Overview

• A Detroit grand jury returned a 10-count indictment charging David Taylor, 53, and Michelle Brannon, 56, with forced labor conspiracy, eight forced labor counts, and money laundering conspiracy.
• Agents arrested Taylor in Durham, North Carolina, and Brannon in Tampa, Florida, during a coordinated takedown that included raids in Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri.
• The indictment alleges followers were compelled to staff donation call centers and serve as Taylor’s round-the-clock “armor bearers” under strict control and threats of punishment.
• Prosecutors say roughly $50 million in donations since 2014 went toward luxury properties, vehicles, and recreational equipment rather than promised charitable works.
• The case is being prosecuted by the Eastern District of Michigan with the DOJ Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, and each count carries up to 20 years in prison if convicted.