Newly obtained documents detailed how a self-proclaimed religious leader facing forced labor and money-laundering conspiracy across multiple states, including Michigan, allegedly lured workers and controlled them.
Previous coverage: Church leaders accused of exploiting call center workers in multistate money laundering conspiracy
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, who refers to himself as “Apostle,” and Brannon, his executive director, 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.
According to court records, Taylor and Brannon compelled people to work at their call centers and to work for Taylor as his “armor bearers.”
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 in August.
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.
Court documents also claim that Taylor and Brannon required people to work in the call centers for long hours without pay or perform other services for Taylor.
“Taylor set unobtainable daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly monetary donation goals for victims working in the call centers and required victims to follow the orders he created without question,” said the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
If the people disobeyed an order or reached Taylor’s monetary goals, Taylor and Brannon allegedly punished them with public humiliation, additional work, food and shelter restrictions, psychological abuse, forced repentance, sleep deprivation, physical assaults and threats of divine judgment in the form of sickness, accidents and eternal damnation.
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 received about $50 million in donations since 2014, officials said.
Local 4 obtained court documents on Sept. 19 that prosecutors filed, asking the court to detain Brannon until her trial, and claimed she was a flight risk and a danger to the community.
In the court documents, further details of the case discussed how Taylor allegedly manipulated the workers and how Brannon played a role in the alleged abuse.
How workers trusted Taylor, Brannon
Taylor used various methods to gain the trust and establish loyalty to keep their workers motivated in their jobs in the call center, court documents claim.
Taylor, who claimed to be God’s best friend, allegedly lured his workers, promising to fulfill their spiritual hunger, make them feel special through “love-bombing,” and promise them a unique closeness to God by serving God through his church.
Taylor also said that they would have to enter a “20-year process” through faithful service for the workers to have the most desired given to them, officials said.
Brannon allegedly parroted these promises in staff meetings.
The two allegedly taught the workers that Taylor is God’s best friend and his second-in-command, and God will bring his Kingdom on Earth through Taylor. They were also allegedly told that working full-time would guarantee a place in the “Kingdom” and become ready to face God as Taylor had.
Taylor and Brannon also allegedly made other significant false promises to the workers.
How duo was able to control, manipulate workers
Taylor and Brandon took control of their workers once they drew them in, officials claimed.
Taylor and Brannon are accused of physically and mentally weakening their workers and subjecting them to daily public humiliation and psychological abuse.
Court documents claimed the workers were working more than 20 hours a day. They allegedly had severe sleep deprivation and were housed in cramped living situations without privacy or adequate bedding.
In some instances, officials stated that the workers were denied food and medical care.
The duo allegedly forbade their workers from having relationships and would punish them for breaking this rule.
Taylor and Brannon allegedly isolated workers from the outside world by breaking up marriages and other relationships. This forced them to block family members who questioned Taylor.
The duo is also accused of mentally and physically wearing down the workers who resisted or questioned what they were told.
Court documents claim Taylor and Brannon created a “climate of fear” through psychological manipulation and physical violence if the workers made a mistake, complained, did not meet quotas, or left the organization.
Rebuked workers
Taylor and Brannon were allegedly rebuking their workers by yelling at them while standing inches from their faces. Officials said they called the workers wicked, racial slurs, Lucifer, and other names, as well as demanded that they get on their knees and repent to remind them they will face eternal damnation if they don’t comply.
According to court documents, the rebukings could last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the situation. They were also threatened to be “put out” into a garage or a homeless shelter along with the rebukings.
“Workers truly feared that burning in Hell or meeting with some catastrophic end would be the consequence of defying defendant Taylor in any way,” officials said.
The workers would also be deemed traitors if they did not obey and would be condemned or cursed as a punishment, officials said.
Since around 2020, Taylor was not living at any call center, so he communicated exclusively via cellphones with the workers. He allegedly instructed and entrusted Brannon to carry out his orders and punishments.
The court documents released the following text messages Brannon allegedly sent to several workers. Here’s what the texts read:
Oct. 6, 2020, at 5:31 a.m.
“Media team no going to sleep until the Mosiac video is done!”
May 30, 2022, at 7:10 a.m.
“Did you rebuke him for this ?? He needs to be raked over the coals for this ?? He can die for this !!”
Oct. 19, 2022, at 11:46 p.m.
“FROM APOSTLE WARNING. . . TENT AND GARAGE JUDGMENT STARTING TONIGHT FOR 7 DAYS IF AFTER 7-14 Days There is no change it’s the public shelter for 1 solid month.”
Oct. 20, 2022, at 4:57 p.m.
“WARNING FROM APOSTLE. . . TOP 6 YOUR LOW NUMBERS EACH DAY. . . IT HAS TO STOP NOW. . . You will be punished constantly until you obey and train your heart and mind to obey the training. . .”
Detained without bail
Prosecutors asked the United States District Court, Middle District of Florida, to detain Brannon without bail, as they claimed she is a danger to the community and poses a flight risk since the organization had locations in multiple states.
Brannon has been detained without bail until trial. A trial date has not yet been set.
It’s not known if Taylor will be detained without bail until his trial.
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