FBI raids Tampa estate owned by church accused of forced labor, money laundering

[Zorro]

The home in the Avila subdivision is owned by Michigan-based Kingdom of God Global Church. Two church leaders were arrested Wednesday.

The FBI on Wednesday raided a mansion in Tampa’s tony Avila neighborhood in connection to a federal indictment of two church leaders accused of forcing unpaid workers to solicit donations under false pretenses and using the money on luxury goods.

A spokesperson for the FBI confirmed it was conducting a court-authorized search at the home at 706 Guisando de Avila. The sprawling palatial estate, which features a main house of more than 29,000 square feet, is owned by Michigan-based Kingdom of God Global Church.

Later Wednesday morning, the U.S. Department of Justice announced in a news release that a grand jury in Michigan had returned a 10-count indictment against Kingdom of God leaders David E. Taylor, 53, and Michelle Brannon, 56, “for their alleged roles in a forced labor and money laundering conspiracy that victimized individuals in Michigan, Florida, Texas and Missouri.”

Taylor leads the church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries, and Brannon is the executive director. The Avila mansion is listed in the indictment as a church property where some of the alleged crimes occurred.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/crime/2025/08/27/kingdom-of-god-global-church-tampa-avila-david-taylor/

[GreenWave]

1. Sounds like Trump will have some more top level recruits.

[littlemissmartypants]

5. Mugshot

?w=876

[mountain grammy]

2. Guess they didn't pay off the "right" people.

[Torchlight]

3. Maybe trump will appoint him as chair for the Federal Ministry of Ministry

America's having some real problems caused by Radical and Extremist christian Clerics.

[littlemissmartypants]

4. An enormous operation...more...

Who is ‘Apostle’ David E. Taylor, church leader targeted in Tampa, multi-state FBI raids?

https://www.wkrg.com/state-regional/florida/who-is-apostle-david-e-taylor-church-leader-targeted-in-tampa-multi-state-fbi-raids/

[BoRaGard]

6. G.O.P.-style 'christians' are a parasitic grift upon earthly souls

[ImNotGod]

7. They are only raiding these places in order to make a how to picture book for their crime boss tRump or getting rid of

the competition.

[flvegan]

8. When your "church" buys an $8.3 million luxury home in one of the

nicest, most exclusive parts of the area, ask questions.