Louis Farrakhan denounced reports that the group’s businesses are plagued by fraud, and claimed Sunday he is in a life-and-death struggle with people trying to destroy him.

The Nation of Islam minister said a Chicago Tribune investigation into the group’s financial empire was filled with some truth and a lot of lies.

“I don’t think their motive was to help us,” Farrakhan told a cheering crowd at the ministry’s headquarters.

In a series of articles that appeared last week, the newspaper reported that the Nation of Islam’s businesses are saddled with debt, failure and fraud allegations.

The newspaper said it based its findings on court documents, government contracts, corporate records and interviews - although none were granted by Farrakhan or his aides. It also said the organization owes federal and local back taxes.

The Tribune reported that although Farrakhan says he owns nothing, records show he and his wife own Chicago property, including a home in a well-to-do neighborhood, and luxury cars.