The Brooklyn ‘Bling Bishop’ is notorious for his lavish lifestyle – complete with a fleet of luxury cars, $2.8 million mansion and wardrobe filled to the brim with designer clothes.
Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 45, who ran a church in Canarsie called Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries, made headlines in 2022 when he was filmed allegedly being robbed of $400,000 worth of jewelry while live streaming a sermon.
He also repeatedly claimed to have close ties to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
But then a series of fraud charges landed, and the flamboyant man of the outfit, Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 45, was found guilty Monday of five counts, including wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to FBI agents in court.
Prosecutors said he swindled an elderly single mother out of $90,000 after promising to buy her a house – only to spend the money on luxury items instead.
Brooklyn’s ‘Bling Bishop’ was convicted of using fraud and extortion to finance his lavish lifestyle – which included luxury cars, mansions and a wardrobe full of designer brands
Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 45, was found guilty of five counts including wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to FBI agents in court on Monday.
He usually appears in court in Gucci tuxedos or Fendi blazers — one of which cost a whopping $2,000
The fraudster even showed up at Manhattan Federal Court to attend his trial in February wearing a $3,000 Fendi backpack
Since his arrest, he has often appeared in court appearances in Gucci tuxedos or Fendi blazers—one of which cost as much as $2,000.
He was pictured wearing a massive shiny ruby ring and diamond watch when he attended court in September 2022.
The fraudster even attended his trial at Manhattan Federal Court in February with a $3,000 Fendi backpack.
In addition to his flamboyant style, Whitehead has also used cash from his many schemes for car payments and properties.
He has been seen in a white Rolls Royce with a bright orange exterior, which starts at $300,000 but has been sold for up to $470,000.
Whitehead has also been pictured driving around Brooklyn in a Bentley and in a Maserati.
Records show the convicted fraudster bought a mansion in Paramus, New Jersey, for an estimated $2.8 million.
The 9,000-square-foot property has six bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms.
It has a sprawling driveway with a double garage and even a massive backyard with a porch and spacious lawn.
The inside of the mansion has marble floors and a winding staircase – as well as a grand dining room with a sparkling chandelier.
Whitehead’s luxury estate even has a home gym, a game room, walk-in closets, a movie theater and a full hair salon.
In addition to his incredible mansion in New Jersey, records show the preacher owned several apartment buildings in Hartford, Connecticut.
Records show the convicted felon bought a mansion in Paramus, New Jersey, for an estimated price of $2.8 million.
He has been spotted in a white Rolls Royce with a bright orange exterior, which starts at $300k but has been sold for up to $470k.
He has been pictured wearing a massive shiny ruby ring and diamond watch when he attended court in September 2022
The $350,000 Rolls Royce in which the minister arrived at Manhattan’s Fifth Precinct back in May 2022. Whitehead is also believed to have been seen in Brooklyn in a Bentley and Maserati
Whitehead is married to Asia DosReis-Whitehead and they share three children Jaidyn Lamor, Soriah and Heaven.
After posting $500,000 bail in 2022, Whitehead went into a 15-minute rant in which he denounced charges of fraud he turned towards from his comfortable mansion.
Before his long record of deception came to light, the Rolls Royce-driving bishop was “trusted by many in his community,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Greenwood said at the time.
“The defendant abused that trust by lying over and over again,” she said.
‘He lied about how much money he had. He lied about his business plans. And he lied about having influence over powerful people. All with the goal of getting money and property to fund his extravagant lifestyle.’
She accused Whitehead of convincing the elderly woman, a former nurse, that he would use her retirement savings to buy a permanent home and renovate it for her to live in.
“And she believed the defendant — a man who, at the time, had become a mentor and spiritual advisor to her son,” Greenwood continued.
Whitehead eventually spent the money on designer clothes and a BMW down payment.
Whitehead (left) and Eric Adams (right) are believed to have a close relationship as the mayor tends to discuss social issues with the bishop
Whitehead is seen wearing a $5,000 North Face x Gucci jacket and a massive ruby ring on her right hand
Whitehead is pictured here with his wife – Asia DosReis Whitehead
When the victim’s son tried to get his mother’s money back, Whitehead said in a text message that he asked God to ‘exact vengeance’ on the man.
Two other schemes targeted a moneylending company and a Bronx businessman.
Prosecutors said the bishop prepared false bank statements to secure a $250,000 loan, claiming he had millions in a business account that actually contained less than $6.
He was also accused of trying to extort $5,000 from Brandon Belmonte, the owner of a Bronx auto body shop, after a repair job.
Prosecutors alleged that Whitehead further tried to convince Belmonte to loan him $500,000 and give him a stake in real estate deals, insisting that his connections to city officials could give them preferential treatment and score them millions.
Belmonte himself was hit with federal bank and wire fraud charges in August 2023. The 39-year-old was accused of running a financing scheme through his car rental business as well as an insurance fraud.
Whitehead showed his display of Fendi and Gucci jackets alongside his ‘minister suits and more’
After posting $500,000 bail, Whitehead went into a 15-minute rant denouncing the fraud charges he faced from his cozy mansion in December 2022
The Balenciaga-wearing priest was accused of swindling Pauline Anderson, an elderly single mother, out of $90,000 by promising he would buy her a house
The preacher also made headlines for his ties to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who he unsuccessfully ran to succeed as Brooklyn borough president in 2021.
Adams declined to endorse Whitehead in the race and criticized him for using his name in a ‘misleading’ campaign ad, according to text messages shown during the trial.
In July 2022, three men burst into Whitehead’s church and robbed him at gunpoint.
The thieves allegedly made off with more than $400,000 in bling from the flamboyant bishop before two were arrested in September.
Authorities believe the bishop was attacked because he was known for wearing flashy, expensive jewelry in the pulpit.
Juwan Anderson and Say-Quan Pollack, both 23, were charged under the U.S. Hobbs Act, which criminalizes robbery and extortion that interfere with interstate commerce.
After their initial arrest, Whitehead told the New York Daily News that he was ‘extremely happy’ that they had been apprehended.
‘My wife cried when she heard the news. We are waiting for the last one to be arrested so we can move on with our lives,” he added, claiming it disproved theories that he had staged the attack.
But just weeks after the robbery, Whitehead tempted fate by posting a tour of his ‘bean closet’, which could double as a designer warehouse.
The bishop showed viewers his large collection of designer goods, including a number of Gucci and Fendi blazers and a significant collection of designer shoes.
Dawn Florio, an attorney for Whitehead, plans to appeal Monday’s ruling. She insisted during the trial that the evidence presented did not support the charges.
Whitehead’s sentencing before Judge Lorna G. Schofield is scheduled for July 1.