Brooklyn Bishop Lamor Whitehead sentenced to 9 years in prison
Editor's Note: The above video originally aired on Feb. 26, 2024.
BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) -- A Brooklyn bishop known for his flashy style and a mid-sermon robbery was sentenced to nine years in prison related to fraud and extortion charges in an unrelated case, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams announced Monday.
Bishop Lamor Whitehead stole around $90,000 of his parishioner's retirement savings after he promised to help her buy a home, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.
“Lamor Whitehead is a conman," Williams said. "[He] is a career conman and liar who has been committing frauds for over 20 years to finance his extravagant lifestyle."
Whitehead used the parishioner's money on "luxury goods and other personal expenses," prosecutors said. Meanwhile, she lost "everything [she] had worked for," including $40,000 in penalties and legal fees for withdrawing money from her retirement early and taxes on the money spent by Whitehead, court records show.
Whitehead's attorney, Dawn Florio, said in a statement that he still maintains his innocence.
"We will explore all available legal avenues to ensure that justice is served. Our dedication to proving Bishop Whitehead's innocence is unwavering, and we will immediately begin the appeal process," Florio said.
Whitehead was found guilty of a slew of other schemes dating back to 2017, including fraudulently applying for a $250,000 business loan using doctored bank statements and extorting a businessman for $5,000 — all while promising favors in return from Mayor Eric Adams, prosecutors said.
He then lied to FBI agents as they raided his mansion in New Jersey, according to prosecutors. Through it all, Whitehead has "shown an utter lack of remorse," Williams said in a June 10 filing.
The bishop will also serve three years of supervised release after his prison sentence and must pay $85,000 in restitution and forfeit $95,000, Williams said.
Prosecutors noted Whitehead had faced a number of other charges over the last 20 years, including allegedly trying to bribe an officer after stealing a Mercedes, allegedly using stolen identities to purchase car loans, and allegedly driving a fraudulently purchased Range Rover, court records show.
Whitehead's name dominated headlines for a different reason in 2022 when he was robbed at gunpoint during a livestreamed service at the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministry.
The robbers allegedly made away with $1 million in jewelry. One suspect in the case was later killed by law enforcement in New Jersey.