The Brief
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Michelle Brannon, one of two church leaders accused in a federal forced labor and human trafficking case, will remain behind bars for now after appearing before a federal judge in Tampa.
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David Taylor and Brannon are accused of exploiting workers through Taylor’s church, the Kingdom of God Global Church, forcing them to work under abusive conditions while the co-defendants allegedly laundered millions in donations.
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A former insider and a non-profit watchdog group said the charges reflect years of abuse and deception.
TAMPA, Fla. – One of two church leaders charged in a sweeping federal human trafficking and money laundering case appeared before a judge in Tampa on Thursday, but she’ll stay in jail for the time being.
What we know
Michelle Brannon, 56, was arrested at a mansion in Hillsborough County’s exclusive Avila neighborhood on Wednesday morning. She chose to have her bond hearing moved to Michigan, where the case is based.
That means she will continue to be held in jail at least until that hearing takes place.
The U.S. Department of Justice said David Taylor, 53, and Brannon are the focus of their investigation. Taylor also declined to have his bond hearing heard in North Carolina, instead waiting for a hearing in Michigan.
The backstory
The U.S. Department of Justice says Brannon, along with Taylor, led Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI).
A 10-count indictment alleges that Taylor and Brannon ran call centers in Florida, Texas, Missouri, and Michigan to solicit donations to the church.
The pair convinced their victims to work at the call centers and work for Taylor as personal servants – referred to as “armor bearers” – for long hours without pay, according to the indictment.
Federal investigators say Taylor and Brannon “controlled every aspect of the daily living of their victims,” who slept at the call center or in a “ministry” house and were not allowed to leave without permission.
The federal indictment alleges that victims were deprived of food, sleep, and freedom. Some victims were even physically punished or psychologically punished if they didn’t meet Taylor’s monetary demands. The church operated multiple call centers nationwide where unpaid workers solicited donations.
The indictment also says the suspects forced the victims to transport women to Taylor and ensure that those women took Plan B emergency contraceptives.
Dig deeper
The church received about $50 million in donations through its call centers dating back to 2014, according to the DOJ.
Taylor and Brannon are accused of using much of that money to buy luxury properties, luxury vehicles, and sporting equipment such as boats, jet skis, and ATVs.
The FBI also alleges that victims were forced to apply for federal assistance and food stamps by claiming they were homeless, then turn that money over to the suspects.
FBI officials say law enforcement arrested Brannon early Wednesday at 706 Guisando De Avila in Hillsborough County, which is owned by the church, according to property records. Court documents said Brannon lived at the Avila mansion, which was also being used as a church call center.
Authorities allege that followers lived and worked at the property under slave-like conditions and were punished if they failed to meet demands.
Investigators arrested Taylor as well on Wednesday morning in North Carolina, while SWAT and FBI agents also raided a hotel owned by the church in Houston.
Taylor and Brannon face charges of forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Each alleged crime carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
What they’re saying
“These are not just allegations to me. Most are so true. I lived it,” said gospel singer Vicki Yohe, who said she dated Taylor in 2018 after singing at his church.
In 2020, Yohe wrote a book called “All You Have Is a Voice,” where she said she attempted to expose Taylor’s wrongdoing. After hearing about the arrests, she recorded a video message calling the moment “a victory for those who had no voice.”
“There were so many people that were taken advantage of, and I was one of them. I experienced firsthand the abuse, the lies and the corruption,” Yohe said. “Today was a victory for those who had no voice or who were afraid to expose the truth. They get to wake up from their nightmare like I did several years ago.”
According to the Trinity Foundation, a non-profit watchdog group in Dallas that has investigated Taylor for years, the case was a long time coming.
“These people were working under slave-like conditions,” said investigator Barry Bowen. “On TV, [Taylor] claims to have raised people from the dead and claims to have healed thousands of people of cancer.”
Pete Evans, the president of the Trinity Foundation, said his group sent a report to the IRS in 2019 recommending criminal charges and the revocation of the church’s tax-exempt status.
“We’re expecting that a lot more informants will come forward, especially after they finally freed those dozens of people at all the different locations around the country,” Evans said.
What’s next
The Department of Justice has launched the cases out of Michigan, which is where the majority of the legal proceedings are expected to take place.
The Source
This story was written with information provided by FOX 13 News, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice.
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