Prosecutors allege that Brooklyn-based Bishop Lamor Whitehead, known for his flashy displays of wealth, used threats and lies to get money from individuals, which he then spent on luxury items for himself.
In the video, Whitehead sits in front of two smiling portraits of himself and says,"The bishop is not guilty. And I'm going to fight it. I have the right legal team, and more importantly, I have God."
"Ain't nothing changed. I'm still the same bishop," he said."And I'll say it again. Just because you were arrested doesn't make you guilty. Don't drink the Kool-Aid. I'm telling you all. You drunk it already. Don't drink it again. Give it time.
Whitehead also lied to FBI agents when they were executing a search warrant, prosecutors said. Allegedly, the pastor falsely claimed he had no other cellphones aside from the one he was carrying at the time. In fact, Whitehead did own a second phone, which he used regularly — including to send a text message describing it as"my other phone" just after telling the agents he had no other phones, prosecutors said.
Each count of wire fraud and extortion, three in total, carries a maximum sentence for 20 years in prison. Making material false statements carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
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