Feds: 2 Cult Religious Leaders Used Forced Labor to Solicit Tens of Millions of Dollars in Donations
Published By admin
Federal authorities in Detroit have indicted two self-professed religious leaders who essentially operated a cult and allegedly used physical and psychological abuse to coerce victims into working at call centers to solicit tens of millions of dollars in donations in states including Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri.
The operation, which authorities described as a human trafficking ring, raised money that was supposed to be used to support the ministry.
Instead, federal authorities allege much of it went to the two leaders to purchase luxury properties, vehicles, and sporting equipment, including a boat, jet skis, and ATVs. Since 2014, the indictment alleges, the ministry raised about $50 million.
Federal authorities said David Taylor, 53, was arrested Wednesday in Durham, N.C., and Michelle Brannon, 56, in Tampa, Fla. They face charges of conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The indictment alleges that Taylor and Brannon are the leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), formerly Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI). Taylor refers to himself as “Apostle” and to Brannon as his executive director.
According to the indictment, Taylor describes himself as Jesus’s best friend and claims to have had multiple face-to-face encounters with God, saying God gave him the keys to the kingdom. The ministry operates a polished website and social media channels to spread its message. Taylor can also be found preaching on YouTube.
The grand jury indictment alleges that their organization ran call centers that solicited donations for KOGGC/JMMI every day, telling their personal servants to tell people the money was going toward charitable works such as building water wells for impoverished communities overseas or supporting victims of human trafficking.
Taylor started his first call center in Taylor, Downriver, and later expanded to centers in locations including Florida, Texas, and Missouri.
Besides the call center, people worked on different teams, including Facebook, finance, and music. Almost all were expected to put in time at the call center.
The indictment further alleges that Taylor and Brannon required their victims to work at the call centers for long hours without compensation and to serve Taylor as his “armor bearers”—personal attendants tasked with fulfilling his demands. Taylor allegedly required his armor bearers to transport women from ministry houses, airports, and other locations to him and ensured that women transported to him took Plan B emergency contraceptives.
Authorities allege that Taylor set unobtainable daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly monetary donation goals for the call center workers and ordered them to follow instructions without question. Workers allegedly slept in call centers or ministry houses, were pressured to quit outside jobs, and were ordered to cut off contact with family or friends who questioned Taylor or the ministry.
If victims disobeyed an order or failed to reach a monetary goal, Taylor and Brannon allegedly punished them with public humiliation, additional work, food and shelter restrictions, psychological abuse, forced repentance, sleep deprivation, physical assaults, and threats of divine judgment in the form of sickness, accidents, and eternal damnation, the indictment alleges.
In one instance, the indictment says, on May 5, 2021, at 12:26 a.m., Taylor texted his then-armor bearer, directing him to communicate his orders to the staff:
“You’ll have to raise $164k today!! Each hour you fall behind, consequences will start. We will mess with the food. You will fast from regular food or abstain for a while, normally… As of now there’s a 21-day peanut butter and jelly regimen like before! Those who do not push in their calls individually and as a team with the right amount of people and closing numbers at 6 p.m., they don’t eat dinner at all. If they do well afterward, then at the end of the night they may get a snack before bed, but not much. This regimen will go on every day for 21 days until they obey. Take away the food!! There will be other consequences!! We must make them fast and pray!!”
As part of the scheme, the indictment alleges that Taylor and Brannon demanded victims apply for government-funded Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards by falsely claiming to be homeless. They were then required to give the cards to Taylor, Brannon, or their staff. The cards were used to purchase food for staff.
“The indictment of David Taylor and Michelle Brannon demonstrates the FBI’s steadfast efforts to protect the American people from human exploitation and financial crimes, including forced labor and money laundering,” Reuben Coleman, acting head of the Detroit FBI, said in a statement. “The alleged actions are deeply troubling.”
Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, said in a statement:
“Money laundering is tax evasion in progress, and in this case, the proceeds funded an alleged human trafficking ring and supported a luxury lifestyle under the guise of a religious ministry.”
Content retrieved from: https://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/33571/feds_2_cult_religious_leaders_used_forced_labor_to_solicit_tens_of_millions_of_dollars_in_donations.
