TAMPA, Fla. – Two church leaders have been arrested in an alleged multi-million-dollar conspiracy after multiple FBI raids across the country on Wednesday morning, including one in Hillsborough County’s exclusive Avila neighborhood.
Arrests of Michelle Brannon and David Taylor
What we know:
The U.S. Department of Justice says Michelle Brannon, 56, was arrested at a mansion near Tampa, while David Taylor, 53, was arrested in North Carolina.
According to the DOJ, Taylor and Brannon are the leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI). Taylor refers to himself as “Apostle” and to Brannon as his Executive Director.
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.
Pictured: FBI raid of home in Avila neighborhood.
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 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.
‘Going on right in your backyard’
What they’re saying:
Neighbors in Avila told FOX 13 they were stunned to see federal investigators in their community.
“It’s very surprising to hear that type of thing was going on right in your backyard,” said Sheilah Mauldin.
Mauldin said the mansion that was raided is among the largest she’s seen in the neighborhood. According to records, it’s a 10-bedroom, 10.5-bathroom, 28,000-square-foot home sitting on about six acres. It was last sold in 2022 for more than $8 million.
Mauldin said community members were surprised when Taylor purchased the home.
“Everyone was like, how could a pastor afford to live in a house like that? I mean, even some of the people who live there couldn’t afford to live in that particular house in there,” she said. “I hope it’s not true, but if it is, you know he deserves everything he’s going to get.”
Federal authorities haven’t said whether human trafficking victims were rescued from the home. What appeared to be a federal command center was set up at nearby St. Joseph’s Hospital North in Lutz.
Human trafficking advocates said, if there were victims in the home, they’d likely be taken to a hospital for treatment.
“Those who have been trafficked, there’s going to be tremendous trauma associated with it,” said Clara Reynolds, CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, adding there’s a lesson every community can learn about being vigilant. “If this can happen in one of our most affluent zip codes in Hillsborough County. It can happen in your backyard. It can happen in my backyard.”
FBI raids
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.
Investigators arrested Taylor on Wednesday morning in North Carolina, while SWAT and FBI agents also raided a hotel owned by the church in Houston.
What’s next:
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.
The Source: This story was written with information provided by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice.
