David Taylor and Michelle Brannon Indicted: Kingdom of God Global Church Scandal Exposed
Two self-styled religious leaders, accused of wielding physical and psychological abuse to coerce followers into soliciting tens of millions in donations, now face federal charges and arrest, according to the Department of Justice.
Written By Tammy Hicks // EEW Magazine Online News Staff
David Taylor and Michelle Brannon, indicted leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church, are accused of exploiting followers in a nationwide scheme of forced labor and fraud.
In the dark hours before dawn, dozens of exhausted men and women shuffled between rows of cubicles, dialing phone numbers for the hundredth time, their voices hoarse but urgent. Their script was a plea for donations “to further God’s work.”
Their reality, according to federal investigators, was sleeping on stained mattresses in church-owned call centers, forbidden to leave, and punished for missed quotas with hunger, humiliation, or worse. Their faith had been turned into a weapon against them.
Authorities allege that behind the walls of Miracles Today Broadcasting Studios, led by David E. Taylor, a system of exploitation thrived, masking abuse and forced labor as ministry. (Credit: David E. Taylor Ministries)
On August 27, 2025, federal agents swept across four states, exposing what authorities described as one of the most brazen religious scams in recent memory. At the center of the crackdown was Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), formerly Joshua Media Ministries International, led by self-styled “Apostle” David E. Taylor and Executive Director Michelle Brannon. The two were indicted on 10 federal counts, including forced labor and money laundering.
Taylor, 53, cultivated an image of spiritual grandeur, calling himself Jesus’s “best friend.” He presided over a network stretching from Michigan to Florida, Texas, and Missouri. His sermons promised miracles and prosperity. Behind the scenes, prosecutors say, Brannon, 56, ran day-to-day operations that enforced a culture of control and abuse. Authorities revealed abusive, threatening text messages, forcing labor and compliance.
Projected before hundreds of worshippers, David E. Taylor cultivated an image of spiritual authority, while authorities allege his ministry thrived on criminal activity. (Credit: David E. Taylor Ministries)
Survivors told investigators the system was as calculated as any criminal enterprise. Recruits, many of them desperate for hope, were inducted as “armor bearers” and stripped of autonomy. They staffed fundraising call centers, sometimes working 20-hour days, sleeping on site, and handing over even their government assistance. Disobedience was met with severe punishments: food and sleep withheld, public shaming, forced repentance, psychological torment, and threats of eternal damnation.
While followers labored under those conditions, Taylor and Brannon amassed millions in assets. Court documents allege the ministry took in more than $50 million in donations over a decade, funding mansions—including one near Tampa with ten bedrooms and 28,000 square feet—along with luxury cars, boats, and cryptocurrency wallets.
The public persona of Taylor was built on influence, charisma, and spiritual authority. But for Grammy-nominated gospel artist Vicki Yohe, whose music ministry reaches over a million followers online, the reality was far more personal, and far more unsettling.
“School of Miracles” merchandise promoted by David E. Taylor’s organization, part of a ministry federal authorities allege was built on exploitation and deception. (Credit: David E. Taylor Ministries)
Their relationship began in 2017, after Yohe was invited to sing at one of Taylor’s services. “I thought I was in love with him, you know,” Yohe recalled in an emotional sit-down with 10 Investigates. “But when I look back at it, he really just used me because I have, like, 1.2 million on my Facebook page—on my platform.”
She described a relationship where affection was transactional, and her platform became currency. “He would have me promote his book. If I didn't promote his book every day, it was like the end of the world. So, when I look back on it, he used me for my platform. He did not love me. He did not, because it was all about what I can do for him.”
David E. Taylor pictured with gospel singer Vicki Yohe, who later revealed she was romantically involved with him and accused him of manipulation. (Credit: Instagram)
Sixteen months of mounting red flags and controlling behavior finally led Yohe to walk away. “I just cannot believe that I got caught up in it,” she said.
Neighbors in Durham, North Carolina, told ABC11 they had long been uneasy about blacked-out windows and strange activity. One woman recalled Taylor warning her, through a supposed vision, of danger to her brother, an encounter that left her shaken. Only after the federal raids did the true scale of the alleged exploitation become clear.
The indictment charges Taylor and Brannon with forced labor, conspiracy, and money laundering, reports Fox 13. Each count carries a potential 20-year prison sentence. Legal experts note that such cases against religious organizations are rare, in part because tax-exempt status and spiritual authority often shield ministries from scrutiny. Here, prosecutors say survivor testimony, financial records, and the scope of the abuse made the case unavoidable.
What unfolded inside KOGGC is more than a scandal. It is a warning about how religious trust can be weaponized when institutions operate without oversight. The victims, isolated and manipulated in the name of God, are reminders that piety can serve as a mask for predation.
True faith uplifts, liberates, and heals. When it enslaves and destroys, it ceases to be of God; it becomes criminal.
“Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and ending this scourge and obtaining justice for the victims.”
More on EEW Magazine Online:
