Two US church leaders have been arrested in an alleged multi-million-dollar conspiracy after multiple FBI raids across the US. According to the DOJ, Taylor and Brannon are the leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI). Taylor refers to himself as “Apostle” and to Brannon as his Executive Director.
A 10-count indictment alleges that Taylor and Brannon ran call centers in Florida, Texas, Missouri, and Michigan to solicit donations to the church. The pair convinced their victims to work at the call centers and work for Taylor as personal servants – referred to as “armor bearers” – for long hours without pay, according to the indictment.
Federal investigators say Taylor and Brannon “controlled every aspect of the daily living of their victims,” who slept at the call center or in a “ministry” house and were not allowed to leave without permission. The indictment also says the suspects forced the victims to transport women to Taylor and ensure that those women took Plan B emergency contraceptives.
The church received about $50 million in donations through its call centers dating back to 2014, according to the DOJ. Taylor and Brannon are accused of using much of that money to buy luxury properties, luxury vehicles, and sporting equipment such as boats, jet skis, and ATVs.
FBI officials say law enforcement arrested Brannon early Wednesday at 706 Guisando De Avila in Hillsborough County, which is owned by the church, according to property records.
What Next?
Taylor and Brannon face charges of forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each alleged crime carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Brannon appeared in federal court in Tampa on Wednesday afternoon, but an attorney for Brannon wasn’t present. A judge asked where her attorney was and whether she had representation. Brannon told the judge that she had two private attorneys, out of St. Louis and Oklahoma, who were already working with them. However, she said she hadn’t heard from either of them.
The judge said the attorneys were not able to be reached through the phone numbers provided to federal prosecutors. It’s not clear if Brannon has legal representation at this point. The judge continued Brannon’s hearing to Thursday afternoon. He instructed Brannon to find an attorney in the Tampa area in the meantime.
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