The Brooklyn clergyman, who was recently robbed (along with his wife) during church service for $1 million worth of jewelry as his 20 to 26 parishioners watched in fear, is now in the headlines for allegedly being a crook.
A former member of his church alleges that he stole her retirement savings – a total of $90,000.
Bishop Lamor Miller Whitehead was robbed on Sunday, July 24th, as the church live-streamed on Facebook. The flamboyant preacher connected to several rap artists (including his cousin Foxy Brown) told police and the insurance company the thieves took off with a gang of bling.
As reported by AllHipHop.com, the preacher and his wife lost a $75,000 Rolex watch, a $75,000 Cavalier watch, a $25,000 Episcopal ruby, and diamond ring; a $25,000 Episcopal diamond ring, a pair of $25,000 earrings; a $20,000 diamond and emerald cross; a $20,000 Episcopal ring, a $20,000 Episcopal cross; and a $10,000 Episcopal gold cross.
What he didn’t mention to the cops was a lawsuit filed by 56-year-old Pauline Anderson last year in Brooklyn Supreme Court that alleges he was taking her money to invest in one of his firms.
It was her entire life savings.
Anderson did this because he promised to help her fix her credit so she could buy a home, the lawsuit states.
The complaint says in November of 2020, the woman gave her pastor the money in a cashier’s check, with the understanding he would give her $100 monthly allowances to pay for her living expenses and help her buy and renovate a house.
Instead, Whitehead never provided the woman with a receipt and only paid her the $100 once in January of 2021.
Besides that, Bishop Whitehead did not keep up his side of the bargain and even claimed he didn’t have to pay her back for investing the $90,000.
The lawsuit stated, “Mr. Whitehead fraudulently induced Ms. Anderson to liquidate her entire life savings to pay him the ‘investment’ of $90,000.00, promising to use the funds to purchase and renovate a house for her.
“Ms. Anderson was instead left with nothing but a vague promise by Mr. Whitehead to pay the funds back in the future followed by an assertion that he had no further obligation to do so,” the filing alleged.
While she did not get a receipt of the money, she kept text messages. According to a few text messages submitted as exhibits to the lawsuit, he told her that he had invested the money, but she would not be able to get a return soon because it is not easy to access it.
During a text message exchange on May 19th, 2021, Whitehead typed to Anderson, “And for the record anything that was given to me is a Donation unless it’s attached to a contract! I was making investments that’s what I Do!”
He also called the woman’s son a “liar” and promised God would deal with him.
In rebuttal, she said, “All of this because of what? Because you took money that you refuse to pay back and now, you’re quoting scripture to serve your purpose! This is so offensive and did you just go there. You said you were a man of integrity!”
The good Bishop denies wrongdoing and shifted the conversation to the unfavorable character of one of her relatives.
“Her son was a member of my ministry who was removed because he was unintegral. It’s a lawsuit because of who I am. Everybody that tried to sue me because of my celebrity status is just gonna keep going in trying to do what they do,” he told the Daily News.
The lawsuit confirms Anderson’s son Rasheed Anderson did introduce her to Whitehead’s ministry.
Months after this exchange, the Bishop “accidentally” emailed the son a copy of a contract for a $4.4 million mansion in Saddle River, New Jersey, which he was planning to buy. The lawsuit claims Anderson’s money was used as a down payment.
According to reports, Bishop Whitehead owns a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey. But he may be on hard times.
The apartments he bought in Hartford, Connecticut, have fallen into default because the Bishop has not made his mortgage payment since June.
Public records state this purchase never went through. Still, Anderson believes the Bishop is a crook.
AllHipHop.com also reported that Whitehead does have a criminal history that includes stealing people’s identities and running car scams.
Bishop Whitehead said he went to jail and is now a new man … but as last week’s robbery proves … the streets are watching.