What you should know
- A Brooklyn preacher known for his flashy lifestyle and who boasted of his friendship with the mayor of New York City was found guilty Monday in federal court of wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to the FBI.
- Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 47, was found guilty on five counts following a trial in federal court in Manhattan that began late last month. Prosecutors had argued that the preacher exaggerated his ties to Mayor Eric Adams and let greed get the best of him as he looted a parishioner’s retirement savings and tried to extort a businessman to fuel his lavish lifestyle.
- In an Instagram Story she posted Tuesday, Miller-Whitehead said the FBI asked her to be an informant “against New York Mayor Eric Adams. And the FBI said they’re going to make my life hell.” She did not elaborate on what the FBI allegedly wanted her to tell them about the mayor.
NEW YORK — A Brooklyn preacher known for his flashy lifestyle and who boasted of his friendship with the mayor of New York City was found guilty Monday in federal court of wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to the FBI. .
Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 47, was found guilty on five counts following a trial in federal court in Manhattan that began late last month. Prosecutors had argued that the preacher exaggerated his ties to Mayor Eric Adams and let greed get the best of him as he looted a parishioner’s retirement savings and tried to extort a businessman to fuel his lavish lifestyle.
He was also accused of lying to FBI agents by denying that he had a second cell phone.
“Whitehead abused the trust placed in him by a parishioner, attempted to obtain a fraudulent loan using false bank records, intimidated a businessman for $5,000, attempted to defraud him of much more than that, and lied to federal agents,” the court said. federal prosecutor. Damian Williams.
In an Instagram Story she posted Tuesday, Miller-Whitehead said the FBI asked her to be an informant “against New York Mayor Eric Adams. And the FBI said they’re going to make my life hell.” She did not elaborate on what the FBI allegedly wanted her to tell them about the mayor.
Adams approached Miller-Whitehead while he was serving as Brooklyn borough president. Adams, a former police captain, has since said that he spent decades enforcing the law and expects everyone to follow it.
An attorney for Miller-Whitehead, Dawn Florio, said they are appealing the verdict. She had told jurors during the trial that the evidence against her client did not support the charges.
Miller-Whitehead made headlines in July when armed bandits broke into her church service and stole $1 million in jewelry. The jewelry theft was captured on the church’s live stream as he delivered his sermon. One of the men accused of the robbery was killed by US Marshals at a New Jersey hotel in January.
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 home in Paramus, New Jersey. He also owned apartment buildings in Hartford, Connecticut.
Prosecutors alleged that Miller-Whitehead defrauded a parishioner, Pauline Anderson, of $90,000 in retirement savings by falsely promising that he would find her a house and invest the rest in his real estate business. Prosecutors say he instead spent the money on luxury items and clothing at Louis Vuitton and Foot Locker, and even used her money to make payments on her car.
“It’s been a long time coming and we are very happy to see that today’s verdict was guilty,” said Rasheed Anderson, the victim’s son.
He was also accused of trying to convince a businessman to loan him $500,000 and give him a stake in real estate deals by claiming that his ties to city officials could lead to a deal favorable to the businessman’s interests.
Sentencing for Miller-Whitehead is scheduled for July 1. She faces up to 45 years in prison.
2024-03-12 22:40:50
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