DETROIT – Court documents revealed the luxury lifestyle one of the two church leaders was living prior to her arrest, as well as evidence federal agents recovered supporting the forced labor and money laundering allegations against the church leaders.
The documents were revealed during a bond hearing for one of the church leaders who was extradited from Florida to Michigan to be arraigned on federal charges on Sept. 30, 2025.
Background
David Taylor, 53, and Michelle Brannon, 56, were arrested on Aug. 27, 2025, in North Carolina and Florida in what federal officials called a nationwide takedown of their alleged forced labor organization.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan, Taylor and Brannon are the leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church, formerly Joshua Media Ministries International. The two are accused of victimizing people working at call centers that solicited donations for their organization in Michigan, Florida, Texas and Missouri.
Court documents claim that Taylor refers to himself as an Apostle and “Jesus’ best friend.” He reportedly claimed to have had multiple face-to-face encounters with God and that God had given him the keys to the Kingdom on Earth.
According to court records, Taylor and Brannon compelled people to work at their call centers and to work for Taylor as his “armor bearers.”
The call centers are located in the following areas:
Taylor, Michigan
Chesterfield, Missouri
Eureka, Missouri
Wildwood, Missouri
Tampa, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Houston, Texas
Taylor established the first call center in Taylor, Michigan, over ten years ago.
“Armor bearers” were Taylor’s personal servants who fulfilled his demands around the clock, officials said.
“Taylor and Brannon controlled every aspect of the daily living of their victims,” said the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Related –> He lured Michiganders by posing as God’s best friend. Then he took over their whole lives, feds say
The victims reportedly slept in the call center facility or in a “ministry” house, and Taylor and Brannon allegedly did not permit the victims to leave without permission.
Taylor allegedly claimed regularly that if someone failed to obey his orders and commands, they were defying God and would suffer in Hell.
Related –> Texts from church leaders reveal treatment of call center workers in Michigan, other states
Brannon arrested in Tampa mansion
Court documents revealed multiple pieces of evidence that investigators found that support the allegations of forced labor and money laundering against Brannon.
Federal agents executed a search warrant at a house in Tampa where Brannon was living on Aug. 27. There, they found that about 57 employees for the organization were living in the home.
Investigators said that while multiple call center workers were sleeping in a single room, sharing one bathroom with many sleeping directly on the floor, Brannon had her own “lavishly” furnished multi-room bedroom suite with an ensuite bathroom.
Investigators also noted that about 13 people were sleeping in living quarters above the garage, sharing a single bathroom.
Court documents detailed her bedroom suite, stating it included a large screen TV, two large walk-in closets, a treadmill, a spinning bike, a fridge, a microwave and a workspace. Her bathroom had two showers and four vanities.
Federal authorities also found a sexually explicit video allegedly in Brannon’s possession sent to Taylor by a female worker, who officials said cried and apologized for the “delay” in completing the “assignment,” referring to the sexually explicit video and she stated that she “understand(s) that (she) need(s) to do this and can’t delay.”
Court documents claimed that Taylor frequently solicited and received sexually explicit photos and videos from multiple female workers for the organization. There were thousands of sexually explicit photos and videos, officials said.
Authorities also found evidence of Taylor and Brannon’s certain consequences that were imposed on workers for not meeting their standards, such as restricting food and making workers pick up trash outside for 24 hours straight.
Gold bars, cash, jewelry, designer clothes
More evidence was found at the house where Brannon was living and at the organization’s other location that corroborated the money laundering allegations.
Federal agents said, while searching the Tampa house where Brannon was living, they found about $500,000 worth of gold bars, $60,000 in cash, valuable jewelry in a locked safe, foreign currency and expensive designer clothing and purses in Brannon’s closet, as well as multiple “recently delivered” life-sized stone statues and decorative pillars, seven Mercedes Benz sedans and two Bentley sedans on the property grounds.
At other properties under the organization, over $41. million from the primary accounts for the organization, one Lincoln Navigator from the house where Taylor was staying in North Carolina, silver coins in the Texas and Michigan locations, $2,500 in cash and foreign currency from the Texas and Michigan locations, two Bentleys, one Rolls Royce and one Mercedes Benz and boxes of documents containing money the organization was bringing in from the house were Taylor was staying in North Carolina.
Luxury purchases
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Kingdom of God Global Church received millions of dollars in donations each year through its call centers.
Taylor and Brannon allegedly used most of the money to buy luxury properties, luxury vehicles and sporting equipment, including a boat, jet skis and ATVs.
Taylor reportedly received about $50 million in donations since 2014.
Taylor and Brannon made the following transactions between 2018 and 2025, according to federal authorities:
125 lbs. of super colossal red king crab legs, six seafood shears and 30 crab cutters: $10,353.44
Mercedes-Benz: $63,195.94
Bentley Continental: $70,000 down payment
Crownline Boat: $105,595
Bentley Continental: $15,000 down payment
Bentley Mulsanne: $50,000 down payment
Mercedes-Benz: $14,908
Mercedes-Benz: $13,695
Mercedes-Benz: $12,485
Five ATVs: $31,805
Two jet skis and one jet ski trailer St. Louis Power Sports: $24,332
Two jet skis and one jet ski trailer Holzhauer Pro Motorsports: $24,962.20
Rolls Royce Cullinan: $123,028.09 lease signing payment
Bulletproof automotive: $33,930
Bulletproof automotive: $32,630
Bulletproof automotive: $37,500
Bulletproof automotive: $18,302.76
Officials stated in a video found on Brannon’s iCloud, dated July 11, 2020, Brannon thanked Taylor for her new car, and the video showed the black Bentley Continental that was purchased on June 29, 2020.
Out on bond
Brannon was arraigned on Sept. 30 and is now out on bond. She is staying at a home in Northville, Michigan, pending her trial.
During her bond hearing on Oct. 1, it was revealed that the place she is staying at in Michigan was paid for by current church members. A judge said she has 30 days to figure out how to ensure no church members are supporting her living situation.
Brannon is expected to be back in federal court on Nov. 3, 2025. A jury trial has been scheduled for Nov. 18 at 8:30 a.m.