Federal authorities arrested two fraudulent religious leaders in North Carolina and Florida on Wednesday over an alleged forced labor and money laundering scheme that took advantage of victims across multiple states.
The defendants operated the so-called Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International. Taylor called himself "Apostle," while Brannon served as his executive director in the organization that ran call centers to collect donations daily.
"Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Department of Justice," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and ending this scourge and obtaining justice for the victims."
According to the indictment, Taylor started his first call center in Taylor, Michigan, before expanding operations to Florida, Texas, and Missouri. The organization controlled every part of victims' daily lives, forcing them to sleep in call center buildings or "ministry" houses without permission to leave.
Federal prosecutors allege Taylor and Brannon made victims work long hours without payment at call centers or serve as Taylor's personal servants called "armor bearers." These armor bearers had to fulfill Taylor's demands around the clock, federal authorities said.
The indictment states that Taylor required armor bearers to transport women from ministry houses and airports to his location. He also made sure these women took Plan B emergency contraceptives.
"We will use every lawful tool against human traffickers and seek justice for their victims," said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan. "A case like this is only possible through a concerted effort with our federal partners across the country and the non-governmental agencies who provide victim support. We thank them all.”
According to the news release, Taylor set impossible daily, weekly, monthly and yearly donation goals for call center workers. When workers failed to meet these targets or didn’t follow orders, Taylor and Brannon punished them through public shame, extra work, limited food and shelter, psychological abuse, forced repentance, sleep loss, physical attacks, and threats of divine punishment including sickness, accidents, and eternal damnation.
"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," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office.
The fraudulent religious organization received millions of dollars in donations each year through its call centers. Taylor and Brannon used a significant portion of this money to buy luxury properties, expensive vehicles, and recreational equipment including boats, jet skis, and ATVs.
Since 2014, Taylor received about $50 million in donations, according to the indictment. Federal investigators from multiple agencies worked together on the case, including FBI field offices in Detroit, Tampa, Jacksonville, St. Louis, Charlotte, and Houston, plus the Detroit IRS Criminal Investigation office.
"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," said Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd of IRS Criminal Investigation at the Detroit Field Office.
Taylor appeared in court on Wednesday in Durham, North Carolina, while Brannon appeared in Tampa, Florida, according to the Justice Department.
Each forced labor conspiracy charge carries up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $500,000, or twice the value of properties involved in the laundering transactions.
The case will be prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Resnick Cohen for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Christina Randall-James of the Civil Rights Division's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.