‘Apostle’ David E. Taylor Arrested, Charged with Human Trafficking, Money Laundering

david taylor
David E. Taylor. Screengrab from YouTube / @fox13tampa

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Self-styled “Apostle” David Taylor (53) and his associate, Michelle Brannon (56), have been indicted by a federal grand jury for 10 counts related to human trafficking and money laundering. Taylor is the head of Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), previously Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI), and has been the subject of abuse allegations for years. He is accused of raising $50 million in fraudulent donations since 2014.

“The indictment of David Taylor and Michelle Brannon demonstrates the FBI’s steadfast efforts to protect the American people from human exploitation and financial crimes, including forced labor and money laundering,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman of the FBI Detroit Field Office in a press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ). “The alleged actions are deeply troubling.”

David Taylor and Michelle Brannon Arrested

A website for Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), based in Taylor, Michigan, states that God gave David E. Taylor “a special teaching ministry to empower His people and bring them into the fullness of intimacy with Him!”

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“Through face to face visitations, divinely granted trips to heaven, and thousands of hours of study, prayer, worship, the special teaching ministry was birthed!” says the website. “God has personally taught David E. Taylor, face to face, the mysteries of the Kingdom of God! His teaching ministry is characterized and was birthed by face to face visitations from the Lord!” 

The KOGGC website links to a site for Joshua Media Ministries International, which has resources for dream interpretation and miracle healings, among other topics. A YouTube page for Taylor that is still live as of this writing features various broadcasts from Taylor. 

On Wednesday, Aug. 27, federal agents arrested David Taylor in Durham, North Carolina, and Michelle Brannon in Tampa, Florida. Authorities conducted raids on Taylor’s ministry properties across the country, including in Texas, Michigan, Missouri and North Carolina. KPRC 2 Click2Houston reported that the FBI raided a JMMI building in Houston, apparently taking items out in boxes and arresting people there. 

Taylor and Brannon have been charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The indictment against them says that Brannon is the executive director of KOGGC.

Taylor “calls himself Apostle and [Jesus’] best friend,” says the indictment. “He claims he has had multiple face-to-face encounters with God and that God has given him the keys to the Kingdom on Earth.” 

Authorities state that Taylor established call centers in multiple states, where he forced people to live and work for free to raise money for his ministry. The indictment lists nine locations in Michigan, Missouri, Florida, and Texas where Taylor operated call centers and other ministry properties.

The people who worked for Taylor also worked on teams dedicated to areas such as Facebook and music, but the indictment says that almost all of the victims were required to work at the call center “in some capacity to assist in bringing in monetary donations.” 

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Jessica Mouser
Jessica is a content editor for ChurchLeaders.com and the producer of The Stetzer ChurchLeaders Podcast. She has always had a passion for the written word and has been writing professionally for the past eight years. When Jessica isn't writing, she enjoys West Coast Swing dancing, reading, and spending time with her friends and family.

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