Bishop Lamor Whitehead Sentenced To 9 Years In Prison For Fraud And Extortion
Bishop Lamor Whitehead did the crime, and now he must do the time. The Brooklyn pastor was sentenced to nine years in prison this week for wire fraud and extortion charges.
Pix 11 reported Whitehead’s sentencing on Monday and included a quote from US Attorney Damian Williams. “Lamor Whitehead is a conman,” Williams said. “[He] is a career conman and liar who has been committing frauds for over 20 years to finance his extravagant lifestyle.”
One of the bishop’s most egregious acts was stealing approximately $90,000 from one of his parishioner’s retirement savings after initially promising to help her buy a home. He reportedly used the money to purchase “luxury goods and other personal expenses,” meanwhile the parishioner got nothing she was promised. In fact, she had to pay $40,000 in penalties and legal fees for withdrawing her retirement money early and taxes on the purchases Whitehead made.
Bishop Whitehead was also found guilty of lying to the FBI about owning a second cell phone back in March 2024 when handed his verdict for fraud and extortion. “He lied to federal agents, and again to the Court at his trial,” US Attorney Damian Williams said. “Today’s sentence puts an end to Whitehead’s various schemes and reflects this Office’s commitment to bring accountability to those who abuse their positions of trust.”
Whitehead’s attorneys stand firm on the fact that he is innocent and plan to pursue any available options to prove he was wrongfully given this nine-year sentence. “We will explore all available legal avenues to ensure that justice is served,” his attorney, Dawn Florio, said. “Our dedication to proving Bishop Whitehead’s innocence is unwavering, and we will immediately begin the appeal process.”
Whitehead was also known for using his relationship with Mayor Eric Adams to convince a businessman to loan him $500,000, claiming that it would “obtain favorable actions by the New York City government.” He claimed that he sought to capitalize on the real estate market and the businessman would have an advantage due to his ties to New York City officials.
After Bishop Whitehead serves his nine-year prison sentence, he will have to serve three years of supervised release, all while paying $85,000 in restitution and forfeiting $95,000.
It has been a wild two years for the Brooklyn pastor, who was infamously known for being robbed mid-sermon. Livestream viewers witnessed armed men enter his church and rob him at gunpoint. The robbers made out with Whitehead’s ring, wedding band, and chains he was wearing underneath his robe. The New York Times reported that his jewelry added up to $1 million in total.
Whitehead claimed that he felt a “demonic force” come upon him before the robbers entered his church building. It was such a wild moment that he made it to Uncle Murda’s 2022 end-of-year “Rap Up.”
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