Bishop robbed of more than $1m worth of jewelry in the middle of church service


Bishop robbed of more than $1m worth of jewelry in the middle of church service​


Lamor Whitehead was mid-sermon when a gunmen entered the Leader’s of Tomorrow International Ministry church.

A Brooklyn bishop and his wife were robbed at gun-point of more than $1m worth of jewelry during a live-streamed church service on Sunday, police say.

Bishop Lamor Whitehead was delivering a sermon when three armed men burst into the Leader’s of Tomorrow International Ministry in Canarsie at around 11.15am, the NYPD said in a statement
Mr Whitehead can be heard saying “alright alright”, seen putting his hands up and then getting down on the ground as a masked assailant appears onscreen in the live-streamed footage, obtained by ABC7.

The men demanded jewelry from Mr Whitehead, 44, and his 38-year-old wife, police said.

In an Instagram post after the incident, Mr Whitehead said: “When I see them come into the sanctuary with their guns, I told everybody to get out, everybody just get out.

I didn’t know if they wanted to shoot the church up or if they were just coming for a robbery.”

Mr Whitehead said the men took all of his and his wife’s jewelry, including his wedding band.

The suspects fled the church on foot, got into a white Mercedes Benz and were last seen traveling eastbound on Avenue D, police said.

In the Instagram post, Mr Whitehead said he tried to chase the men out of the church after they fled.

Many in the congregation had been left traumatised by the incident, including his young daughter.
To the women in my ministry, to see tears in your eyes, to see the hurt, and the pain, and the violation. Thank you for continuing to trust the mission.”

He also criticised those who accused him of “scamming” churchgoers.
Screen_Shot_2022-07-25_at_9.10.10_AM.pngScreen_Shot_2022-07-25_at_9.10.38_AM.png Its not about me being flashy. It’s about me purchasing what I want to purchase,” he said. “Y’all not gonna tear me down by your childish thoughts. I’m going to stay focused.”

Mr Whitehead appealed for information in apprehending the assailants, and said he was already receiving tips.

Estimates of the value of the stolen jewelry were initially reported as being worth approximately $400,000.

No-one was injured in the robbery, police said.
I didn’t know if they wanted to shoot the church up or if they were just coming for a robbery.”

Mr Whitehead said the men took all of his and his wife’s jewelry, including his wedding band.
 



Flashy Brooklyn bishop Lamor Miller-Whitehead defends lifestyle after $1M jewelry heist​



By
Joshua Rhett Miller,

Reuven Fenton,

Joe Marino and

Gabrielle Fonrouge


July 25, 2022 1:13pm
Updated









Pastor and churchgoers robbed during live-streamed services Sunday



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The flashy Brooklyn bishop known for flaunting his Gucci suits, diamond-encrusted chains and stable of luxury vehicles says it’s not his fault he was targeted in a $1 million jewelry heist.
Bishop Lamor Miller-Whitehead – who’s cozy with Mayor Adams and previously did five years in prison for identity fraud and grand larceny – insisted on Instagram that his public displays of wealth didn’t lead to Sunday’s gunpoint robbery during his live-streamed service in Canarsie.
“It’s not about me being flashy,” said the Rolls Royce-driving clergyman, 44, in a video shortly after three thieves robbed him and his wife in the middle of his sermon at the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries.
“It’s about me purchasing what I want to purchase. It’s my prerogative to purchase what I want to purchase.”
The bishop said he can’t be blamed for standing out in the community, given his status, as critics suggested his “blinged-out’’ look could have made him an outsized target.
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“Sometimes when you’re a known bishop, it’s a gift and a curse,” Miller-Whitehead said. “You become the talk of the town.”


At the time of the robbery, Miller-Whitehead and his wife were wearing more than $1 million in jewels and gold.

Miller-Whitehead, 44, recalled how he reacted to the armed heist in two lengthy Instagram videos posted later Sunday while describing “how the devil moves” in reference to his attackers.Miller-Whitehead, 44, recalled how he reacted to the armed heist in two lengthy Instagram videos posted later Sunday while describing “how the devil moves” in reference to his attackers.Instagram/@iambishopwhitehead
The thieves made off a treasure trove of items totaling $1,060,000: $75,000 Rolex watch, $75,000 Cavalier watch, $25,000 Episcopal ruby and diamond ring, $25,000 Episcopal diamond ring, $25,000 pair of earrings, $20,000 diamond and emerald cross, $20,000 Episcopal ring, $20,000 Episcopal cross and a $10,000 Episcopal gold cross.


“When I see them come into the sanctuary with their guns, I told everybody [to] get down, everybody just get down,” Miller-Whitehead said in one of two lengthy Instagram videos he posted late Sunday.


“I didn’t know if they wanted to shoot the church up or if they were just coming for a robbery.”

[IMG alt="The trio of suspects bandits took $1 million worth of jewelry from Bishop Lamor Whitehead and his wife as he was giving his sermon, according to the NYPD.
"]https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/07/biashop-lamarwhitehead-robbed-002.jpg?w=1024[/IMG]
The trio of suspects bandits took $1 million worth of jewelry from Bishop Lamor Whitehead and his wife as he was giving his sermon, according to the NYPD. Three masked men on Sunday robbed the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Brooklyn, the NYPD said.Three masked men on Sunday robbed the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Brooklyn, the NYPD said.
The suspects were all wearing masks, but Miller-Whitehead said he could see their faces.


“They took all of my wife’s jewelry and took all of my jewelry, and then they left,” the bishop said, pointing out that he was even robbed of his wedding band and the debacle left his congregants “traumatized.”



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“However, these young men didn’t know that cameras were on, and we know what car you were driving.”


The three suspects fled in a white Mercedes, Miller-Whitehead said. He said he saw them change their clothes in the car as he futilely ran after them. They are still in the wind, police said Monday.

Bishop Lamor Whitehead arrives at the 5th Precinct.Miller-Whitehead downplayed criticism over his blinged-out look with “material things” that might have made him an outsized target.Robert Miller
“For you to kick in a church door and come with guns in the middle of service – what God is gonna do to y’all is above my paygrade,’’ the bishop said of the suspects while shaking his head.


Miller-Whitehead, who said he understands the “rules of the streets,” called on the public to submit any tips to the NYPD.


The flashy pastor has had ties to Adams since at least 2013 and last made headlines in May when he tried to negotiate the surrender of an accused subway shooter and claimed to have spoken with Hizzoner while the suspect was on the loose.

Bishop Lamor M. Whitehead and IDK attend IDK's Listening Party at Sei Less on April 28, 2022 in New York City.Miller-Whitehead and his wife were wearing a $390,000 Cuban link chain, a $200,000 men’s gold chain and a pair of his and hers wedding rings worth $175,000 during the robbery.WireImage
He appeared at more than a dozen high-profile events that Adams attended during Adams’ tenure as the Brooklyn borough president, and in 2016, the then-BP introduced Miller-Whitehead as “my good friend and good brother” at a concert in East Flatbush.


At the time, The Post reported that Miller-Whitehead was buoyed by Adams’ support, which helped him promote and raise money for Leaders of Tomorrow Brooklyn, a for-profit firm launched in 2014 that was billed as a youth mentorship non-profit.


But the firm came under scrutiny when it claimed to have partnered with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, the NYPD and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, organizations that claimed at the time to have no ties to the clergyman’s group.

WhiteheadMiller-Whitehead said he saw the burglars change their clothes in the car as he futilely ran after them.Bishop Lamor Whitehead
 






Flashy NYC bishop robbed in $400K jewelry heist during livestreamed service​



By
Tina Moore


July 24, 2022 5:42pm
Updated









Pastor and churchgoers robbed during live-streamed services Sunday




A flashy Brooklyn bishop was robbed in the middle of his livestreamed service Sunday when gun-toting crooks accosted him at the podium before fleeing with $400,000 in jewelry, cops said.
Rolls-Royce-driving Bishop Lamor Whitehead last made news in May, when he tried to negotiate the surrender of an accused subway shooter but authorities separately nabbed the suspect.
On Sunday, Whitehead was in the middle of his sermon at the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie around 11:14 a.m. when three masked gunmen burst in, police said.
“How many of you have lost your faith because you saw somebody else die?” Whitehead asked his congregation — right before spotting the armed intruders.
“All right, all right,” Whitehead then said several times before hitting the floor on his hands and knees.
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The men took $400,000 worth of jewelry from Whitehead, his wife and possibly churchgoers, according to police. Whitehead, dressed in a maroon suit with a gold-trimmed collar and sleeve cuffs, was wearing a long gold chain and a large ring on each finger at the time.

A robber passes in front of the camera.Three masked men robbed the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries on Sunday. Whitehead notices the robbers.The bandits took $400,000 worth of jewelry from Bishop Lamor Whitehead, his wife and possibly churchgoers as he was giving his sermon. Whitehead gets on the floor.The mass was being livestreamed when the robbery took place.
The robbers fled East on Avenue D after the crime.


Two months ago, Whitehead had said he was trying to negotiate the surrender of Andrew Abdullah, 25, in the fatal shooting of Goldman Sachs employee Daniel Enriquez aboard a Manhattan-bound Q train.

Facebook images showing Bisho Lamor Whitehead with his wife Asian Dod Reis Whitehead.Whitehead last made news in May when he tried to negotiate the surrender of an accused subway shooter but authorities separately nabbed the suspect.facebook Bishop Lamor Whitehead arrives at the 5th Precinct to negotiate the surrender of murder suspect Andrew Abdullah Tuesday, May 24, 2022.  Whitehead showed up at the Fifth Precinct in a Rolls-Royce in May.Robert Miller



Whitehead showed up at the Fifth Precinct in a Rolls-Royce to supposedly usher in the surrender, but Abdullah was instead nabbed by cops at the Legal Aid Society offices in Manhattan.
 

Flashy NYC bishop who was robbed of $1M in jewelry allegedly stole $90K from congregant​



By
Priscilla DeGregory


July 28, 2022 4:29pm
Updated









Pastor and churchgoers robbed during live-streamed services Sunday





The flashy Brooklyn pastor who was robbed of more than $1 million in jewelry during a live-streamed church service was accused of stealing $90,000 from a congregant in a lawsuit filed last year.
Bishop Lamor Whitehead — who is known for flaunting his Gucci suits, diamond-encrusted chains and stable of luxury vehicles — allegedly has a history of grifting and even served time in prison for identity theft and grand larceny.
Pauline Anderson, 56, accused the Rolls-Royce driving clergyman of convincing her to liquidate her life savings and pay him a $90,000 “investment” in November 2020 with the promise that he would buy and renovate a home for her, according to her Brooklyn Supreme Court lawsuit.
Whitehead also agreed to pay Anderson $100 per month since the savings was her only source of income, says the suit, first reported by The City on Thursday.
Whitehead, 44, allegedly only made one of the $100 payments to Anderson in January 2021, and each time she asked about the status of her home in the following months, he repeatedly told her that he was tied up with his election campaign for Brooklyn Borough President, according to the lawsuit.
Ultimately, instead of helping Anderson find a home, Whitehead used the funds as down payment on the contract to purchase a $4.4 million home for himself in Saddle River, New Jersey, the suit alleges.
Brooklyn pastor Bishop Lamor Whitehead was accused by of stealing $90,000 from a congregant, according to a lawsuit.Brooklyn pastor Bishop Lamor Whitehead was accused of stealing $90,000 from a congregant, according to a lawsuit.Instagram/iambishopwhitehead
Pauline Anderson accused Whitehead of convincing her to give him her life savings as an “investment.”Instagram/iambishopwhitehead
Whitehead allegedly used Anderson's money for a down payment on a house for himself in Saddle River, New Jersey.Whitehead allegedly used Anderson’s money for a down payment on a house for himself in Saddle River, New Jersey.
Anderson — who was introduced to Whitehead through her son Rasheed Anderson in 2020 — only found out about the Saddle River home after Whitehead accidently sent an email to Rasheed about the purchase, the lawsuit says.
The Saddle River purchase didn’t go through. But Whitehead did buy a $4.5 million apartment complex in Hartford, Conn., according to The City.
Anderson said she was told she couldn’t get a mortgage because of her bad credit, which is when Whitehead stepped in with his offer to help, the lawsuit alleges.
Whitehead was robbed of $1 million in jewelry during a service at his Brooklyn church.Whitehead was robbed of $1 million in jewelry during a service at his Brooklyn church.Paul Martinka
Despite having “reservations” about handing over the hefty sum to Whitehead, Anderson went through with it “because he was a supposed man of the cloth and had previously helped her own son secure housing for himself,” the suit claims.
He later allegedly told her that he was investing the cash in his company, and had no obligation to pay it back, according to the suit.
“Ms. Anderson was instead left with nothing but a vague promise by Mr. Whitehead to pay the funds back in the future followed by an assertion that he had no further obligation to do so,” the filing charges.
The mansion in Paramus, New Jersey that reportedly belongs to Whitehead.The mansion in Paramus, New Jersey that reportedly belongs to Whitehead.Robert Miller
Anderson is seeking $1 million in damages for Whitehead’s “morally reprehensible acts,” and for “losing her entire life savings” the filing claims.
The case is still pending.



Whitehead has not filed any papers in the case nor has any lawyer appeared on his behalf, court records show.


The flamboyant pastor has had ties to Mayor Eric Adams since at least 2013 and last made headlines in May when he tried to negotiate the surrender of an accused subway shooter and claimed to have spoken with Hizzoner while the suspect was on the loose.


On Sunday, Whitehead was accosted during services at the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie by three gun-wielding men who made off with a treasure trove of items, including a $75,000 Rolex watch.


He later defended his lifestyle, saying that his public displays of wealth didn’t lead to the gunpoint robbery, as critics suggested his “blinged-out’’ look could have made him an outsize target.


Whitehead did not immediately return a message left at the congregation Thursday.


Anderson’s lawyers declined to comment since the lawsuit is still pending.
 



Flashy NYC Bishop Lamor Whitehead cuffed, let go after clash with woman at service​



By
Tina Moore and

Amanda Woods


September 19, 2022 11:35am
Updated





Bishop Lamor Whitehead was confronted by two women during a live-streamed service.
Bishop Lamor Whitehead was confronted by two women during a live-streamed service. Bishop Lamor M. Whitehead/Facebo




More On: robberies






Flashy Brooklyn Bishop Lamor Whitehead – who was famously robbed of more than $1 million in jewelry – was cuffed by cops and then released Sunday after a scuffle with a woman during a live-streamed service.
Whitehead was preaching on the stage of the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries on Remsen Avenue near Avenue D in Canarsie just before 11:30 a.m. Sunday when two women interrupted the service, he later said in a Facebook livestream.
Video from the service shows the clergyman wearing a blue-and-white patterned suit as he stood on stage repeatedly booming, “Let’s give Jesus a round of applause!” – before adding, “while they take pictures and they want to be with social media!”
He was apparently referring to two women in the audience — including one who suddenly entered the frame and walked right in front of him, seeming to point her finger in a different direction.
Police say the woman — who they identified as 47-year-old Tarsha Howard – had been recording the service and approached Whitehead “in an antagonizing manner.”
Whitehead quickly grabbed the woman and pushed her out of the frame, the video shows.
“Go over here,” he can be heard saying off-camera. “Grab her out, grab her out.
“Amen!” he declared. “You’re not going to come in my space! I feel threatened.”
Both Whitehead and Howard were initially taken into custody.Both Whitehead and the woman were initially taken into custody.Bishop Lamor M. Whitehead/Facebo
Both Whitehead and Howard were initially taken into custody and brought to the 69th Precinct.
While Howard was charged with trespass and disrupting a religious service, Whitehead – who police say “restrained” the arrested woman – was let go, cops said.
The second woman who allegedly interrupted the service remains at large, the clergyman said.
Whitehead, who served time in prison for identity theft and grand larceny, was previously robbed during a live-streamed service in July — with the crooks making off with more than an estimated $1 million in jewelry in the caught-on-camera caper.
The luxury-loving clergyman — who rides around in vehicles such as a Rolls Royce — has fought back against critics who blame his lavish lifestyle for attracting criminals.
The pastor – who wore two blinged-out watches and one ring with a large stone during Sunday’s service – said he was simply protecting his family by fighting back.
Whitehead said he was simply trying to protect his family and described the incident as a design and attack of the enemy.Whitehead said he was simply trying to protect his family and described the incident as a “design and attack of the enemy.”AP
“I’m going to protect my family,” he said in the Facebook livestream hours after the incident. “No one is going to come at my family, and no one is going to hurt my family ever again.
“The media has painted a picture of me being a villain, which I’m not,” Whitehead said.
He referred to the incident as a “design and attack of the enemy,” adding that “they’re not going to make my church uncomfortable to worship.”
He claimed that the two women were “sent by some bloggers” who he declined to name “because they’re nobodies.”
Whitehead recently filed twin $20 million lawsuits against a YouTuber named Jives, who has more than 80,000 subscribers, and another online personality, Larry Reid.
Whitehead said the two women were sent by some bloggers.Whitehead said the two women were “sent by some bloggers.”Getty Images for Jane Owen Publi
Both men publicly claimed Whitehead was a scammer, among other things, leading the plaintiff to lose “business deals, church members, and income,’’ the suits say.
Jives — whose full name is Demario Q. Jives — claimed on his YouTube channel last month that Whitehead “is wearing the same jewelry that [he] got robbed in” back in July, according to court papers filed in Kings County court on Friday.
Jives also allegedly accused Whitehead of “drug dealing” and collaborating with “the Bloods and Crypts.”
Whitehead has denied the claims and called the men’s allegations “all false,” defamatory and slanderous, according to his lawsuits
After his release Sunday, the pastor said the NYPD “failed me” for arresting him in the first place.
“They would have never [done] it to a rabbi. They would have never [done] it to a priest,” Whitehead said. “But because of the color of my skin, they arrested me. Not only did they arrest me, but when they put me into a police car, they injured my wrist.



“However, when they got me to the precinct, they put me in a cell, and then after [that], I was told the higher-ups — once they found out who was there – [they] came in and started to do some research. … And all of the charges were dropped on me. But you don’t get to arrest me for no reason.”


Whitehead is set to hold a press conference about the incident outside the 69th Precinct at noon Monday.
 



Feds arrest two men in robbery of flashy Brooklyn bishop​



By
Larry Celona,

Ben Feuerherd and

Jorge Fitz-Gibbon


September 28, 2022 11:49am
Updated









President Biden calls protesters 'outrageous'






















Two Brooklyn men were arrested by federal authorities Wednesday in the brazen live-streamed armed robbery of a flashy local bishop in July.
Juwan Anderson and Say-Quan Pollack, both 23, were picked up in Bedford Stuyvesant and hit with federal robbery charges for the July 24 stick-up of Bishop Lamor Whitehead, who was mid-sermon when he was accosted by the pair.
“Armed robbery is an intolerable crime, but to commit such an act during a religious service is incomprehensible,” Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement.
Anderson and Pollack were awaiting arraignment. One more suspect was still being sought, prosecutors said.
“They caught the robbers, the ones that robbed my church July 24,” Whitehead said in a Facebook post after the arrests were announced. “I’m going to be the first to let you guys know that God is amazing.”
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The suspects were charged in federal court under the US Hobbs Act, which criminalizes robbery and extortion which interferes with interstate commerce — in this case because some out-of-state donations were used to purchase the stolen items, sources said.

Footage shows the suspects wearing black sweaters on their way to Bishop Lamor Whitehead’s church in Canarsie, Brooklyn.Footage shows the suspects wearing black sweaters on their way to Bishop Lamor Whitehead’s church in Canarsie, Brooklyn.NYPD Cops released video showing the suspects involved in the robbery of flashy Brooklyn bishop Lamor WhiteheadFederal authorities have nabbed two suspects in the armed robbery of Bishop Lamor Whitehead.NYPD The alleged robbers apparently made off with $1 million in loot.The alleged robbers apparently made off with $1 million in loot. The suspects pulled off their heist while Bishop Lamor Whitehead delivered a sermon.The suspects pulled off their heist while Bishop Lamor Whitehead delivered a sermon.
Footage of the heist showed Whitehead hitting the floor after the thieves stormed his Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie and made off with $1 million in loot.


The robbers allegedly took, among other valuables, the bishop’s $75,000 Rolex watch, a $75,000 Cavalier watch and a $25,000 ruby and diamond ring.


Earlier this month, the outspoken minister lashed out at the NYPD, saying he didn’t think cops believed him and thought he had staged the robbery.

Bishop Lamor Whitehead arrives at the 5th Precinct to negotiate the surrender of murder suspect Andrew Abdullah Tuesday, May 24, 2022.Bishop Lamor Whitehead accused authorities of believing he staged the grand robbery.Robert Miller
“The gunmen put a gun in my 8-month-old baby’s face,” he said then. “So now, why would they respect me and my church if they feel I’m a criminal?”



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Whitehead’s comments came after another live-streamed incident, in which he was seen shoving a woman who interrupted his services on Sept. 18 — an incident which saw the bishop get handcuffed and briefly questioned at the local police precinct.


Cops later let him go without charges.
 

NYC’s ‘bling’ Bishop Lamor Whitehead hit with federal charges for fraud schemes​



By
Ben Feuerherd and

Kyle Schnitzer


December 19, 2022 12:14pm
Updated




“Bling” Bishop Lamor Whitehead — the flashy Brooklyn pastor who was robbed at gunpoint during a church service earlier this year— was arrested by federal agents Monday for allegedly scamming a member of his congregation, among other charges.
Whitehead — who preaches a “prosperity gospel,” drives a Rolls-Royce and often wears pricey jewelry and Gucci suits — was indicted on two counts of wire fraud, one count of extortion, and one count of making material false statements for lying to the FBI, federal prosecutors said.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 65 years in prison.
The feds allege Whitehead, 44, swindled one of his parishioners out of $90,000 of her retirement savings by promising to use the cash to buy her a home — and instead blowing it on luxury goods and clothing, according to the indictment.
In another alleged scheme, he extorted a businessman for $5,000 and asked the man to lend him $500,000 — promising he could “obtain favorable actions by the New York City government” in exchange for the cash and interest in real estate transactions, the indictment states.


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Lamor Whitehead leaves federal court after his arraignment on Monday.
Lamor Whitehead leaves federal court after his arraignment on Monday. Gregory P. Mango

Whitehead, pictured with his lawyer Dawn Florio, faces a maximum of 65 years in prison.
Whitehead, pictured with his lawyer Dawn Florio, faces a maximum of 65 years in prison. Gregory P. Mango

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bishop-fraud-045.jpg
Whitehead was released on $500K bond. Gregory P. Mango

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“His campaign of fraud and deceit stops now,” US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement after Whitehead’s arrest.


“If you are willing to attempt to obtain funds through false promises or threats, the FBI will ensure that you are made to face the consequences for your actions in our criminal justice system,” FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll added in a statement.


Whitehead pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Manhattan federal court and was released on $500,000 bond.


The preacher, who lives in New Jersey, will also have his travel restricted to the tri-state area as part of his bond package.


Outside of court, Whitehead, wearing a white sweatshirt, cap and camouflage pants stood by his attorney, Dawn Florio, who said her client denied the charges.

Lamor WhiteheadWhitehead faces a maximum of 65 years in prison for the charges.Paul Martinka
“We are vigorously going to defend these accusations. We feel that he is being targeted and he is being turned from a victim into a villain,” Florio said.


“This all stems out of a civil lawsuit that is being handled in civil court. He will be vindicated,” she added.


Florio appeared to be referring to a 2021 Brooklyn Supreme Court suit brought by parishioner Pauline Anderson, 56, who accused Whitehead of swindling her out of her life savings.


Anderson says Whitehead convinced her to liquidate her life savings and pay him a $90,000 “investment” in November 2020 with the promise that he would buy and renovate a home for her. Instead, he used the funds for a down payment on a $4.4 million home for himself in Saddle River, NJ, the suit alleges.

Lamor WhiteheadBrooklyn Bishop Lamor Whitehead is known for riding around in a Rolls Royce.Paul Martinka
Whitehead made headlines earlier this year when three suspects burst into his church, Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie, during a live-streamed service and robbed him at gunpoint of jewelry estimated to be worth up to $1 million.


Two men, Juwan Anderson and Say-Quan Pollack, both 23, were charged in Brooklyn federal court for the brazen July 23 stick-up. Their trials are scheduled to begin early next year.


The flamboyant pastor has had ties to Mayor Eric Adams since at least 2013 and also made headlines in May when he tried to negotiate the surrender of an accused subway shooter and claimed to have spoken with Hizzoner while the suspect was on the loose.


Whitehead was convicted of identity theft charges brought by state prosecutors in 2006 for using the personal information of several people to buy cars and motorcycles.




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Whitehead's ring
Whitehead drives a Rolls-Royce and often wears pricey jewelry and Gucci suits. Paul Martinka

Whitehead's expensive watch
“His campaign of fraud and deceit stops now,” US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement after Whitehead’s arrest. Paul Martinka





He was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison, but was released for good behavior in 2013.





Whitehead, who faces a number of civil suits, launched an unsuccessful campaign for Brooklyn borough president in 2021 – and one of his former campaign workers now claims he stiffed him out of $56,000.


He called the campaign worker’s suit “frivolous.”
 



NYC’s ‘Bling Bishop’ Lamor Whitehead declares innocence on fraud charges in bizarre online rant​



By
Jorge Fitz-Gibbon


December 20, 2022 7:38pm
Updated















Controversial Brooklyn Bishop Lamor Whitehead proclaimed his innocence to newly filed federal fraud and extortion charges Tuesday in a bizarre Instagram rant urging supporters, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.”
“The bishop is not guilty, and I’m gonna fight it,” Whitehead, 44, declared during the 15-minute Instagram video, which shows him sitting on a plush white couch in front of two studio portraits of himself.
“Ain’t nothing changed. I’m still the same bishop,” he said. “And I’ll say it again. Just because you were arrested doesn’t make you guilty. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid. I’m telling you all. You drunk it already. Don’t drink it again. Give it time.”
Whitehead, who retreated to his gaudy New Jersey McMansion after being released on a $500,000 bond late Monday, likened his current dilemma to the fallout from his claims that he was robbed at gunpoint during a live sermon in July.
Critics questioned whether the pastor staged the robbery — until two men were charged.
Bishop Lamor Whitehead leaves federal court after his arraignment.Controversial Brooklyn Bishop Lamor Whitehead proclaimed his innocence to newly filed federal fraud and extortion charges Tuesday. Gregory P. Mango The bishop is not guilty, and I'm gonna fight it, Whitehead, 44, declared during the 15-minute Instagram video.“The bishop is not guilty, and I’m gonna fight it,” Whitehead, 44, declared during the 15-minute Instagram video.iambishopwhitehead/Instagram Flashy Brooklyn BishopBishop Lamor Whitehead is facing extortion and fraud charges.Paul Martinka





“I want you to just do some research,” Whitehead said on Instagram Tuesday. “Don’t let the media shape your mind. Ya’ll did that when my church got robbed.
“Y’all allowed the media, ya’ll allowed what people said, ya’ll allowed the things that they brought up, ya’ll allowed everything to confuse you,” he said. “Do your research.”
The flamboyant minister, who has a penchant for designer clothes, shiny jewelry and motors around town in a Rolls Royce, has been embroiled in controversy for years.
While boasting a friendship with Mayor Eric Adams, Whitehead was convicted in state court of identity theft charges in 2006 and served seven years in prison.
In the new federal indictment, he is charged with bilking a parishioner out of $90,000 intended to buy her a new home and extorting $5,000 from a local businessman.


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Bishop Lamor Whitehead with his lawyer Dawn Florio leaving court Tuesday.
In a bizarre Instagram rant, he urged supporters, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid.” Gregory P. Mango

Whitehead likened his current dilemma to the fallout from his claims that he was robbed at gunpoint during a live sermon in July.
Whitehead retreated to his gaudy New Jersey McMansion after being released on a $500,000 bond late Monday. Gregory P. Mango



He has been known to have a penchant for designer clothes, shiny jewelry and motors around town in a Rolls Royce.
The flamboyant minister has been embroiled in controversy for years. Gregory P. Mango





He’s also facing numerous civil lawsuits.


Despite the new legal challenge, Whitehead remained defiant, describing himself as, “a man of excellence, a man of integrity.”



be fighting me like he is,” Whitehead said. “So, I want you guys to keep me in your prayers and also I’m not listening to the noise.


“Ya’ll did that to me before,” he continued. “All of the bloggers everybody with their own way of telling the story. That don’t matter to me. I’m not giving you no light.”
 



















NYC Bishop Lamor Whitehead faked bank records to finance NJ mansion: feds​



By
Ben Feuerherd


March 8, 2023 12:59pm
Updated













Controversial Brooklyn Bishop Lamor Whitehead fabricated bank records in an attempt to finance his million-dollar New Jersey mansion, federal prosecutors charged in a new indictment Wednesday.
To get a mortgage approved for the sprawling Paramus estate, Whitehead, 44, altered bank records to make it appear that an LLC he controlled had an average balance of more than $2 million — when it actually had less than $10, the feds allege.
The embattled church leader — who made headlines in 2022 when he was robbed at gunpoint of more than $1 million in jewels in front of his congregation — also allegedly created a fake bank account as part of the scheme to get the mortgage loan in 2019.
The pastor “fabricated bank records for AMS LLC, from at least in or about October 2018 up to and including … February 2019, in an effort to obtain a mortgage in excess of $1.3 million to fund [his] purchase of a home in Paramus, New Jersey,” Manhattan federal prosecutors wrote in the indictment.

Lamor WhiteheadWhitehead faces an additional count of wire fraud over fabricated bank statements related to an LLC. Paul Martinka
Whitehead, who was arrested by federal agents and hit with four charges in December 2022, was slapped with an additional count of wire fraud related to alleged fabricated information linked to the LLC.




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Lamor Whitehead

NYC’s ‘bling’ Bishop Lamor Whitehead hit with federal charges for fraud schemes​






The feds also allege he applied for a fraudulent $250,000 business loan using the LLC — Anointing Management Services — by similarly misrepresenting the finances of the company.


Whitehead was not granted the loan, according to the indictment. It’s unclear if the $1.3 million mortgage was approved.


Whitehead leads a small congregation in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn called Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries, where he preaches a “prosperity gospel” and asks his followers to “sow” — or donate money — to the church.


The pastor, who has ties to Mayor Eric Adams dating back to 2013, drives luxury cars and wears designer suits and pricey jewelry during his church services, as well as at his recent appearances in federal court.

Whitehead and Mayor AdamsWhitehead already faced a number of charges for alleged extortion and wire fraud. Instagram/iambishopwhitehead
After his arrest in December, The Post viewed a white Rolls-Royce SUV and a white Mercedes G Wagon parked in the driveway of his Paramus estate, which boasts six bedrooms and seven bathrooms.


Whitehead was previously charged for allegedly scamming a parishioner out of $90,000 and blowing it on luxury goods.


He also faces an extortion charge for another scam, in which he allegedly promised to use his influence to get “favorable actions” from the city in real estate deals.

Lamor Whitehead's houseWhitehead purchased the Paramus estate in 2019 and parks luxury cars in the driveway. Robert Miller
Whitehead was robbed at gunpoint while preaching at the small church by a trio of masked bandits who forced him to the floor during the caper. Two of the alleged robbers were charged in Brooklyn federal court and have pleaded not guilty.





Whitehead faces dozens of years in prison if he’s convicted on all counts.


“We are going to be fighting those allegations,” his attorney, Dawn Florio, said Wednesday. “Lamor Whitehead will be pleading not guilty when he is arraigned on the … indictment and denies those charges.”
 



Flashy NYC bishop Lamor Whitehead accused in $5M suit of locking congregation out of Brooklyn church​



By
Priscilla DeGregory


April 24, 2023 12:02pm
Updated














Flashy Brooklyn Bishop Lamor Whitehead has been sued for $5 million in an ongoing dispute with another congregation over claims he tried to kick them out of their house of worship, court papers show.
The embattled 44-year-old clergyman – who’s known for driving a Rolls-Royce and wearing pricey jewelry and Gucci suits – was slapped with the lawsuit in Brooklyn court last week by the Glory of God Global Ministry in Canarsie in legal fight over the congregation’s 5904 Foster Avenue property.
Whitehead is accused of buying the building at auction and then illegally changing the locks just weeks before Christmas, barring hundreds of members of the Glory of God from being able to attend Sunday services, AM New York first reported.
A judge sided with Glory of God in January, in a separate housing court case, allowing the ministry back into their building.
But now the Glory of God wants a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge to find Whitehead liable for breach of contract to the tune of $5 million for the alleged stunt.
The church also wants Whitehead to give up the property and “be forever barred from claiming ownership” of the building.
Whitehead bought the building for $1.94 million in February 2022 during a foreclosure auction. But a senior pastor at Glory of God fought the tax lien that prompted the foreclosure, claiming they never turned over the building to Whitehead. The congregation also claims Whitehead took over the building without a proper court order first, the outlet reported.

Lamor Whitehead during a sermon.Lamor Whitehead was sued by another congregation for $5 million in a property dispute.Gregory P. Mango Lamor WhiteheadThe flashy Brooklyn bishop allegedly illegally evicted congregants in December.Instagram/iambishopwhitehead
Whitehead – who was indicted on federal fraud charges in a separate case – filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and later argued that the declaration should put on hold any ruling in the housing court case, the news site reported.


Prosecutors claim that Whitehead scammed members of his own congregation, the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie, and doctored bank records so he could secure a loan for his million-dollar New Jersey mansion.


Whitehead – who has ties to Mayor Eric Adams – then filed a $200 million slander lawsuit against businessman Brandon Belmonte last month, claiming Belmonte’s statements in a New Yorker article lead to the federal case against him.

Lamor Whitehead's gold watch.Whitehead is frequently seen wearing fancy jewelry, driving a Rolls Royce and wearing Gucci suits.Paul Martinka



He also made headlines last year when he was robbed at gunpoint during a sermon that was being live streamed.


Whitehead’s lawyer Brian Ponder told The Post, the new case is “frivolous” and said once his client is served they will “move to dismiss it and seek sanctions against the plaintiff and its attorney.”
 





NYPD ID’s third suspect in brazen armed robbery of flashy bishop Lamor Whitehead​



By
Amanda Woods


June 28, 2023 2:35pm
Updated















The NYPD has identified a wanted third suspect in the brazen armed robbery of flashy Brooklyn Brooklyn bishop Lamor Whitehead during a live-streamed church service nearly a year ago.
Shamar Leggette, 41, was connected to the July 24, 2022, stick-up at Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie — in which masked bandits made off with more than $1 million in jewelry, police said Tuesday night as they released his mugshot.
Investigators were able to link him to the high-profile heist after reviewing video from the area, police sources said.
Just six months before the robbery in January 2022, Leggette was released on parole from state prison, where he was held on robbery, attempted murder, and weapons possession convictions, records show.
His parole expires in February 2024.

Mugshot of Shamar Leggette, 41.Parolee Shamar Leggette, 41, has been connected to the July 24 armed robbery at flashy Bishop Lamor Whitehead’s Canarsie church.NYPD
He previously served time for first-degree robbery from August 2003 to July 2010, according to the records.


Leggette’s alleged accomplices, Juwan Anderson, and Say-Quan Pollack, both 23, were picked up in Bedford-Stuyvesant in September and hit with federal robbery charges for the stick-up.


Anderson had his bond set at $50,000 during his arraignment. Pollak was ordered held without bail.

Footage of the moment flashy NYC bishop Lamor Whitehead was robbed in a $400K jewelry heist during a live-streamed serviceTwo suspects have already been arrested in connection to the high-end heist.
Both pleaded not guilty through their attorneys.


Footage of the heist showed Whitehead hitting the floor after the thieves stormed the church in the middle of the infamous pastor’s sermon.


The robbers allegedly targeted both Whitehead and his wife – making off with the bishop’s $75,000 Rolex watch, a $75,000 Cavalier watch, and a $25,000 ruby and diamond ring, among other valuables.

Cops released video showing the suspects involved in the robbery of flashy Brooklyn bishop Lamor WhiteheadPolice connected Leggette to the crime after reviewing the video from the area. NYPD
“Armed robbery is an intolerable crime, but to commit such an act during a religious service is incomprehensible,” Breon Peace, US Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement at the time.


Anderson and Pollack were charged under the US Hobbs Act, which criminalizes robbery and extortion which interferes with interstate commerce — in this case, because some out-of-state donations were used to purchase the stolen items, sources said.


“I forgive them,” Whitehead said as he arrived in Brooklyn federal court before the arraignments. “Now it’s time for justice. Me and my family and my church have suffered long enough.”

Flashy NYC bishop robbed in $400K jewelry heist during live-streamed serviceThe outspoken minister has fought back against critics who say his lavish lifestyle is a magnet for criminals.
The outspoken minister, often seen in Fendi suits, has lashed out at the NYPD, claiming that he didn’t think cops believed him and thought he had staged the robbery.


Whitehead made that claim at a press conference after a September live-streamed incident in which he got into a tussle with a woman who apparently crashed his service.


The luxury-loving clergyman — who rides around in vehicles such as a Rolls Royce — has fought back against critics who blame his lavish lifestyle for attracting criminals.


Whitehead has faced his own share of legal troubles.


Earlier this year, he was sued for $5 million in an ongoing dispute with another congregation over claims he tried to kick them out of their house of worship, court papers show.


Whitehead has also filed a $200 million lawsuit against a businessman he claims slandered him in an interview with the New Yorker and to the FBI – alleging it’s what led to the federal fraud charges against him.
 

‘NY’s most wanted’ fugitive in robbery of Brooklyn ‘bling’ bishop during livestream is gunned down by US Marshals in NJ​



By
Social Links for Allie Griffin ,
Social Links for Joe Marino and
Social Links for Larry Celona



Published Jan. 24, 2024, 9:52 p.m. ET











A career criminal suspected of robbing flashy Brooklyn bishop Lamor Whitehead during a livestreamed service in 2022 was shot dead by US Marshals in New Jersey on Wednesday, law enforcement sources told The Post.


Shamar Leggette — who was third on the list of New York’s most wanted fugitives — was killed during a confrontation with Marshals who were attempting to arrest him for the armed robbery, the sources said.


Leggette, 41, fired at officers as he exited the MHO Inn and Suites in Monmouth Junction, where they were waiting to take him into custody, NBC New York reported.


A woman he was with inside the hotel surrendered to authorities before Leggette came out shooting, according to the station.


Leggette, who has served two stints in state prison, was identified as a suspect in the brazen church robbery last year after his two accomplices were arrested.


Shamar Leggette 7
Shamar Leggette, 41, was on New York’s most wanted list and was also wanted by police in Rhode Island. Courtesy of NYPD
The trio of masked bandits stormed the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Canarsie on July 24, 2022, in the middle of Whitehead’s livestreamed sermon.


Footage of the heist shows the infamous pastor hit the floor as the armed men ran in. They targeted Whitehead and his wife — making off with the bishop’s $75,000 Rolex watch, a $75,000 Cavalier watch, and a $25,000 ruby and diamond ring, among other valuables.


The bishop, dressed in a Gucci suit, went on Instagram Live on Wednesday night to discuss the death of his robber.


A suited man emerging from a white car, holding his jacket open in front of the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse. 7
Brooklyn Bishop Lamor Whitehead is known for riding around in a Rolls-Royce. Paul Martinka
Close up of a man's hands wearing a gold watch. 7
Whitehead is known as the “Bling” Bishop. Paul Martinka
He said Leggette “was the guy that put the gun in my wife’s face and put the gun in my 8-month-old daughter’s face” during the on-camera robbery, during which his wife was holding their baby daughter.


“So this is the guy that was at large and he came and put the gun to my head and ripped my clergy collar off and ripped my chains off and he was just brutal,” Whitehead said, announcing that Leggette was killed by Marshals.


“My condolences really go out to his family,” he continued. “This is a sad situation where once again, we as African American people — it’s a cycle of destruction … It’s so senseless.”


Bishop Lamor Whitehead reacts to masked bandits storming his live-streamed sermon. 7
US Marshals were attempting to arrest Leggette for the 2022 church robbery when he fired a gun at them.
The bishop — who is facing extortion and wire fraud charges himself — said he has forgiven all three men who robbed him and would love to meet Leggette’s family to let them know he has no animosity toward them before offering to conduct the service for his funeral.


“I forgive him and I do want to extend my services to the family,” Whitehead said. “I would eulogize him, I will preach the service, whatever I can do in a pastor’s capacity, I will do it, free of charge.”


Pastor Lamor Whitehead lying on the floor after being robbed during a live-streamed service by armed men in NYC. 7
The pastor hit the floor as the armed men robbed him.
Leggette was released on parole from state prison just six months before the high-profile robbery.


He had served time for robbery, attempted murder and weapons possession, records show. He previously served time for first-degree robbery from August 2003 to July 2010, according to the records.


That conviction stemmed from the 2002 armed mugging of former NBA player and then-point guard for the Nets Chris Childs outside a Manhattan restaurant owned by Sean “P. Diddy” Combs.


Leggette, who was 20 at the time of the crime, pointed a gun at Childs as other robbers took his $20,000 watch, $800 in cash and cellphone.


South Brunswick police car parked at scene with police tape. 7
US Marshals shot and killed Leggette when he opened fire on them in Monmouth Junction. NBC New York
One of his accomplices ordered Leggette to pull the trigger before the basketball player pleaded for him to stop and handed the bandits his $3,500 diamond ring.


Leggette was also wanted for attempted murder and robbery in connection to a Queens mugging in which he took $7,000 cash from a woman on her way to the bank and then fired a gun at a bystander but missed, according to state records.


He was also wanted in Rhode Island for shooting and robbing a man of $50,000 worth of jewelry in Providence in August, ABC6 Rhode Island News reported.


MHO Inn & Suites lit up sign against dark night sky 7
Leggette had served two prior stints in state prison for armed robberies. NBC New York



Leggette’s accomplices in the Brooklyn church robbery have pleaded guilty to the crime.


The US Marshals’ Office did not immediately return a Post reporter’s call Wednesday night.
 

‘Bling bishop’ Lamor Whitehead convicted of fraud, attempted extortion and lying to the FBI​



By
Social Links for Allie Griffin



Published March 12, 2024, 12:15 a.m. ET










Brooklyn’s notoriously flashy pastor Lamor Whitehead was convicted Monday of fraud, attempted extortion and lying to the FBI for bilking an elderly woman out of her retirement savings and using his ties with the mayor to try to extort a Bronx business owner.
A Manhattan jury found Whitehead — who’s known for wearing designer suits, ostentatious jewelry and bold eyewear — guilty of all counts, including wire fraud, attempted wire fraud and attempted extortion.
Lamor Whitehead in an orange Balenciaga suit speaks into a microphone during a sermon.  4
Whitehead was found guilty of wire fraud, attempted extortion, lying to the FBI and other charges in Manhattan federal court Monday. Gregory P. Mango
Lamor Whitehead steps into a white Rolls Royce 4
Whitehead allegedly defrauded two victims including the elderly mother of a parishioner whom he scammed out of $90,000. Paul Martinka
The church leader scammed Pauline Anderson, the elderly mother of a parishioner, out of $90,000 and tried to extort thousands more from a Bronx auto body shop owner with promises to obtain “official favors” from Mayor Eric Adams on his behalf, federal prosecutors said.
Prosecutors opened the trial last month by calling Whitehead a “conman who told lie after lie to victim after victim.”


 
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