Bishop Lamor Whitehead Found Guilty Of Wire Fraud And Attempted Extortion
A Brooklyn bishop renowned for his extravagant way of life and claims of an exaggerated close association with Mayor Eric Adams has been found guilty on numerous charges.
Lamor Miller-Whitehead from Brooklyn, who gained notoriety after being robbed of $1 million worth of jewelry during an online broadcasted service and bragged about his connection with the New York City mayor, has been convicted in federal court on Monday. The charges include wire fraud, attempted extortion, and providing false information to the FBI.
Three masked suspects stormed the service and ran off with the bishop's $75,000 Rolex watch, a $75,000 Cavalier watch and a $25,000 ruby and diamond ring, among other valuables.
The bishop, who "was known for driving around in a Rolls Royce and records show he lived in a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey," according to the Associated Press, also owned apartment buildings in Hartford, Connecticut. He returned to the spotlight in December when the indictment against him was officially announced.
The 47-year-old preacher from Brooklyn has been convicted of five counts following a trial in federal court in Manhattan. Prosecutors contended that the pastor, who boasted about his connections to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, succumbed to greed as he allegedly pilfered a parishioner's retirement savings and attempted to allegedly extort a businessman to fund his extravagant lifestyle.
He also faced allegations of providing false information to FBI agents when he denied owning a second cellphone.
Per court records, Miller-Whitehead reportedly persuaded an elderly mother of a parishioner, Pauline Anderson, to invest $90,000 of her retirement savings with him, but instead, he allegedly spent the entire amount on personal expenses.
The preacher stands accused of coercing another church-goer into giving him $5,000 through extortion tactics. Subsequently, he allegedly persuaded a businessman to lend him an additional half a million dollars and provide him with a share in real estate dealings. Prosecutors argued that Miller-Whitehead was aware that he couldn't fulfill promises of favors from the city government in exchange for these transactions.
Last month, prosecutors called Whitehead during the trial a "conman who told lie after lie to victim after victim."
Whitehead allegedly "used lies and threats to get money from his victims and when lies caught up to him, he lied to the FBI," claimed prosecutor Jessica Greenwood, according to the 'New York Times.'
The pastor of Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie entered a plea of not guilty and was subsequently released on a $500,000 bond.
His sentencing is scheduled for July 1.
