TAMPA, Fla. — David Taylor, who calls himself “Apostle” and “Jesus’s best friend” and claims God has given him “the keys to the Kingdom on Earth,” was accused of using his Christian church for crimes, according to federal agents who estimated his “ministry” had received about $50 million in donations since 2014.
To raise money, some of which supported Taylor’s “extravagant” lifestyle, his Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International, set up call centers, including two in Florida, according to federal prosecutors.
The call centers and “ministry” properties in Florida were a 10-bedroom mansion with a pool on a 5.9-acre lot at 706 Guisando De Avila in Tampa, and a 7-bedroom mansion with a tennis court on a 3.4-acre lot at 1280 SW 38 St. in Ocala, according to the federal grand jury’s 10-count indictment.
“Repent now [racial slur] All of you get on your knees now and repent !! NOW !! You have pushed God and I too far !! ... IM DONE!! EVERYONE GO INTO THE TAMPA GARAGE TONIGHT!! THIS WILL NEVER STOP UNTIL YOU CHANGE COMPLETETLY,” Taylor wrote to the call center workers tasked with raising donations, according to the grand jury’s indictment.
The FBI announced the arrests of Taylor, 53, in Durham, North Carolina, and his assistant Michelle Brannon on Aug. 27 in Tampa after accusing them of forced labor and money laundering.
“JUDGEMENT - These numbers are bad !! .. 7 of the top closers need to go in the garage in tampa now !! .. Also I want food taken away ... Michele deal out consequences to all the closers .. that are not bringing in their amount,” Taylor wrote, according to the indictment. “Garage in tampa and take away food now !!”
Over the years, some of the funds were used to buy or lease a Mercedes Benz, a Bentley Continental, a Crownline Boat, a Bentley Mulsanne, ATVs, Jet Skis, and a Rolls Royce Cullinan, according to federal investigators.
“Armor Bearers” escorted women from “ministry” houses, airports, and other locations to meet with Taylor and ensured they took Plan B emergency contraceptives, according to investigators, who included FBI special agents from Tampa and Jacksonville, and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation.
“The proceeds funded an alleged human trafficking ring and supported a luxury lifestyle under the guise of a religious ministry,” Karen Wingerd, the special agent in charge of IRS-CI said in a statement after the arrests.
The Tampa Bay Times reported on Saturday that the church “accused of slave labor in Florida” was still operating the 24-hour miracle prayer line.
Taylor and Brannon faced charges of money laundering, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and eight counts of forced labor.
Federal investigators asked anyone with information about this or other human trafficking cases to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
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