By Leonardo Blair, Senior Reporter Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Televangelist David E. Taylor, who was arrested by federal authorities on multiple charges connected to a forced labor and money laundering conspiracy last month, allegedly encouraged his followers to hurt themselves and the police.

The allegations were made by prosecutors in a new court filing in the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa Division last Friday, according to a Local 4 report.  

Taylor’s ministry, Joshua Media Ministries International, which also runs the Kingdom of God Global Church, reportedly ran call centers that solicited donations every day in Michigan and other states, including Florida, Texas and Missouri. His followers were allegedly forced to work at the call centers as Taylor’s “armor bearers.” The new court filing alleges that Taylor brought up the Michigan Attorney General’s Office in conversation with his followers and warned them about how they should respond if federal authorities entered the ministry’s operation.

“God will kill officials,” Taylor reportedly told his call center workers.

“Like I told you the other day, they gonna be in here with their FBI jackets on. ... You don’t scare me. God’s gonna ... get you. And I am going to make sure he do, too. I am going to make sure I speed it up,” Taylor allegedly said.

“I’m going to be looking at you in Hell and you are going to be having your little FBI jacket on,” he continued. “Who gonna save you then? The American government is not going to save you. They cannot save you. Not from this government I serve. You think they are protecting you, who is going to protect you after you leave here? They are not going to protect you. Not in my realm, not in the realm that I govern. I have been given power by the only one who counts. We will watch you burn and the flesh melt off of your bones.”

The new allegations against Taylor came in a request by prosecutors asking the court to keep his alleged accomplice, 56-year-old Michelle Brannon, detained until her trial. Brannon served as the executive director of the 53-year-old Taylor’s ministry prior to her arrest. The court granted the request to keep her detained until her trial.

Prosecutors argued that there is a “serious risk” that Brannon would flee and try to intimidate the victims if given bail. They also noted that there is “no condition or combination of conditions of release that will reasonably assure her appearance, the integrity of this proceeding, or the safety of any person or the community.”

They argued that Brannon is loyal to Taylor and his teachings in which he encouraged the call center workers to hurt themselves and anyone else, including police, “when and if his organization is confronted by law enforcement.”

“This [is] probably prophetic. God having [sic] me say this to you [name omitted of a member], but I’m just telling you,” Taylor told his workers.

”I think I’m probably gonna hire some security or something too. … But I am just telling you, you kill them on contact if they come in here with that foolishness, you understand? They need to die. They come in with an ‘AKA’ or those guns, these n---- be carrying in Houston, and they come in trying to shoot up. Listen, do not hesitate!”