Report: Falwell quits Liberty University amid claims of wife's sex with pool boy

Jerry Falwell Jr. of Liberty University on Saturday, May 13, 2017, Lynchburg, Virginia. (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

Jerry Falwell Jr. has submitted his resignation as president of Liberty University.

Religion News Service reported the announcement came within hours of the publication of a news story that alleged Falwell and his wife Becki had a years-long sexual relationship with a business associate.

Giancarlo Granda, a former pool attendant at a hotel in Miami Beach, claimed, "Becki and I developed an intimate relationship and Jerry enjoyed watching from the corner of the room," Reuters reported.

Giancarlo Granda and Jerry Falwell Jr.

Falwell already had been placed on leave by the university after he posted, then deleted, an image on social media showing him with his arm around a woman at a party with their zippers down and midriffs showing.

There were multiple calls for his departure.

One came from Colby Garman, pastor of the Pillar Church in Dumfries, Virginia, who last week released a letter from 50 university alumni calling for Falwell's dismissal.

After the Reuters report, Garman wrote on Twitter that if the allegations are true, it would be "a reminder of just how deeply entangling sin can become."

Do you believe the claim of the sexual affair involving Jerry and Becki Falwell and Giancarlo Granda?

Falwell has been at the helm of Liberty, one of the nation's largest Christian universities since 2007, succeding his father, the founder.

On Sunday, the Washington Examiner said Falwell reported suffering from depression because of his wife's affair, and he claimed a "friend" had been threatening to expose it.

"Over the course of the last few months, this person's behavior has reached a level that we have decided the only way to stop this predatory behavior is to go public," Falwell told the Examiner.

"We have categorically rejected this person’s demands while dealing with him and this particular member of the media who seemed just as obsessed with the prurient, untrue aspects of this story, however fantastic," he said.

Reuters reported Granda showed the news wire emails and text messages "he says demonstrate the sexual nature of his relationship with the couple."

Becki Falwell (Video screenshot)

Granda claimed the relationship soured when he wanted to dissolve his ties to the couple, and he also fell into a business dispute with them.

The business deal was a Miami Beach youth hostel in which they all had interests. A Falwell representative said at the time that Granda, who lived in Miami, was to serve as the manager.

Liberty University now has an enrollment of more than 100,000 students.

It's honor code states, "Sexual relations outside of a biblically ordained marriage between a natural-born man and a natural-born woman are not permissible at Liberty University."

Reuters reported a text message from Becki Falwell to Granda that said: "Right now I am just missing you like crazy. ... Have you had this effect on all of your lady friends?”

Another, from Granda to Falwell, said: "Since you’re okay with ruining my life, I am going to take the kamikaze route. It really is a shame because I wanted to reach a peaceful resolution and just move on with our lives but if conflict is what you want, then so be it."

Reuters reported Granda said he willingly entered into the relationship with Becki, but now he believes the couple preyed on him.