A flashy New York pastor, nicknamed the “Bling Bishop,” was sentenced to nine years in prison after being convicted for several financial fraud and extortion schemes, authorities announced in a declaración Monday.

In March, Lamor Whitehead, pastor at Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in Brooklyn, New York, was found guilty of stealing $90,000 from a parishioner, attempting to extort a businessman, and lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), El Informe Roys (TRR) previamente reportado.

The convictions stemmed from three separate schemes in which Whitehead stole millions of dollars, according to the statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York.

“Lamor Whitehead is a con man who stole millions of dollars in a string of financial frauds and even stole from one of his own parishioners,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in the statement. “He lied to federal agents, and again to the Court at his trial. 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.”

In addition to his nine-year sentence, the 45-year-old pastor was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, ordered to pay $85,000 in restitution, and ordered to forfeit $95,000, the Attorney’s Office said.

Whitehead was convicted of two counts of wire fraud, and one count each of attempted wire fraud, attempted extortion, and making false statements to federal law enforcement agents, according to the Attorney’s Office.

Whitehead’s attorneys plan to appeal his conviction, CBS News reportado. In a March Instagram correo, Whitehead said, “I stand on my innocence. I’m innocent of all charges.”

Whitehead is famous for his extravagant lifestyle, including driving a Rolls Royce, living in a mansion, and wearing Gucci suits, TRR reportado. The pastor previously lived in a $1.6 million mansion in New Jersey and owned several apartment buildings in Hartford, Connecticut.

The “Bling Bishop” made headlines in 2022 when armed assailants robbed him and his wife during a live-streamed church service. They stole more than $1 million in jewelry from the couple, TRR previously reported,

Before founding Leaders of Tomorrow, Whitehead served five years in prison for identity theft and grand larceny.

‘Bling Bishop’ Stole from Parishioner, Extorted Businessman

Prosecutors said that Whitehead defrauded one of his parishioners by convincing her to invest $90,000 of her retirement savings with him, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said. 

Whitehead promised the parishioner he would use the money to help her buy a home. He instead spent the money on luxury goods and personal expenses, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.

When the woman asked to be paid back, Whitehead “continued to lie to avoid returning the money,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office added.

Whitehead also submitted a fraudulent application for a $250,000 business loan. He doctored bank statements to claim falsely that he had millions of dollars in the bank and hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly revenue, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The pastor then submitted similar fraudulent applications to other financial and stole institutions millions of dollars in the process.

In another instance, Whitehead lied to FBI agents while they were executing a search warrant outside his New Jersey mansion. He told the agents that he only had one phone when he had two that he used regularly, the U.S. Attorney reported.

Additionally, Whitehead extorted $5,000 from a businessman and then attempted to convince the businessman to loan Whitehead an additional $500,000 and give him a stake in certain real estate transactions. Whitehead promised that in return he would give the businessman favorable actions from the Mayor of New York City. However, the pastor “knew he could not obtain the favors he promised,” the U.S. Attorney said.

For years, Whitehead has boasted about his close relationship with New York Mayor Eric Adams, TRR reported. Their friendship allegedly began when Whitehead served as Brooklyn’s borough president.

In a previous social media post, the pastor claimed his arrest was tied to their relationship. He said he was put on trial because federal agents wanted him to be an informant on Adams, but Whitehead refused to do so.

Adams remarked on the news of the pastor’s recent sentencing to CBS News.

“Bishop Whitehead is in my prayers, and I wish the best for him,” Adams said. 

Freelance journalist Liz Lykins escribe for WORLD Magazine, Christianity Today, Ministry Watch, and other publications.