The Brooklyn bishop who said he was robbed during a sermon is answering questions for the first time about how he finances his lavish lifestyle and has addressed a lawsuit he’s facing over thousands of dollars he donated for a parishioner.
“Everyone wanted to talk about the bling-bling bishop that the media portrayed,” said Bishop Lamor Whitehead.
Police said Whitehead, known for his friendship with New York Mayor Eric Adams, was robbed during a July 24 sermon that was streamed live online. Whitehouse says he and his family were held at gunpoint when three masked men stole at least $400,000 worth of jewelry.
Whitehead was heard delivering a sermon about keeping the faith in the face of serious adversity, moments before the thieves entered the church, located above a Haitian restaurant in Canarsie. He is then seen dropping to all fours and repeatedly saying “Alright, alright”, before a man holding a gun and wearing a black sweatshirt enters the frame.
The man, who also wore a black mask, is seen approaching Whitehead, who was hidden behind a golden pulpit, and stuffing the bishop’s jewelry into his pockets. Another man, dressed in similar clothes, is seen heading towards Whitehead, staying close to him for a few minutes and then running away.
Whitehead said in a video posted to Instagram that thieves ripped off his collar to get his chain and pointed a gun at his daughter’s face as they stole his wife’s jewelry. In all, police said the thieves took a woman’s wedding band, earrings, Rolex and Cavalier watches, a men’s gold chain and wedding band, a Cuban chain, a diamond and emerald cross and other items from the church.
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In a video posted to Instagram days after the robbery, Whitehead said he felt a “demonic force” enter the church and wasn’t sure if the gunmen “wanted to shoot the church or if they were just coming for a robbery. See the article : Real estate transactions | News, sports, jobs. He said he was grateful that no one was hurt and earlier this week offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to the thieves’ arrest.
As for the suspects, the police said they didn’t have much to do. They don’t have a clear description of the men because they were wearing masks. No arrests have yet been made.
A new video released by the NYPD on Wednesday shows three black-masked men wanted for allegedly entering a Brooklyn church during a live-streamed Sunday morning service, showing guns and stealing $1 million worth of jewelry from the pastor and his wife. wife as the first sermon on keeping faith in the face of severe adversity.
It was an unholy heist that made headlines around the world, mostly due to Whitehead’s remarkably flashy lifestyle. He can often be seen driving around the Big Apple in his Rolls Royce.
But on Friday, the pastor reacted harshly to criticism on social media that he had something to do with the theft. The bishop acknowledges that he wears high-quality clothes and drives luxury cars, but says he shouldn’t be judged by his appearance. He says he has multiple streams of income and does not receive a salary from the church.
“I wear what I wear to encourage people, not make fun of people. My community work speaks for itself,” he told a news conference. “My wife still hasn’t stopped crying, my daughter hasn’t stopped crying, my members haven’t stopped crying. No one is sympathetic to my church.”
Whitehead is also facing potential financial problems related to his failed 2021 campaign for president of the borough of Brooklyn. The campaign’s finance council records show two loans, including one from a woman named Josette Bayoro for $150,000 that has not been repaid.
State election law says loans must be paid off before election day, or they are considered contributions. The loan, in this case, would far exceed the contribution limit of $1,500 for individuals.
When asked about this money that was allegedly not refunded, Whitehead’s publicist tried to stop the press conference and that question was not answered. But Whitehead continued to answer the question anyway.
“This is more of a legal issue. What you just said is inaccurate, I’ll let it go,” he said.
Whitehead’s attorney later told News 4 that he had no comment and would have to speak with his client.
Police said more than $1 million worth of jewelry was stolen when Bishop Lamar Whitehead delivered his sermon at a Brooklyn church, prompting some to criticize the pastor and his wife for wearing such flashy and extravagant things.
Whitehead also responded to a lawsuit filed by a parishioner in September 2021, in which a woman alleges the pastor convinced her to donate nearly all of her life savings, promising that he would help her buy a home despite her credit history. bad. According to the lawsuit obtained by NBC New York, the woman signed a check for $90,000 to Whitehead in November 2020.
Months later, the complaint alleges that Whitehead told the woman that he had treated her investment as a donation to his failed campaign for president of the borough of Brooklyn, and that he was not obligated to pay it back.
When asked about the lawsuit on Friday, Whitehead only called it a “fictitious claim against me, so we won a victory today.”
On Friday. a judge denied the woman’s motion for “trial in absentia” for Whitehead’s failure to respond to the complaint, finding there was no proof of service. Whitehead’s attorney said his client does not believe he has received it, but they will oppose these actions on all merits and he is confident they will prevail.
