TAMPA, Fla. — A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan served a 10-count indictment against two self-proclaimed religious leaders for their alleged roles in a forced labor and money laundering conspiracy that victimized people in Florida, Michigan, Texas and Missouri.
According to a release from the Department of Justice, 53-year-old David Taylor and 56-year-old Michelle Brannon were arrested Wednesday, Aug. 27 in North Carolina and Florida. The indictment alleges Taylor and Brannon are the leaders of the Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), formerly Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI).
WATCH: Tampa Bay 28 reporter Erik Waxler has more
The DOJ said Taylor and Brannon's organization ran a call center that solicited donations for the KOGGC/JMMI.
Taylor and Brannon, according to the indictment, compelled their victims to work at their call centers and to work for Taylor as his “armor bearers.” Armor bearers were Taylor’s personal servants who fulfilled Taylor’s demands.
Taylor and Brannon required victims to work in the call centers long hours without pay or perform other services for Taylor, according to the indictment.
The report alleges that Taylor demanded that his "armor bearers" transport women from ministry houses, airports and other locations to Taylor, and ensured the women took Plan B emergency contraceptives.
In addition, according to the indictment, Taylor set unattainable donation goals for victims working in the call centers, and if victims disobeyed an order or failed to reach his monetary goals, Taylor and Brannon punished the victims with public humiliation, additional work, food and shelter restrictions, psychological abuse, forced repentance, sleep deprivation, physical assaults, and threats of divine judgment in the form of sickness, accidents and eternal damnation.
Meanwhile, we wanted to find out more about how people fall victim to situations like this, so I met with Laura Henderson, a survivor of human trafficking and now an advocate for others at Bridging Freedom.
“My heart goes out to the victims, what they had to endure," she said.
Henderson said it appears in this case people with devout religious beliefs were preyed upon.
“If that is what you live and breathe by, your religion, your beliefs. It’s what you walk and talk and there’s so many ways that can be exploited.”
Henderson also says awareness of human trafficking is a big part of stopping it.
And This case shows it can be happening in the unlikeliest of places.
“Anyone can be a victim. Any group can be a victimized over time through manipulation and forced fraud and coercion.”
KOGGC/JMMI received millions of dollars in donations each year through its call centers. Taylor and Brannon used much of the money to purchase luxury properties, luxury vehicles, and sporting equipment such as a boat, jet skis, and ATVs. In total, Taylor received approximately $50 million in donations since 2014, according to the report.
Defendant David Taylor was scheduled to appear on the indictment Wednesday in Durham, North Carolina. Defendant Michelle Brannon was ordered to be detained on the indictment in Tampa, Florida.
Michelle Brannon is currently being held in the Pinellas County Jail.
Upon conviction, officials said the alleged crimes carry the following penalties:
Conspiracy to Commit Forced Labor: up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.
Forced Labor: up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000.
Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering: up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine up to $500,000 or twice the value of the properties involved in the money laundering transactions.
FBI Tampa said there was law enforcement activity at a church-owned mansion in the Avila Community in Tampa earlier on Wednesday.
The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser confirmed the mansion, located at 706 Guisando De Avila, is owned by The Kingdom of God Global Church.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll free at 1-888-373-7888, which operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Further information is available here. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found here.
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