‘Apostle’ David E. Taylor Arrested for Forced Labor and Money Laundering

Along with Executive Director Michelle Brannon, the two could face multiple sentences of 20 years in prison.

David E. Taylor, the self-proclaimed apostle and leader of Kingdom of God Global Church and Joshua Media Ministries, has been arrested in a “nationwide takedown of their forced labor organization,” according to a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) press release.

David E. Taylor / Facebook

Taylor and Michelle Brannon—executive director of Kingdom of God Global Church—are facing a 10-count grand jury indictment “for their alleged roles in a forced labor and money laundering conspiracy that victimized individuals in Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri.”

Taylor, 53, and Brannon, 56, established call centers in Michigan, then later in Florida, Texas, and Missouri, in which they forced their victims to work long hours in the call centers without pay.

They also set unobtainable monetary donation goals. If victims failed to reach fundraising goals, they were subjected to “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 DOJ press statement explained.

According to the DOJ, Taylor and Brannon controlled every aspect of their victims’ daily lives. Victims slept in the call center facility or in a “ministry” house, and were not permitted to leave without permission.

Taylor allegedly created a band of “armor bearers,” described as his personal servants, to obey his demands around the clock. For instance, Taylor is alleged to have required “armor bearers” to transport women from ministry houses, airports, and other locations to Taylor and “to ensure that the women transported to Taylor took Plan B emergency contraceptives.”

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While Kingdom of God Global Church was taking in millions of dollars in donations and allegedly mistreating its workers, Taylor and Brannon were allegedly using the money to purchase luxury properties, luxury vehicles, and sporting equipment such as a boat, jet skis, and ATVs.

The ministry has taken in approximately $50 million in donations since 2014.

On August 27, Taylor was scheduled to appear for indictment in Durham, N.C., and Brannon was scheduled to appear in Tampa, Florida.

If convicted, the two face severe penalties. The forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor charges each carry up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000, while the conspiracy to commit money laundering charges carry 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.

“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,” Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office said. “The alleged actions are deeply troubling.”

MinistryWatch has reported in the past about a civil lawsuit against Taylor and his ministries for not paying for a $2 million stage set he ordered.

In the MinistryWatch 1000 database, Joshua Media Ministries has a donor confidence score of zero, meaning donors should withhold giving. It does not file a Form 990 with the IRS.

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Why does MinistryWatch report on financial fraud in the church?  We report on them because one in three churches will be victimized, according to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity. We also report on them because these crimes have real victims and cost taxpayers and other stakeholders billions of dollars every year. Even small crimes in small churches have huge consequences. We also report on them to remind our readers that they do not have to be victims. There are steps you can take to prevent financial waste, fraud, and abuse in your church or ministry. To find out more, click here.

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