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NYC 'bling bishop' hit with $5M lawsuit over claims he locked congregation out of Brooklyn church

by Heather Preston
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American preacher Bishop Lamor Whitehead is being sued for $5 million over an ongoing dispute that he illegally evicted worshippers after purchasing a church building at auction.

The founder of the Leaders of Tomorrow International Churches was hit with a lawsuit from Glory of God Global Ministry, Canarsie last week for allegedly changing the locks on the congregation's property illegally, just weeks before Christmas.

Known as the 'bling bishop' for his extravagant spending habits, Whitehead has made headlines in recent years for a slew of fraud charges and after being robbed of his jewellery as he preached a livestreamed sermon.

In his latest legal battle Glory of God are seeking damages for fraud, conspiracy and breach of contract. In a separate housing court case in January, a judge ruled in favour of the Canarsie church ministry to allow them back into the Foster Avenue building and declaring the eviction illegal. The church is now calling for Whitehead to give the property over to the parish and “be forever barred from claiming ownership” of it.

Whitehead acquired the building for $1.94 million. The property was sold in a foreclosure auction in February 2022 prior to the Glory of God fighting the federal tax lien that prompted the foreclosure. A tax lien is the government's legal claim against a propoerty if a person or business fails to pay a tax debt. Senior pastor Funmi Williams claims the church had tax-exempt status and the building was never turned over to Whitehead.

Williams told the court he was "outraged" that Whitehead had "taken the law into its own hands by changing the locks" and throwing out church property.

Whitehead’s lawyer Brian Ponder told The Post, the new case is “frivolous” and said once his client is served they will “move to dismiss it and seek sanctions against the plaintiff and its attorney.”

 

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