Brooklyn, New York. Bishop Lamar Whitehead, 46, has been convicted on several fraud charges after allegedly defrauding a parishioner of $90,000 in retirement funds and using the money to maintain his own lavish lifestyle.
Whitehead, dubbed the “Bling Bishop” for his flashy, luxurious belongings, was convicted in Manhattan federal court on Monday (March 11). He was convicted of five counts, including wire fraud, attempted extortion, and lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. In addition to being accused of defrauding one of his church members, Whitehead was also accused of attempting to blackmail a businessman while bragging about his connections to New York Mayor Eric Adams.
Prosecutors also allege that Whitehead, who had previously been convicted of identity theft, pressured his victims into handing him money by lying and threatening them. In his closing argument, one prosecutor named Derek Wikstrom stated, “He was lying about the access, the influence, and everything else.”
In the case of his parishioner Pauline Anderson, 58, authorities allege Bishop Lamor Whitehead defrauded her by convincing her to spend over $90,000 of her retirement assets with him in November 2020. He allegedly promised to help her buy a property because she was unable to obtain a conventional loan due to her low credit score. Whitehead then allegedly spent the money on car payments and purchases from Louis Vuitton and Foot Locker.
The defense attempted to implicate Anderson’s 30-year-old son, Rasheed Anderson, an active member of Whitehead’s church. The other victim is Brandon Belmonte, a businessman who owned an auto body shop in the Bronx, New York.
Prosecutors claim Whitehead attempted to pressure Belmonte into handing over $500,000 in exchange for direct access to Mayor Eric Adams. In their closing arguments, one of Whitehead’s attorneys, Declan Murray, compared the government’s case to a termite-infested house. However, the jury disagreed and returned a decision within three hours.
Meanwhile, Dawn Florio, an attorney representing Whitehead, announced that they are appealing the conviction after convincing the jury that the evidence against her client did not support the allegations. The sentencing is planned for July 1. He might spend decades in prison.
Bishop Lamor Whitehead also made headlines in July 2022 after being robbed at gunpoint during a live-streamed church service. During the event, masked burglars fled with $1 million in jewelry. The Bishop was known for driving around in a Rolls Royce, and documents reveal that he lived in a $1.6 million mansion in Paramus, New Jersey, as well as owning apartment buildings in Hartford.
