By The opinion
Jun 17, 2024, 9:33 PM EDT
Bishop Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 46, was found guilty in March of wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal law enforcement agents and this Monday he was sentenced to nine years in prison.
According to local media, the bishop of the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries church in Canarsie, made headlines in July 2022 when Armed robbers robbed him and his wife of $1 million worth of jewelry during a livestreamed service.
Known for his Louis Vuitton suits and extravagant jewelry, Whitehead was a pastor at Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Brooklyn.
Prosecutors said Whitehead defrauded one of his parishioners by convincing her to invest approximately $90,000 of her retirement savings. with him to help her buy a house; However, she ended up spending the money on luxury items and personal expenses, according to an indictment.
“He lied to federal agents and again to the Court at his trial. “Today’s sentencing puts an end to Whitehead’s various schemes and reflects this Office’s commitment to holding accountable those who abuse their positions of trust.”
Miller-Whitehead was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. and was ordered to pay $85,000 in restitution and forfeit $95,000, prosecutors said.
Attorney Dawn Florio vowed that her legal fight is not over, “As today’s sentencing was not what we expected, we are deeply saddened by the outcome. “Despite this setback, we remain steadfast in our belief in the innocence of Bishop Lamor Miller Whitehead and are committed to continuing the fight.”
“We will explore all available legal avenues to ensure justice is done. “Our dedication to proving Bishop Whitehead’s innocence is unwavering and we will immediately begin the appeal process,” he explained.
The preacher embraced his flashy lifestyle. He was known for driving a Rolls Royce and records show that he lived in a $1.6 million dollar home in Paramus, New Jersey. He also owned apartment buildings in Hartford, Connecticut.
Miller-Whitehead convinced one of his parishioners to invest about $90,000 of her retirement savings with him by promising to help her buy a house, prosecutors said. She spent that money on luxury items and personal expenses and did not pay him back when she asked, prosecutors said.
He also extorted $5,000 from a businessman, prosecutors said, and tried to convince the same man to lend him $500,000 and a stake in real estate transactions in exchange for favorable actions by the New York City mayor, prosecutors said. prosecutors.
He also submitted a fraudulent application for a $250,000 business loan that included doctored bank statements claiming he had millions of dollars in the bank and earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly income.
“He submitted similar fraudulent applications to other financial institutions, stealing millions of dollars in the process,” prosecutors said.
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