The New York bishop who was robbed at gunpoint during a live service last month was one time accused of swindling a congregant out of her savings, according to court documents. Bishop Lamor Whitehead, known for his designer clothes and luxury cars, raised a few eyebrows when police estimated the value of the jewelry stolen from him and his family at nearly $1 million. Whitehead has more than 1.6 million followers on Instagram, where he routinely goes live.
WATCH the robbery happen live during sermon:
The parishioner, Pauline Anderson, sued Whitehead in September 2021, claiming she gave him $90,000 to assist her in buying a home. That happened while the bishop was running his unsuccessful campaign for Brooklyn Borough President in 2021.
According to court documents, Anderson sued the bishop and claimed he kept the money and lined his pockets for his political campaign. The lawsuit, which was first reported by The City, alleges that Whitehead initially met Anderson while he was helping her son Rasheed find housing after extensive surgery. Anderson claimed that Whitehead helped her get in touch with two lenders who said that her chances of getting a mortgage were low because of her credit history. Subsequently, Whitehead allegedly asked Anderson to transfer her retirement savings to her personal bank account and offered her a deal.
“Mr. Whitehead proposed that Ms. Anderson should invest her money into his company, Defendant LWI, and offered to use the money to purchase a home for her, to make any needed repairs to the property so that it would be habitable for Ms. Anderson, and then return any unused portion of the “investment,” Attorneys of Anderson wrote in the lawsuit. “When Ms. Anderson expressed reservations because she had no other income with which to support herself, Mr. Whitehead offered to provide her with $100.00 per month to live off of until the purchase and renovation of the property was complete.”
In January 2021 and the months that followed, Anderson alleged that she had received only one payment of $100. She contacted Whitehead to request a refund, but he claimed he was busy campaigning for Brooklyn Borough President and that he had used the investment as a donation, as per the lawsuit documents.
“And for the record, anything that was given to me is a Donation unless it’s attached to a contract! I was making investments that’s what I Do!” Whitehead texted to Anderson, according to an exhibit in the suit.
According to the lawsuit, as the case turned sour, Whitehead blamed the failure on Anderson’s son’s behavior. “All of this because of what? Because you took money that you refuse to pay back and now you’re quoting scripture to serve your purpose! This is so offensive and did you just go there. You said you were a man of integrity!” Anderson texted Whitehead in May 2021, warning him that she would reach out to authorities about the potential scam.
Lamor Whitehead previously served five years in state prison for defrauding others and grand larceny, according to the city.
Some say the Bishop getting robbed on live camera during sermon could be instant karma if he really did steal $90k from a congregant.
Photo: YouTube screencap
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