Lamor Whitehead, the Brooklyn pastor known for his larger-than-life lifestyle, has been found guilty of wire fraud, attempted extortion, and lying to the FBI.
In a federal courtroom on March 11, Whitehead was found guilty of five counts after the trial began in late February 2024. Prosecutors argued the pastor of Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries boasted about a friendship with NYC Mayor Eric Adams and let his greed take over as he scammed the retirement savings of one church member and attempted to extort a businessman.
He also allegedly lied to FBI agents in denying he had a second cell phone.
Prosecutors allege that Whitehead scammed Pauline Anderson out of $90,000 of retirement savings by falsely promising to find her a home and invest the remaining balance in his real estate business. Instead, he spent the money on himself, mainly on luxury goods and clothing.
Upon taking the stand on Feb. 27, Anderson described Whitehead as a trusted “mentor and spiritual adviser”
to her son.“I trusted him,” Anderson testified tearfully. “He said he had real estate experience. He was a man of God — he prayed for me in earnest. I believe in God, so I believed he would honestly help me to get this house.”
Bronx businessman Brandon Belmonte accused Whitehead of convincing him to loan $500,000 after mentioning that Mayor Adams was his “key to the city” and that he could assist with stop-work orders on a property the two were in talks of purchasing. Adams and the pastor formed a mentor-mentee relationship during Adams’ tenure as Brooklyn’s borough president.
Known as the “Bling Bishop,” Whitehead pleaded not guilty to all charges but gave a teary-eyed sermon on March 10 before hearing the verdict. “This is a time where we rejoice in the Lord; this is not a time to be sad. I know I got choked up a little bit, but just thinking about the goodness, not thinking about the badness, it was the goodness,” he said.
“There are always going to be people who wish on your downfall. But just understand that God will step up. Don’t worry about tomorrow because we know who holds tomorrow. Amen.”
Whitehead’s lawyer, Dawn Florio, said they would appeal the verdict after telling the jury that evidence against her client didn’t support the charges.
The Canarsie,
Brooklyn-based preacher’s exuberant lifestyle came to light in July 2022, after he was the victim of an armed robbery during his live-streamed church service, where the thieves got away with $1 million worth of jewelry. Following the theft, Whitehead continued to drive around in a Rolls-Royce, and records show that he lived in a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey.