New details were released this week through an updated indictment from a Michigan grand jury in a forced labor conspiracy that allegedly collected millions through church-run call centers across multiple states while subjecting victims to abuse and exploitation.
David Taylor, 53, and Michelle Brannon, 56, were arrested in August 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 (KOGGC), formerly Joshua Media Ministries International.
Kathleen Klein, 53, also known as “Prophetess,” was also arrested and later charged for her alleged role as a leader of the KOGGC.
The three are accused of victimizing people working at call centers that solicited donations for their organization in Michigan, Florida, Texas and Missouri.
Prosecutors say the defendants operated a network of call centers where victims were forced to work without pay under grueling conditions.
Workers allegedly faced severe consequences for missing fundraising targets, including public humiliation, sleep deprivation, physical violence, withholding of food and shelter, forced repentance rituals, and threats of eternal damnation.
Klein, along with Taylor and Brannon, is accused of controlling virtually every aspect of church members’ lives, requiring them to ask permission to leave their housing or call centers and controlling their access to transportation.
Taylor’s attorneys have previously said these punishments refer to church “boot camps” and say all participants were consenting adults.
During the alleged decade-long conspiracy, KOGGC collected approximately $50 million in donations. Prosecutors say church leaders used these funds for personal real estate, vehicles, travel, and luxury goods.
Klein faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy to commit forced labor. Taylor and Brannon, who were initially indicted in July 2025, face maximum penalties of 20 years for each count of conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
New details in superseding indictment
A superseding indictment was filed on July 29, adding new details to the charges against Taylor, Brannon, and Klein.
A superseding indictment is a new grand jury charging document that updates, replaces, and completely takes the place of the original indictment.
In the new indictment, new details were revealed about how Taylor allegedly sexually abused three women and how Brannon allegedly helped Taylor, including numerous text messages exchanged between the leaders and workers.
According to the indictment, Taylor and Brannon are accused of using text messages to pressure women workers in KOGGC to comply with Taylor’s demands for sexually explicit images.
Related --> ‘Time for you to suffer’: Prosecutors say these 6 texts show control David Taylor held over workers
The two allegedly threatened some of the female laborers with harmful spiritual and reputation consequences if they did not comply with the order to produce or send graphic sexual images and videos.
‘Your body belongs to me’
In a text message conversation with a 19-year-old woman, who federal officials said was a worker for KOGGC, on March 28, 2020, Taylor allegedly told her, “Satan. . . He’s going to destroy you if you don’t surrender, honey.”
A day later, when the 19-year-old did not respond to a text message, Taylor allegedly said, “You are dishonoring me by not responding at all on the highest level!!”
Taylor then messaged Brannon regarding the 19-year-old not responding to his text messages, and Brannon allegedly said, “[S]he will be put out if she don’t repent and if she does this again.”
After the 19-year-old sent non-intimate photos of herself to Taylor, Taylor allegedly instructed Brannon to tell the 19-year-old, “She should have already been as a woman sending me sexy pictures even her body."
In a series of text messages on April 2, 2020, the 19-year-old texted Taylor that she was scared she’d be kicked out and sent to Hell. A day later, Taylor allegedly responded that “the Lord” visited him, saying, "He continued and said to me furthermore not to give up on the future He has for us and to protect you and help save and preserve you from Satan the enemy who’s trying to deceive you in this season because of your lack of understanding things." Following this message, he allegedly texted the 19-year-old, "P.S. Honey, take some pictures of your body for me."
On May 4, 2020, Taylor allegedly told the 19-year-old via text that, "At this point, you either completely belong to me and are going to submit or you’re not. You belong to me... Your body belongs to me."
When the 19-year-old sent a photo to Taylor, he allegedly said she looked sick and said she was sick because it was judgment from the Lord, “because of your dishonor to me.”
Taylor allegedly went on to text the 19-year-old that she was disobedient, and told her, "You won’t see me or your mom when you’re in Hell forever when we are in Heaven!! You will then loose [sic] everything!!"
‘You are going to Hell’
Taylor allegedly messaged Brannon on Aug 5. 2022, directing her to contact an 18-year-old girl working for KOGGC, which resulted in the teen being relocated from Ocala, Florida, where she lived with her mother, who was also a member of KOGGC, to Tampa, Florida, where Brannon lived, “so [Brannon] can control who is around and she wouldn’t be around her mom.”
Taylor allegedly directed Brannon via text to talk to the 18-year-old and “make sure you build honor around this,” and “change her heart and anything in her mindset that’s fighting her from yielding or surrendering to me.”
Brannon texted Taylor back, saying she allegedly did what Taylor told her to do and, “She said she was getting more comfortable with those things. I am going to talk to her more.”
After Taylor received a message from the 18-year-old regarding a relationship with him, he allegedly directed Brannon to tell the teen, “that her mom hasn’t taught her to be a woman,” and the main reason they separated her from her mother was so “she can develop more as a woman.”
Taylor allegedly sent a list of things to Brannon for the 18-year-old to do to avoid “turning,” and explained at the end of the list that he’s been “very bold and usually aggressive in getting you to open up to me sexually is because you have to create a strong bond with me now as your husband. There can be no delay because the enemy wants to turn you.”
Federal investigators said Taylor and Brannon often controlled workers’ access to cellphones. However, Brannon provided the 18-year-old with a phone and told the teen to guard it with her life and to keep it locked.
In a text exchange with the 18-year-old on Aug. 27, 2022, Taylor asked for photos from her and said, “You are taking so long why, honey?”
On Oct. 23, 2022, the 18-year-old expressed to Taylor via text that she did not have romantic feelings for him, to which he replied, “God has given you to me as my wife, and I love you soo much” and then, “[Y]ou need to drop what you’re doing and answer my texts!!”
The 18-year-old said she didn’t want to go to Hell and was fearful, saying, “Wouldn’t I go to Hell if I didn’t want you?” Taylor responded, “Wanting me is a part of God’s will for your life. So, yes, you would.”
He then said, “I mean, if you want me to let you go, I can!! I don’t want you to do this just because you don’t want to go to Hell!! I didn’t know that this was the only motivator for you doing this!!”
However, despite telling her he didn’t want to force her, he said he saw a vision of her in Hell. “I asked God what does that mean, why did I see her there !! ?? But He said nothing.”
Taylor then allegedly texted the 18-year-old on Nov. 17, 2022, about previous pictures she had sent him, and accused her of being a liar.
“You know to lie to me is very dangerous and can cost you your life right ??” he said. “[A]ny woman that lies to you don’t respect or honor you !! There has already been 5 people who has actually died from lying to me and it was instant on the spot !!”
On Jan. 16, 2023, the 18-year-old thanked Taylor for having Brannon and another member of KOGGC “correct” her, saying she was “a complete traitor at heart.”
He later texted the teen, “I’ve even had [Brannon], and others talk to you multiple times, and God even come in dreams to warn you about your evil character, and you still choose the evil path.”
On March 11, 2023, Taylor told the 18-year-old via text that her father’s continued incarceration was because of her disobedience.
“You must always understand the vast amount of heaven power I carry and that you are around just being with me!!” he allegedly texted her.
In October 2024, Taylor allegedly continued to berate the 18-year-old for “dishonoring him” and threatened to expel her from the KOGGC. He instructed Brannon to kick the teen out of the organization, saying via text, “She is choosing to be nothing than a distraction here !! She’s defied me for the last time !! Put her outside on the street right now.”
He then allegedly texted the teen on Oct. 22, 2024, “YOU ARE GOING TO HELL. You’re done here.”
Taylor texted Brannon the same day to have her collect the 18-year-old’s devices and delete the text messages. Brannon confirmed the text exchanges between him and the teen were deleted and passwords were changed.
‘She should’ve kept her mouth shut!’
In the indictment, it’s alleged that Taylor, Brannon, Klein and other members of the KOGGC harassed the people who left the organization and retaliated against those who spoke out against Taylor and the ministries.
On Jan. 8, 2019, Taylor and Brannon allegedly worked together to distribute the sexually explicit photos and images Taylor received from women after the women publicly disclosed information about him and KOGGC.
Taylor allegedly texted Brannon to reach out to one of the women and show her videos and pictures that someone found of her that is being leaked since she wants to tell it all they are showing everything !!"
Brannon later texted Taylor, “She should have kept her mouth shut!” regarding one of the women who spoke publicly.
Taylor and Brannon continued the conversation via text on how to approach spreading the nude images of the women. Brannon said, ”I just think we should wait to share it with everyone because I don’t want it to come back on revenge porn or anything can try and do and trace it back to you through our IP address. I’m just trying to protect you that’s all!" Taylor then agreed.
Related --> ‘Drop dead’: Woman threatens Detroit judge during hearing in case linked to church leader