NEW YORK (AP) — Brooklyn preacher with ties to New York mayor Eric Adams He went on trial Monday in Manhattan federal court on charges that he plundered parishioners’ retirement funds and attempted to extort businessmen to finance his lavish lifestyle.
Bishop Lamore Miller-Whitehead, 47, who drove a Rolls-Royce, was arrested two years after a grand jury indicted him on charges including wire fraud, attempted wire fraud, attempted extortion and making false statements under federal law. He was in court during jury selection. Executive officer.
Prosecutors allege that the suspect plundered parishioners’ savings and defrauded businessmen with false claims that he could make millions of dollars by leveraging his connections with New York City officials, including Mr. Adams. ing. Mr. Miller-Whitehead has pleaded not guilty.
Miller-Whitehead has been held on $500,000 bail since her arrest, just months after a robbery in which a group of gunmen attacked her during a church service and stole $1 million in jewelry. Ta.
His lawyer, Dawn Florio, said at the time her client felt like he had been changed from a victim to a villain.
“Bishop Whitehead maintains his innocence and looks forward to his day in court to contest these charges,” Florio said in a statement Friday.
In their filing, prosecutors made no mention of the friendship Miller-Whitehead had with the mayor while he served as Brooklyn borough president before being elected to the borough’s top job.
But a request for evidence from prosecutors suggests that the relationship between the mayor and Miller-Whitehead could be a focus of the trial. Prosecutors are asking a New Yorker reporter to testify about a January 2023 article titled “The Mayor and the Fraudster.”
In a letter to Judge Lorna G. Schofield, attorney Rachel Strom, who represents New Yorker staff writer Eric Luck, said prosecutors have argued that Mr. Whitehead’s dealings with the case were He claimed that he was trying to prove a “general and commonplace denial.” Mr. Adams once knew he was the subject of an investigation.
“Subpoenas are highly invasive, expose journalists to cross-examination (which can put other confidential sources at risk), and effectively turn journalists into law enforcement agents,” she wrote. . The judge was scheduled to issue a ruling before statements began.
At a press conference last week, the mayor said legal filings in the case indicated prosecutors plan to show jurors evidence that Miller-Whitehead used Adams’ name to commit fraud and attempted extortion. asked about.
Adams responded that anyone reporting on the matter “should cite the document that clearly states there is no authority and no connection to the actions of the mayor or borough president.”
The judge agreed in the pretrial evidence ruling to exclude mention of Miller-Whitehead’s conviction for identity theft and grand larceny, for which he was sentenced to five years in prison. It could be taken up if he decides to testify.
Miller-Whitehead became a religious person in 2013 when he formed Tomorrow’s International Ministries Leaders.
Although he preaches in Brooklyn, he owns a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey, and an apartment in Hartford, Connecticut.
Monday’s trial began on charges that he defrauded a church member of $90,000 of his retirement savings by falsely promising to find him a home and invest the rest in a real estate business. Prosecutors claim he spent the money on luxury goods and clothing.
He is also accused of trying to convince a businessman to lend him $500,000 and give him a stake in a real estate deal, claiming that his relationship with city officials could give him preferential treatment for the businessman’s benefit. ing.
Businessman Brandon Belmonte filed a complaint with federal authorities, who launched a six-month investigation in 2022 that led to Miller-Whitehead’s arrest.
Some of the key evidence in the trial was expected to come from secret audio recordings of conversations between Belmonte and Miller-Whitehead.
