By Lamor Miller-Whitehead, a 45-year-old flashy Brooklyn preacher known for his connections to New York City Mayor Eric Adams, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for multiple frauds. The sentencing took place Monday in Manhattan federal court, with Judge Lorna G. Schofield presiding.
During the trial, Miller-Whitehead was convicted of fleecing one parishioner out of $90,000 in retirement savings, among other scams. Despite claiming to be “very remorseful” in a rambling statement, the Rolls Royce-driving bishop was found to lack meaningful remorse by the judge.
Judge Schofield interrupted Miller-Whitehead’s statement, reminding him that sentencing is not a time to relitigate the case. She emphasized that a significant prison sentence was necessary due to the high probability of Miller-Whitehead committing future crimes, given his previous convictions for similar offenses.
Miller-Whitehead, who formed the Leaders of Tomorrow International Ministries in 2013, was known for his designer clothing and was once the victim of a robbery in which $1 million in jewelry was stolen from him during a church service. He owned a $1.6 million home in Paramus, New Jersey, and an apartment in Hartford, Connecticut.
Prosecutors contended that Miller-Whitehead used his friendship with Mayor Eric Adams, developed while Adams served as Brooklyn’s borough president, to commit fraud and attempted extortion. Adams was not accused of any wrongdoing in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wikstrom requested a sentence of over 12 years in prison, stating that Miller-Whitehead had defrauded large financial institutions and a parishioner who lost her life savings. Wikstrom accused Miller-Whitehead of lying and stealing repeatedly, asserting that he possesses a “psychological and delusional failure” to accept his crimes and the need for punishment.
In addition to the nine-year prison term, Miller-Whitehead was ordered to pay $85,000 in restitution and to forfeit $95,000. His lawyer, Dawn Florio, had urged for no prison time, citing her client’s charitable works. However, the judge stated that Miller-Whitehead’s prison sentence would have been longer if not for his good works in the community.
