ORLANDO, Fla. – Two “self-professed” religious leaders used forced labor at multiple call centers, including one in Central Florida, to raise millions of dollars to partly fund their lavish lifestyle, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Federal officials said that David Taylor, 53, and Michelle Brannon, 56, were arrested Wednesday in North Carolina and Florida in a nationwide takedown of their forced labor organization.
According to the release, the pair, who received around $50 million in donations since 2014, are accused of using forced labor and money laundering conspiracy to victimize individuals in Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri.
According to an indictment, Taylor and Brannon are the leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), which was formerly called Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI). Taylor refers to himself as “Apostle” and to Brannon as his executive director.
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Officials said their organization ran a call center that solicited donations for KOGGC/JMMI every day. Taylor established his first call center in Taylor, Michigan, and then operated call centers in other locations in the U.S. including in Florida, Texas, and Missouri.
According to the indictment, the Central Florida call center was located at 1280 SW 38th Street in Ocala. Another Florida call center was located in Tampa.
According to the indictment, the pair used what they called “armor bearers” who were Taylors’ personal servants who fulfilled his demands around the clock. Taylor and Brannon controlled every aspect of the daily living of their victims. Victims slept in the call center facility or in a “ministry” house, and Taylor and Brannon did not permit them to leave without permission. Taylor demanded that the armor bearers transport women from ministry houses, airports, and other locations to Taylor’s location and ensured the women transported to Taylor took Plan B emergency contraceptives.
Officials said that the pair required victims to work in the call centers long hours without pay or to perform “other services” for Taylor. Taylor allegedly set unobtainable daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly monetary donation goals for victims working in the call centers and required victims to follow the orders he created without question.
If victims disobeyed an order or failed to reach the monetary goals, Taylor and Brannon punished the victims 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, officials said.
According to the indictment, the KOGGC and JMMI received millions of dollars in donations each year through the call centers and used much of the money to purchase luxury properties, luxury vehicles, and sporting equipment such as a boat, jet skis, and ATVs.
“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.
Officials said that Taylor will appear on the indictment Wednesday in Durham, North Carolina, with Brannon to appear on the indictment in Tampa on the same day.
The pair faces the following charges and penalties:
- Conspiracy to commit forced labor: Up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.
- Forced labor: Up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.
- Conspiracy to commit money laundering: Up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $500,000 or twice the value of the properties involved in the money laundering transactions.
“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, Detroit Field Office. “IRS-CI stands committed to fighting human trafficking and labor exploitation, and pursuing those who hide their profits gained from the extreme victimization of the vulnerable.”
To read the indictment against Taylor and Brannon, see below: