A jury found Lamor Whitehead, Brooklyn’s infamous “Bling Bling Bishop,” guilty of two counts of wire fraud, one count of attempted extortion and a count of making false statements after a two-week trial concluded on March 12.
The preacher came to be a household name after he was robbed at gunpoint on livestream while preaching at his Canarsie church. Whitehead was first arrested in December of 2022 following a string of run-ins with the law, including him being arrested after getting into a physical fight with a congregant during a church service.
Damian Williams, a United States attorney, said the verdict is Whitehead finally being held accountable for his history of lies and fraud.
“As a unanimous jury found, Lamor Whitehead abused the trust placed in him by a parishioner, tried to obtain a fraudulent loan using fake bank records, bullied a businessman for $5,000, tried to defraud him out of far more than that, and lied to federal agents,” he said in a statement.
Evidence revealed during the court sessions showed Whitehead, known for his affinity for designer clothing, jewelry and luxury cars, first persuaded one of his churchgoers to invest $90,000 of her retirement savings with him by promising to use the money to help her buy a home. He instead used the funds to buy more luxury goods and for his own personal expenses — and when she asked for the money back, he lied to avoid returning it.
Court officials also found the bishop extorted a businessman for $5,000 and later tried to get the same man to lend him $500,000 in exchange for a stake in real estate transactions and favors from Mayor Eric Adams, even though Whitehead knew he wouldn’t be able to follow through on those promises.
“Whitehead’s reprehensible lies and criminal conduct have caught up with him, as he now stands convicted of five federal crimes and faces time in prison,” Williams said.
The bishop continued his swindling by submitting a fraudulent application for a $250,000 business loan which included doctored bank statements that claimed he had millions in the bank and thousands from a monthly revenue.
Finally, when FBI agents conducted a search warrant outside Whitehead’s New Jersey mansion, he claimed he didn’t have a cellphone other than the phone he was carrying, despite having a second phone in the house that he regularly used.
Whitehead’s wire charge and attempted extortion charges carry maximum sentences of 20 years each in prison, while his charge for making false statements carries five years. If convicted, he could face decades in prison.
His sentencing is currently scheduled for July 1.
