Two church leaders are facing charges related to a forced labor and money laundering conspiracy. The ten-count indictment against David Taylor and Michelle Brannon accused them of victimizing people in at least four states, including Michigan, Texas, Missouri, and Florida.
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More Details About The Indictment & Arrests
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan returned the indictment against the church leaders on Wednesday (August 27). Taylor was set to appear in North Carolina, while Brannon will be in Florida—the places where each of them was arrested.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon seemingly compared Taylor and Brannon’s actions to “human trafficking,” saying it is a top priority for the DOJ to combat such crime.
According to a press release from the DOJ, David Taylor and Michelle Brannon led the Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC). Taylor was the church’s “Apostle,” while Brannon was the executive director. At the time of arrest, the KOGGC had several call centers across Florida, Texas, and Missouri, with the first being Michigan.
Church Leaders Allegedly Used People As “Personal Servants”
Prosecutors claim the church leaders employed people at the call center as Taylor’s “armor bearers.” In reality, the alleged employees were “personal servants who fulfilled Taylor’s demands around the clock.”
Additionally, the indictment alleges that David Taylor and Michelle Brannon controlled every aspect of their victims’ daily lives, from sleeping at the center or at a “ministry house.” “…Taylor and Brannon did not permit them to leave without permission. Taylor demanded that his Armor Bearers transport women from ministry houses, airports, and other locations to Taylor’s location.
These “armor bearers” also ensured the women they took to see Taylor took Plan B emergency contraceptives. They also worked long hours without pay in the center and served David Taylor, who set unattainable “daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly monetary donation goals for victims…” Taylor also required victims to listen without questioning him.
“If victims disobeyed an order or failed to reach his 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,” the indictment states.
Church Received Millions Of Dollars In Donations
According to the indictment, the church leaders collected millions of dollars every year from their call center scheme. Rather than use the money for community-serving purposes, Taylor and Brannon used it to buy luxury vehicles and properties and sports entertainment like boats, jet skis, and ATVs. Since 2014, Taylor has collected $50 million, per prosecutors.
Their charges are conspiracy to commit forced labor, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and forced labor. If convicted on the three charges, the church leaders face up to 20 years in prison and multiple fines of $250,000 to $500,000.
