Kathleen Klein, 53, allegedly operated a forced labor ring along with two co-conspirators to solicit donations for their church, Kingdom of God Global Church

The wealthy self-styled ‘prophetess’ DOJ said, forced victims to work grueling hours at the call centers without pay and pressured to hit impossible fundraising targets’

Defendants allegedly controlled every aspect of daily life for their employees, including instructing them to quit any full-time outside employment and to cut off family and friends

Victims who were coerced to work in church-run call centers under abuse and threats ,slept at the call centers, located in Michigan, Missouri, Florida, and Texas .

Church members who pushed back were forced to endure threats of eternal damnation, repentance rituals, physical violence, public humiliation and sleep deprivation among other forms of punishments

The defendants received $50million in donations since 2014 through their alleged scheme, which they used to buy properties, vehicles, and luxury goods

Trio allegedly also instructed workers to apply for Electronic Benefits Transfers (EBT) by claiming that they were homeless, then used those funds to buy food for staff

Charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, Klein faces a sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted

Her co-conspirators David E. Taylor 53, and Michelle Brannon, 56, were indicted in July 2025, on conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, face 20 years in prison on each count

Kathleen Klein, 53, who went by ‘prophetess,’ was added to an indictment Wednesday, accusing her and two co-conspirators of running call centers that ‘used forced labor to solicit donations’ for their church. Scheme netted $50 million in 2024 alone

Wealthy self-styled ‘prophetess’ Kathleen Klein, 53, allegedly operated a forced labor ring along with two co-conspirators to solicit donations for their church, Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC), according to a criminal indictment.
Kathleen Klein is the third leader of KOGGC) indicted in an alleged conspiracy to force numerous victims to work in call centers across multiple states, including Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri.
Known in the church as “Prophetess,” Klein joins two church leaders – David E. Taylor and Michelle Brannon – in the plot, which the Department Of Justice says netted around $50 million in donations over more than a decade.
‘Victims were forced to work grueling hours at the call centers without pay and pressured to hit impossible fundraising targets,’ the Justice Department said. 
Klein was added to an indictment Wednesday, which previously accused church leaders David Taylor and Michelle Brannon of slavery and money laundering charges.

Earlier Two leaders of Kingdom of God Global Church were arrested for their alleged roles in a forced labor and money-laundering conspiracy across multiple states – Feds raided the JMMI Global “Campus for Harvest” in Houston, Texas led by David E. Taylor

Klein was added to an indictment Wednesday, which previously accused church leaders David E. Taylor [left] and Michelle Brannon of slavery and money laundering charges. David E. Taylor has been accused of leading the scheme, while Brannon and Klein implemented his orders 

The defendants allegedly controlled every aspect of daily life for their employees, including instructing them to quit any full-time outside employment and to cut off family and friends, the criminal complaint stated.
Employees slept at the call centers. Those who pushed back were forced to endure threats of eternal damnation, repentance rituals, physical violence, public humiliation and sleep deprivation among other punishments, prosecutors said.
The defendants received in $50million in donations since 2014 through their alleged scheme, which they used to buy properties, vehicles, and luxury goods, according to the filings.
The trio also allegedly instructed their workers to apply for Electronic Benefits Transfers [EBT], by claiming that they were homeless, and they used those funds to buy food for staff, the indictment said.

Michelle Brannon was arrested in August at this Florida mansion that was also served as a call center for Kingdom of God Global Church

Court filings detailed a series of alleged text messages sent by the defendants in which they made threats to withhold food if targets were missed.
Under-performing staff were made to suffer ‘rebuking’ where they were forced onto their knees and yelled at for several hours, the indictment said. 
Taylor allegedly threatened employees with a 21-day cycle of only peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if they didn’t raise $164,000 each in one day. 
Klein sent similar messages to a group chat called Houston Managers, where she threatened to take away employees’ weekends if they didn’t hit their donation amounts, the complaint stated. 
‘Low number closers won’t need dinner, they can have PB&J,’ she allegedly texted 21 employees and Brannon on April 12, 2024. 
‘And to my knowledge, if end-of-day totals are not up, people will be going to the street, so this menu might change significantly.’ 
Taylor also allegedly said if closing numbers were not reached by 6pm, ‘they don’t eat dinner at all,’ the indictment said. 
‘Each hour you fall behind, consequences will start…we will mess with the food,’ he allegedly directed his personal servant, whom he called an ‘armor bearer,’ to tell staff. 
‘Take away the food!! There will be other consequences!!  We must make them fast and pray!!’ 

Kathleen Klein [photo], and her her co-owners, allegedly threatened their unpaid employees with eternal damnation and public humiliation if they failed to hit their donation targets

In a different text chain in August, Klein acknowledged that one worker was confined to the stairwell and was not kicked out on the street due to health issues, the indictment said. 
In July 2025, Klein texted: ‘This is so disgusting!! I want to slap them so hard with a drop kick.’ 
The complaint also accused Taylor, who referred to himself as Jesus’ best friend, of receiving and requesting sexually explicit photographs and videos of KOGGC workers. 
His personal ‘armor bearers’ also delivered the women to his home and made sure they used Plan B contraceptives afterward, the indictment said. 
If the worker or armor bearer rejected his ask, they were punished, prosecutors claimed.  

While running a ‘Divine slave operation’ which did not compensate or reward workers, Klein and her co-defendants allegedly makde donations through the scheme, beginning since 2014

Klein has been charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, which carries a sentence of 20 years in prison. 
Brannon, 56, was arrested at a Hillsborough County mansion, which was owned by the church and used as a call center in August, while Taylor, 53, was arrested in North Carolina. 
The FBI raided call centers across the country including a huge $9.8million mansion in Tampa, Florida.
The pair were indicted in July 2025, on conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, face 20 years in prison on each count, if convicted.