Preacher Ramor Miller Whitehead, 45, was charged with falsely promising a church member that he would use the $90,000 he gave her to find a home and invest in real estate.
A Brooklyn pastor known for his flamboyant lifestyle spent $90,000 (£70,700) of his parishioners' retirement savings on luxury goods and clothing, a court has heard.
Preacher Ramor Miller-Whitehead, 45, allegedly promised parishioners he would find them homes and invest the rest in a real estate business, but the promise turned out to be false. On Monday, Miller-Whitehead, who also touted his friendly relationship with New York's mayor, was found guilty of wire fraud, attempted extortion and lying to the FBI.
Prosecutors argued that the preacher exaggerated his relationship with Mayor Eric Adams, let his greed run wild, plundered parishioners' retirement funds and tried to extort businessmen to support a lavish lifestyle. He is also accused of lying to FBI agents, denying he had a second phone.
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Miller-Whitehead's attorney, Dawn Florio, said she is appealing the verdict. She told jurors during her trial that the evidence against her client did not support her charges.
The church's leader made headlines in July when armed robbers disrupted church services and robbed him of $1 million (£780,000) in jewellery. The preacher was known to drive around in a Rolls Royce, and records show he lived in a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey. He also owned an apartment in Hartford, Connecticut.
Apart from accusations that he used parishioners' retirement funds to buy luxury goods, Miller-Whitehead also alleges relationships with businessmen who loaned him $500,000 (£392,700) and gave him a stake in a property deal. He is also suspected of trying to persuade her to give him the money. City employees may receive preferential treatment for the benefit of businessmen. Adams became close friends with Miller-Whitehead while serving as Brooklyn borough president.
Adams, a former police chief, said he has since spent decades enforcing the law and expects everyone to follow it. Sentencing for Miller-Whitehead is scheduled for July 1.
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“As the jury unanimously found, Ramore Whitehead abused the trust of his parishioners and used false bank records to finance fraudulent loans,” Damian Williams, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a news release. “He tried to take the blame and bullied the businessman.” Mr. Whitehead's reprehensible lies and criminal behavior have now caught up with him as he has been convicted of five federal crimes and faces prison time. . ”
