2
0
“Bling” Bishop Lamor Whitehead — the flashy Brooklyn pastor who was robbed at gunpoint during a church service earlier this year— was arrested by federal agents Monday for allegedly scamming a member of his congregation, among other charges.
Whitehead — who preaches a “prosperity gospel,” drives a Rolls-Royce and often wears pricey jewelry and Gucci suits — was indicted on two counts of wire fraud, one count of extortion, and one count of making material false statements for lying to the FBI, federal prosecutors said.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 65 years in prison.
The feds allege Whitehead, 44, swindled one of his parishioners out of $90,000 of her retirement savings by promising to use the cash to buy her a home — and instead blowing it on luxury goods and clothing, according to the indictment.
In another alleged scheme, he extorted a businessman for $5,000 and asked the man to lend him $500,000 — promising he could “obtain favorable actions by the New York City government” in exchange for the cash and interest in real estate transactions, the indictment states.