Lamor Whitehead, also known as the "bling Bishop," has been found guilty of federal fraud and extortion charges. This case has shocked the community and raised questions about the integrity of religious leaders. Whitehead, who was once seen as a pillar of the community, is now facing serious consequences for his actions.
The evidence presented in court painted a damning picture of Whitehead's greed and manipulation. He used his position of power to exploit his followers for personal gain, betraying their trust and tarnishing the reputation of his church. The jury's verdict sends a clear message that no one is above the law, not even those who claim to be serving a higher purpose.
Furthermore, it is claimed that Bishop Tebartz-van Elst attempted to extort money from a journalist who was investigating his spending habits. This blatant abuse of power and disregard for ethical standards is deeply troubling.
After just a few hours of deliberation, the jury convicted “Bling Bishop” Lamor Whitehead, 46, of five counts, agreeing that he had used his position of power and influence to swindle hundreds of thousands of dollars from people who trusted him.
Whitehead could face up to 45 years in prison.
During the trial, prosecutors alleged that Whitehead had deceived a parishioner’s mother into giving him $90,000 from her retirement savings, after he promised he’d buy her a house and remodel it so that she could move in. He never bought her the house, and instead used the money to fund his lavish lifestyle, court documents show.
Whitehead was also accused of extorting Brandon Belmonte, the operator of a Bronx auto shop, for $5,000, using “threats of force,” according to the indictment. Belmonte has claimed that Whitehead threatened to beat him up if he didn’t pay.
After the initial extortion attempt, Whitehead then tried to get Belmonte to “lend him $500,000 and give him a stake in certain real estate transactions in return for favorable actions from the Mayor of New York City,” prosecutors said. Whitehead was allegedly well aware he could not actually carry out that promise.
The flashy pastor was also found guilty of submitting a fraudulent bank loan application for $250,000, which falsely claimed that he had millions in the bank, and an income of hundreds of thousands every month.
Paula’s husband, Rasheed Anderson, met Whitehead in 2020. Rasheed says that “he would tell me he loved me all the time, like a father figure” and that Whitehead even helped him purchase a home.
Court documents accused Whitehead of spending the $90,000 that Paula Anderson wired him on car payments and items from Louis Vuitton and Foot Locker.
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