A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan on Wednesday returned a 10-count indictment against two church leaders accused of orchestrating a multi-state forced labor and money laundering conspiracy that prosecutors say exploited victims in Michigan, Florida, Texas and Missouri.
David Taylor, 53, and Michelle Brannon, 56, were arrested Tuesday in North Carolina and Florida as part of a nationwide takedown, according to the Department of Justice.
Prosecutors allege that Taylor and Brannon, the leaders of the Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI), used the ministry to run a coercive labor scheme. Both face charges carrying potential 20-year prison terms and fines of up to $500,000.
According to the indictment, Taylor and Brannon allegedly compelled victims to work long hours without pay in church-run call centers or serve as personal assistants known as “armor bearers.”
The victims lived in ministry housing or at the call centers under strict supervision, according to the DOJ, with prosecutors saying Taylor and Brannon allegedly restricted their movement, subjected them to public humiliation, food and sleep deprivation and threats of spiritual punishment if they failed to meet fundraising quotas.
The indictment further alleges that Taylor directed staff to transport women to his location and ensure they took emergency contraceptives.
Prosecutors estimate the organization collected roughly $50 million in donations between 2014-24, funding luxury homes, vehicles and recreational equipment. IRS Criminal Investigation leaders said the pair used donations to fund “a luxury lifestyle under the guise of a religious ministry.”
The indictments were announced after FBI agents and local law enforcement searched a property owned by the Kingdom of God Global Church in north Houston early Wednesday, according to The Houston Chronicle. Officials described the search as part of a “multi-state operation” tied to the indictment.
Early Wednesday, an FBI spokeswoman in Houston confirmed that agents were conducting “court-authorized law enforcement activity” in the 14300 block of the North Freeway but did not provide further details.
Agents and local law enforcement searched a hostel owned by Joshua Media Ministries International, removing 17 individuals from the building, according to reports.
“Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division in a statement.
U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. for the Eastern District of Michigan added that the prosecution was possible only through coordination with federal agencies and nonprofit victim support groups.
“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,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office.
Taylor is scheduled to appear on the indictment in Durham, North Carolina, while Brannon will appear in Tampa, Florida. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit forced labor, 20 years for forced labor and up to 20 years and a $500,000 fine for money laundering conspiracy.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Resnick Cohen of the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Christina Randall-James of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
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