June 18th 2024.
Lamor Whitehead, also known as the "Bling Bishop," has been making headlines for all the wrong reasons. The 45-year-old pastor of Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Brooklyn was recently sentenced to nine years in federal prison for wire fraud, attempted extortion, and making false statements to law enforcement.
The news of Whitehead's verdict and sentence was announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York on June 17. U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield gave the final ruling, putting an end to Whitehead's various fraudulent schemes.
According to U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, Whitehead is a con man who has swindled millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims, including one of his own parishioners. He not only lied to federal agents but also continued to deceive the court during his trial. Williams emphasized that this sentence serves as a reminder that those who abuse their positions of trust will be held accountable.
In addition to the prison term, Whitehead has also been ordered to pay $85,000 in restitution and forfeit $95,000. He will also serve three years of supervised release after completing his sentence.
The charges against Whitehead stemmed from a series of financial frauds, including the scamming of a church member's retirement savings, attempted extortion of a businessman, and loan fraud. Prosecutors presented evidence that the bishop had convinced one of his church members to invest her retirement savings of $90,000 with him, promising to help her buy a home. However, Whitehead used the money for his personal expenses and luxury items, refusing to return the funds when the member requested them.
In another instance, Whitehead extorted $5,000 from a businessman and then attempted to extort an additional $500,000 from the same person. He disguised the extortion as a loan and promised the victim a share in real estate deals. The bishop even used his relationship with Mayor Eric Adams to deceive his victims.
Furthermore, Whitehead submitted a falsified application for a $250,000 business loan, claiming to have millions of dollars in bank assets and hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly revenue. However, his lies were uncovered, and he was eventually convicted.
After the verdict, Whitehead's attorney, Dawn Florio, announced that they would be appealing the decision. It remains to be seen if the appeal will be successful, but for now, the consequences of Whitehead's actions have caught up with him.
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