Bishop Lamor Whitehead, a Brooklyn preacher who went viral for his lavish lifestyle and was dubbed the "Bling Bishop," has been convicted of fraud, attempted extortion, and lying to the FBI by a judge.
On Monday, a Manhattan jury found Whitehead guilty on all counts, including wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, and attempted extortion, according to the New York Post. Whitehead was accused of defrauding an elderly parish member named Pauline Anderson and trying to extort a Bronx businessman named Brandon Belmonte through his connections with Mayor Eric Adams.
According to federal prosecutors, Whitehead reportedly stole $90,000 from Anderson after he promised to buy her a home and renovate it if she produced the large sum. He took the money for personal expenses at Louis Vuitton, Footlocker, car payments and more.
In Belmonte's case, prosecutors stated Whitehead asked him for $500,000 in exchange for favors from the mayor. Whitehead claimed he was close with Adams, whom he considered a mentor that would do whatever he wanted.
To make matters worse, Whitehead was charged with making a false statement after lying to the FBI about how many phones were in his possession after they got a search warrant regarding the fraud investigation.
"[Whitehead] lied, cheated, and stole to keep up a wealthy appearance," Prosecutor Jessica Greenwood said last month. She also stated Whitehead "used lies and threats to get money from his victims, and when lies caught up to him, he lied to the FBI."
Whitehead was first arrested on these charges back in December 2022. His sentencing is scheduled for July 1, and he is facing a lot of time behind bars.
Whitehead is the pastor of the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie, Brooklyn, and has become known for his lavish fashion and glimmering jewelry. Things went awry for him in July 2022 when Whitehead and his wife were robbed at gunpoint while he was performing a sermon.
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