Dan Johnson (Kentucky politician)

Danny Ray Johnson (October 18, 1960 – December 13, 2017) was an American religious leader and politician who died by suicide two days after the release of an exposé that refuted many of his extravagant biographical claims and gave details of criminal accusations against him.

Johnson was originally from Louisiana and became involved with Christianity in his youth. Johnson traveled with missionaries in Tennessee and South America before founding and leading the controversial Louisville-area Heart of Fire Church in the late 1970s. Heart of Fire eschewed the trappings of traditional Christian churches, and instead at times featured toplessness, cigarette smoking, underage drinking, anti-Islamism, and a tattoo parlor. In 1985, Johnson was indicted in an alleged scheme to set fire to his car for the purpose of insurance fraud, but the charges were dismissed in 1987 after he completed a diversionary program. After Heart of Fire was destroyed by church arson in 2000, Johnson was sued by his insurance provider, alleging insurance fraud; however, police never made any arrests, the lawsuit was settled in Johnson's favor, and the church was rebuilt.

Throughout his life, Johnson claimed to have been involved with many prominent Americans and in many important US events. In the 2010s, he became politically active, and despite a controversial campaign that included his own party leadership requesting his withdrawal, he was elected as a Republican to the Kentucky House of Representatives from the 49th District. After eleven months and nine days in office, an exposé by the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting was publicly released; it included many refutations of Johnson's self-described biography, as well as details of a 2013 child sexual abuse allegation. After denying the accusations of his alleged victim, Johnson fatally shot himself on December 13, 2017.