Church leaders indicted by Detroit grand jury in alleged forced labor conspiracy

Two church leaders have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit in an alleged forced labor conspiracy across four states, including Michigan, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

David Taylor, 53, and Michelle Brannon, 56, were arrested Wednesday, Aug. 27, as part of what federal authorities called a nationwide takedown on claims their religious group compelled victims to work as “armor bearers” at call centers designed to collect donations and to perform a host of other tasks or face punishment.

The call centers in Taylor, Michigan, as well as Florida, Missouri and Texas, reportedly collected millions in annual donations, much of which was spent on luxury items, authorities said, and that Taylor has received about $50 million since 2014.

Taylor and Brannon did not have attorneys listed and could not be reached Wednesday.

“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, in the Detroit field office.

Special Agent in Charge, Reuben Coleman, of the FBI Detroit field office, called the alleged actions “deeply troubling,” thanking the wide net of federal agencies involved in the investigation.

“Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the department of justice,” Harmeet Dhilon, assistant attorney general of the justice department’s Civil Rights Division, said in a statement. “We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and ending this scourge and obtaining justice for the victims.”

Taylor and Brannon did not have attorneys listed and could not be reached Wednesday.

They were reportedly leaders of the Kingdom of God Church, formerly Joshua Media Ministries International, according to the indictment. As part of the organization, authorities said Taylor called himself “Apostle” and that Brannon was his executive director.

According to the indictment, the Michigan call center was the first established in a building on Superior Road in Taylor.

Victims who worked as armor bearers were allegedly forced to fulfill Taylor’s demands as personal servants at all hours, and that he and Brannon controlled various aspects of their daily lives.

Authorities allege that included requiring them to sleep in call center facilities or at a ministry house, not letting them leave without permission, forcing them to transport women between airports and other locations, and ensuring women taken to Taylor took Plan B emergency contraceptives.

Additionally, victims were allegedly required to work in the call centers without pay and to meet unobtainable daily, weekly, monthly and yearly monetary donation goals, according to the indictment.

Full story available here.