“Bling Bishop” Lamor Whitehead’s Trial for Fraud and Extortion Begins: Here’s All You Need to Know
The trial of Brooklyn pastor Lamor Whitehead, who has been indicted for fraud and extortion, has started, and the flamboyant pastor’s attorney, in his opening statement, said that he will be “fighting the charges like Rocky Balboa.”
The Lamor Whitehead Trial Begins
Brooklyn pastor Lamor Whitehead, however, looked cowed down in a navy suit, and his attorney was Dawn Florio, who told jurors the government had “not met the burden of proof” to bring the pastor to court.
He also asked the court to look at the lack of evidence.
Lamor Whitehead, who was known for leading an opulent lifestyle and wore gaudy jewelry, expensive eyewear, and premium suits, did not respond to questions when he left the courthouse on Monday.
The charges against Lamor Whitehead are very serious and include faking bank accounts to facilitate bank loans to bankroll his $1.3 million New Jersey mansion, defrauding an elderly mother of a parishioner of $90,000, which he used for buying luxury goods, and using his proximity with Mayor Eric Adams to extort cash in return for “favorable actions” in real estate deals.
Lamor Whitehead’s lawyer, however, said that the money for the glitzy lifestyle of the pastor came from other sources. However, the prosecutors, in their opening statements in the court, accused the pastor of being a conman who perpetually lied to victims after victims.
Lamor Whitehead is also said to be close to the mayor of New York City, and prosecutor Jessica Greenwood said that he used this proximity and trust to dupe the parishioners to fund his extravagant lifestyle.
The prosecutor also alleged that Lamor Whitehead had fleeced and cheated the innocent churchgoers to exhibit a façade of opulence and wealth.
Charges against Lamor Whitehead were first filed in 2022. He is also indicted of lying to Federal agents about how many phones he owned when his house was searched after his arrest.
Based on the charges, Lamor Whitehead’s victims include Pauline Anderson, the mother of parishioner Rasheed Anderson, whom he fleeced of $90,000, promising her that he will buy her a house and invest the remaining money in real estate.
It is alleged that the Pastor used the money on Louis Vuitton, Footlocker, Grubhub, and on payments for a BMW.
His attorney denied all the charges and said that it was Rasheed Anderson who promised to buy his mother the house.
Other charges include falsifying bank accounts to obtain a loan worth $250,000 for his Paramus mansion.
He is also accused of taking thousands of dollars from a Bronx body shop owner, promising him that he will obtain official favors from Mayor Adams.
Also Read: Lawsuit Filed Against Google Co-Founder Sergey Brin by Pilot’s Widow Killed in Plane Crash
