Brooklyn’s bling bishop gets a courtroom make-under as he faces trial for defrauding parishioners out of almost $100,000 to fund his lavish life (but still brings his Fendi backpack)
The Brooklyn bishop accused of robbing a single mother of her life savings before blowing it on luxury clothes and flashy supercars has appeared in court.
Lamor Miller-Whitehead, 47, nicknamed the “Bling Bishop,” was seen leaving Manhattan Federal Court on Monday with attorney Dawn Florio in tow.
Whitehead is accused of a slew of offenses, including wire fraud, attempted extortion and making false statements to federal law enforcement officials. He has denied being guilty of all charges.
The bishop, who succeeded Eric Adams as Brooklyn ward president in 2021, wore a trench coat and simple slacks as he left the courthouse.
While it was far from his usual statement attire, the outfit was completed with a Fendi backpack costs $2,550.
“Bling Bishop” Lamor Whitehead, 47, left Manhattan Federal Court on Monday after day one of his fraud trial
Whitehead was seen with his attorney, Dawn Florio. He has pleaded guilty to a slew of charges, including wire fraud and attempted extortion
The Rolls Royce-riding Bishop wore a trench coat and dark pants, but couldn’t resist packing a nearly $3,000 Fendi backpack
Before his lengthy record of deception was exposed, the Rolls Royce-driving bishop was “trusted by many in his community,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Greenwood said in court.
“The defendant abused that trust by lying again and again,” she continued.
‘He lied about how much money he had. He lied about his business plans. And he lied about his influence over powerful people. All with the aim of acquiring money and property to finance his extravagant lifestyle.’
Whitehead’s accusers include the mother of one of his parishioners, a money lending business owner and the owner of a body shop, all of whom are expected to testify in court.
In the first case, Greenwood explained, Whitehead convinced the elderly single mother to give up $90,000 of her savings for a fixer-upper house that he would renovate for her.
“She believed the defendant — a man who by then had become a mentor and spiritual advisor to her son,” Greenwood said.
The lawyer claimed Whitehead instead put the money towards designer clothes and a payment for a BMW.
In the second scheme, Whitehead is accused of preparing false bank statements to obtain a $250,000 loan. He was said to have millions in a company account, but in reality the amount was less than six dollars.
Whitehead is accused of defrauding the elderly single mother of one of his parishioners out of $90,000 and promising a refurbished fixer-upper house in exchange for the money.
Instead, he spent the woman’s savings on designer clothes and luxury cars
Whitehead is also accused of preparing false bank statements to obtain a $250,000 loan, claiming he had millions in a company account when the actual amount was less than $6.
Brandon Belmonte, the Bronx-based auto body shop owner, filed the third case against Whitehead, alleging that the pastor tried to extort him for $5,000 after a repair.
Whitehead is accused of promising Mayor Adams’ favors to the 39-year-old, which were “all lies,” Greenwood alleged.
“Although the mayor was a friend and mentor of the defendant, the defendant had never received any official favors from the mayor. “The defendant made up all kinds of other things to try to get even more money that he wasn’t entitled to,” she said.
Belmonte itself was hit with federal bank and wire fraud charges in August 2023. The 39-year-old was accused of running a financing scheme through his car rental company and an insurance scam.
Florio asked the jurors to suspend their judgment until evidence could be presented. In the case of the elderly mother, she said she “didn’t expect there to be any credible evidence.”
“What would Lamor Whitehead gain if he bought her a house?” said Florio.
Last year, the ‘Bling Bishop’ was hit with new allegations of running a fraudulent donor program during his failed 2021 campaign.
Federal prosecutors alleged that the 47-year-old fabricated donors to support the campaign, falsifying campaign financial records to show donations came from the bishop himself. He has not been charged in connection with this alleged plot.
The 47-year-old is accused of trying to extort a Brooklyn body shop owner for $5,000 after a repair, though the accuser, Brandon Belmonte, has been hit with fraud himself.
Last year, Whitehead was hit with new allegations of running a fraudulent donor scheme during his failed 2021 bid to become Brooklyn borough president (Photo: Whitehead’s Rolls Royce)
The ‘Bling Bishop’ has not been charged in connection with the alleged donor scheme
Also last year, a man who claimed to have worked on Whitehead’s campaign filed a lawsuit accusing him of breach of contract and other violations.
In July 2023, Yves Andre, a man who claims to have worked on Whitehead’s campaign, filed a lawsuit accusing him of fraud, breach of contract and unjust enrichment.
Andre claimed Whitehead hired him in 2021 to help with his campaign and asked him to hire a team of staffers.
Although the bishop promised him $30 an hour and the team members $20 an hour, he lowered the rate to $15 and “varying amounts” for the other workers, the lawsuit alleged.
According to court documents, Whitehead repeatedly failed to pay any of the employees and failed to reimburse Andre for $56,684 in expenses.
The bishop has denied having a contract with André and refused to characterize him as someone who helped his campaign.
Whitehead was arrested in December 2022 in connection with the cases heard in federal court. He has since been free on $500,000 bail.