shall not steal." In Exodus 20:16, God states in the Ninth Commandment, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor," something that has often been shortened to simply say, "You shall not lie." The Tenth Commandment then says in Exodus 20:17, "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's," and covetousness is often a leading cause of money-related sins. A handful of verses earlier, the Second Commandment also forbids idolatry (Exodus 20:4-6). All four of these commandments obviously come into play when evaluating financial deception.
In 1 Timothy 6:10, the apostle Paul says, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs." He tells Timothy, a young pastor, that he will have to shepherd people who will enter into faith crises because of money. In fact, making an idol out of wealth, he explains, is something that will lead to more sin and could cause a seemingly Christian person to abandon his/her faith.
In Old Testament wisdom literature, King Solomon writes in Proverbs 21:6, "The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death," indicating that there is no real benefit to amassing wealth unjustly, as the earthly gain does not compare to eternity. He argues that those who seek treasures in a dishonest way are seeking death, a biblical metaphor meaning that they are lost.
A similar note is included in Proverbs 1:17-19, "For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors." The verses reveal the irony that financial fraud typically involves some sort of trap set for unsuspecting victims, when, in reality, the perpetrator is unsuspecting of the fact that he has set a trap for himself.
In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, He teaches, "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money" (Matthew 6:24). The dichotomy is clear: those who are controlled enough by money to steal or commit fraud against others are likely not serving the Lord. The idolatry in
What is the true result of ill-gotten gains?
While not every promise in Scripture is an earthly guarantee — some speak in a general way or about something that is guaranteed in an eternal sense — there are plenty of biblical examples of what happens to those who defraud others and gain wealth in an unjust manner.
Even aside from the obvious moral failures and potential eternal ramifications of a life embracing sin, unjust gains come with earthly consequences.
Proverbs is full of notes relevant to this conversation. Several are below:
"For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors." (Proverbs 1:17-19)
"Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death." (Proverbs 10:2)
"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out." (Proverbs 10:9)
"A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight." (Proverbs 11:1)
"Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it." (Proverbs 13:11)
"Whoever is greedy for unjust gain troubles his own household, but he who hates bribes will live." (Proverbs 15:27)
"Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice." (Proverbs 16:8)
"Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, but afterward his mouth will be full of gravel." (Proverbs 20:17)
"The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death." (Proverbs 21:5-6)
"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold." (Proverbs 22:1)
"A faithful man will abound with blessings, but whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished." (Proverbs 28:20)
"A greedy man stirs up strife, but the one who trusts in the Lord will be enriched." (Proverbs 28:25)
"An unjust man is an abomination to the righteous, but one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked." (Proverbs 29:27)
Simply put, those who lie, cheat, and steal to amass wealth will reap a reward. God is just to punish those who deal in financial fraud; any time an individual "gets away with it" is merely an example of a gracious God granting mercy on an undeserving recipient.
A path forward in Christ
Judas Iscariot, the perpetrator of the most infamous financial crime in history, paid for it with his life (Matthew 27:3-5), perfectly demonstrating the potential serious consequences of sin. Acts 5 tells a similar story regarding Ananias and Sapphira. However, King Solomon did not die as a direct result of his financial sins. This does not show God to be inconsistent; rather, it reveals that He, according to "the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness" (Ephesians 2:7), is willing to show mercy, especially to those who place their faith in Him. In response to this gracious gift, Solomon, as the traditionally accepted author of Ecclesiastes, used his experience of God's forgiveness to teach others.
Leviticus 6:1-7 provides God's plan of redemption for the sin of acquiring unjust gains, one that includes forgiveness, restitution, life change, and true repentance. "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'If anyone sins and commits a breach of faith against the Lord by deceiving his neighbor in a matter of deposit or security, or through robbery, or if he has oppressed his neighbor or has found something lost and lied about it, swearing falsely — in any of all the things that people do and sin thereby — if he has sinned and has realized his guilt and will restore what he took by robbery or what he got by oppression or the deposit that was committed to him or the lost thing that he found or anything about which he has sworn falsely, he shall restore it in full and shall add a fifth to it, and give it to him to whom it belongs on the day he realizes his guilt. And he shall bring to the priest as his compensation to the Lord a ram without blemish out of the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt offering. And the priest shall make atonement for him before the Lord, and he shall be forgiven for any of the things that one may do and thereby become guilty.'"
As this relates to Judas or Ananias and Sapphira, forgiveness was on the table. Judas never did ask the Lord for forgiveness, however, feeling guilt and grief for his actions without repentance. Ananias and Sapphira even had the opportunity to own up to their indiscretions and, subsequently, they had a clear chance to repent. Instead, they doubled down on their sin by lying.
For all people, forgiveness remains an opportunity in Christ. Through His death and resurrection, He has made payment to cover the debt mankind owes for sin, and He locked in that atoning work, defeating sin, death, and Hell forever for those in relationship with Him.
For those who already believe, there is forgiveness, even for those who commit egregious sins against others. For those who don't believe, the gospel offers new life in every way (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Final Verdict
Like all sin, ill-gotten gains come with consequences. In some cases, there are direct earthly results, such as fractured relationships or legal ramifications. In others, the consequence is eternal, as the sin was indicative of one who did not follow the Lord.
Still, again, like all sin, there is a path forward for those who have fallen into the temptation to seek wealth in a less-than-stellar manner.
The Lord calls on those who steal and cheat to turn from their ways and embrace a life of honest work and generosity. In Ephesians 4:28, Paul writes, "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." The previously mentioned Solomon serves as an example of this.
This call mirrors God's general call for mankind to repent.
For Matt Miller (allegedly) or anyone else involved in deceiving others for money, the Lord calls his creation to repent and enter into relationship with Him. Christians should continue to pray for that outcome and for things to be made right in these situations.
