From Fox News: A federal grand jury in Michigan indicted a third defendant in an alleged forced labor conspiracy tied to the Kingdom of God Global Church, the Justice Department announced.
Kathleen Klein, said to also be known as “Prophetess,” allegedly served as a leader and executive of the church — formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International — and helping run a multi-state call center operation that prosecutors say exploited workers to solicit donations.
The Justice Department said Klein, 53, and co-defendants David Taylor and Michelle Brannon allegedly operated call centers in Michigan, Missouri, Florida and Texas, where victims were forced to work long hours without pay and pressured to meet aggressive fundraising targets.
Prosecutors said workers who fell short or resisted were subjected to public humiliation, sleep deprivation, physical abuse, withholding of food and shelter, forced repentance rituals and threats of “divine judgment in the form of sickness, accidents, death, and eternal damnation.”
In a press release on February 12, the Justice Department announced:
According to court documents, Kathleen Klein, also known as Prophetess, 53, was a leader and executive of Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International (JMMI). According to the indictment, Klein and co-defendants David Taylor and Michelle Brannon, ran a network of call centers across multiple states that used forced labor to solicit donations for KOGGC.
Victims were forced to work grueling hours at the call centers without pay and pressured to hit impossible fundraising targets. When victims fell short of leaders’ goals or dared to push back, the punishment was severe: public humiliation, sleep deprivation, physical violence, withholding of food and shelter, forced repentance rituals, and threats of eternal damnation. Klein and her co-defendants allegedly controlled virtually every aspect of their victims’ lives. During the more than decade-long conspiracy, KOGGC collected roughly $50 million in donations, which leaders used to pay for personal real estate, vehicles, travel, and luxury goods.
In addition to adding Kathleen Klein as a defendant, the superseding indictment includes additional allegations including that Taylor frequently requested and received sexually explicit photographs and videos from KOGGC workers.
Klein is charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Taylor and Brannon were first indicted on July 23, 2025, for conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Taylor and Brannon face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count.
Third Leader Charged in Multi-State Forced Labor Conspiracy Involving Kingdom of God Global Church. Read more: https://t.co/n2zX0kSxTJ pic.twitter.com/Iecoi39Blf
— FBI Detroit (@FBIDetroit) February 13, 2026
READ MORE from Fox News.
FORCED LABOR CONSPIRACY: Kathleen Klein, allegedly known as ‘Prophetess,’ was indicted as the third defendant in the Kingdom of God Global Church scheme that allegedly exploited workers across 4 states. https://t.co/I6GMNhKt9J
— Fox News (@FoxNews) February 17, 2026
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