David E. Taylor mugshot

Dear United States Attorney of Record Sarah Resnick Cohen and U.S. Attorneys Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., John K. Neal, Christina Randall-James, and Ariana Dydell,

Trinity Foundation has investigated religious fraud for over 35 years, and we have observed many religious leaders using deception to obtain donations from their followers.

In addition to current charges, Trinity Foundation investigators “Pete” John P. Evans and Barry A. Bowen recommend suspect David E. Taylor be charged with Criminal Fraud.

We believe the facts and circumstances relating to Mr. Taylor and his ministries provide an ideal opportunity to firmly establish case-law that would benefit United States citizens who donate regularly to questionable religious non-profit organizations.

In August 2019, we submitted a report to the Criminal Investigation Division of the IRS in Dallas Texas recommending Mr. David E. Taylor be charged with criminal fraud and that the tax-exemption status of his three non-profit organizations be revoked.

The United Stated District Court Eastern District of Michigan Southern Division has jurisdiction. Taylor’s fraudulent money-raising tactics cross state lines and go all over the US via his internet website, mass emails, the US postal service, and television.  Moreover, he has operations in four states—Florida, Michigan, Missouri and Texas.

Continue reading “An Open Letter to U.S. Attorney Sarah Resnick Cohen: Whistleblower Organization Recommends Additional Fraud Charges Be Filed Against David E. Taylor”

(Photo: Suzanne and Benny Hinn saying their wedding vows for a second time in 2013.)

Last week, Judge Jeffrey M. Rich granted the second divorce of Suzanne Hinn from televangelist Benny Hinn. As a result, the Hillsborough County website reports that the divorce case is closed.

On November 24, the county website was updated to report “FINAL JUDGMENT NON CONTESTED DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE.”

Continue reading “Televangelist Benny Hinn’s Remarriage Ends in Divorce”

(Screenshot: Kevin Adell being interviewed following Novi city council approval to build the Adell Center.)

The federal government’s civil case, filed in April 2023, to seize the $4 million Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, home of The Word Network President Kevin Adell has been postponed for 90 days due to the federal government shutdown. Adell is accused of owing almost $18 million in estate and gift taxes after his father Franklin Adell died in 2006.

Franklin Adell founded The Word Network which was later marketed as “the largest African-American religious network in the world.” However, due to recent programming changes, most of the preachers on The Word Network are now caucasian.

In 2015, the IRS revoked the tax-exemption of The Word Network’s previous parent World Religious Relief which Adell replaced with a new non-profit organization Church of the Word.

Adell also owns 170 acres of real estate in Metamora, Michigan, worth more than $2.6 million, according to real estate website Zillow. Adell’s Naples, Florida, beach house is currently for sale with a list price of $8.9 million (down from $10 million), featuring a large boat dock located near the Naples Yacht Club.

(Photo: Satellite view of Naples Yacht Club and nearby homes.)

Adell’s mountain home in Sundance, Utah, home of the Sundance Film Festival, is worth over $6 million, according to Redfin and Zillow real estate websites.

Adell’s wealth also financed a large car collection. In 2019, Hagerty reported that Adell’s “fleet of 100 or so automobiles” features newer hypercars and automobiles from old TV shows such as the Batmobile from the 1960s TV series and one of the General Lee cars from “The Dukes of Hazzard.”

Recent Court Filings

The Motion to Stay and the Joint Motion to Extend Trial and Related Deadlines were filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan Southern Division.

The failure by Congress to pass an appropriations bill to fund government operations resulted in the government shutdown, as explained in the Motion to Stay:

“At the end of the day on September 30, 2025, the appropriations act that had been funding the Department of Justice expired and those appropriations to the Department lapsed. The same is true for the majority of other Executive agencies, including the federal Plaintiff. The Department does not know when such funding will be restored by Congress.

“Absent an appropriation, Department of Justice attorneys and employees of the federal Plaintiff are prohibited from working, even on a voluntary basis, except in very limited circumstances, including “emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property.”

The Joint Motion to Extend Trial and Related Deadlines has postponed Adell’s trial until “July 13, 2026, or later.”

Other church and ministry court cases might be postponed by the federal government shutdown, if it persists. We will continue monitoring the federal courts and will post updates as new motions are filed.

 

(Screenshot: David E. Taylor preaching about Passover in 2021.

A new court filing reveals the FBI and IRS obtained more than 250 subpoenas requiring people to testify or provide documents, and approximately 22 search warrants during their investigation of televangelist David E. Taylor, his assistant Michelle Brannon, and their Kingdom of God Global Church’s alleged use of forced labor and money laundering.

Because of the complexity of the case, the federal government requested the November trial date be postponed. This type of request is called a continuance. When granted, it sets aside the right to a speedy trial guaranteed by the Sixth Amendment so that the plaintiff and defendants have adequate time in preparing for court.

According to the filing, “The ends of justice require a continuance here, and the ends of justice outweigh the interests of the public and the defendants in a speedy trial. Therefore … the parties request that the Court find that the time between November 18, 2025, and April 14, 2026, be excluded in computing the time within which the trial must commence.”

Continue reading “More than 250 Subpoenas Issued During Investigation of Televangelist David E. Taylor, Defense Strategy Revealed”

A long legal battle shows why the IRS infrequently revokes the tax-exempt status of churches and ministries operating in defiance of the United States tax code.

In December 2018, the IRS secretly revoked the tax-exemption of Community Worship Fellowship, a church Lester Goddard founded in Portland, Oregon, in 1998.

Following the revocation, the IRS failed to disclose the revocation in its weekly news bulletin or in the IRS exempt organizations database.

The IRS claimed the church “failed to operate exclusively for an exempt purpose because it operated for the benefit of individual church members, and because its net earnings inured to the benefit of private individuals.” That quote from an IRS revocation letter was disclosed in the church’s lawsuit filed against the IRS.

In March 2019, Community Worship Fellowship (CWF) sued the IRS to regain its tax-exemption. On October 23, 2025, the United States Court of Federal Claims rejected the church’s legal arguments and upheld the revocation.

The CWF case dragged on for six years because on 18 occasions the parties requested additional time for discovery.

Continue reading “Church Tax-Exemption Revoked in Secret, Disclosed in Long Court Battle”

(Photo: Televangelist David E. Taylor was arrested for forced labor and money laundering.)

Is God using law enforcement to remove predators from pulpits and dismantle cults worldwide?

Since the end of August leaders of American, Mexican and South Korean cults have been indicted or charged with crimes. The American indictments follow three multi-year criminal investigations conducted by the FBI.

On the morning of August 27th, FBI agents conducted raids in four states of properties owned by Kingdom of God Global Church and arrested cult leaders David E. Taylor and Michelle Brannon.

Two weeks later, a new indictment of Naasón Joaquín García, head of the Mexican cult La Luz Del Mundo (LLDM) which means “Light of the World” in Spanish, was unsealed revealing charges of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking conspiracy. It is quite rare for religious leaders to be convicted of racketeering.  He plead guilty to previous charges and went to prison in 2022.

Continue reading “Court Watch: FBI Conducts Three Multi-Year Criminal Investigations of Religious Organizations; Summary of Church and Ministry Court Cases”

Covering Courtroom Scandals

Where were the religion reporters when televangelist Robert Tilton’s corrupt attorney J.C. Joyce delivered an aggressive defense of religious fraud?

Joyce told the court, “The right to believe what we choose to believe is absolute. We even have the right to defraud people with that belief.”

On March 21, 1995, Attorney Gary Richardson reminded a court of Joyce’s prior defense of fraud.

Tragically, that quote has not been reported in any newspapers.

Corrupt attorneys have played a primary role in aiding fraud and coverups in churches and ministries, but their actions rarely receive critical news coverage.

Meanwhile, televangelists have generated massive legal bills which most donors know nothing about. Court reporters should spotlight these legal expenses for religious non-profits filing Form 990s.

Continue reading “Religious Reporting Needs Court Reporters: Updates on Court Actions Involving Second Baptist Church, TBN and Dr. Phil”

What is Christian journalism lacking? Court reporters! Some of the biggest crimes in the religious world are NOT properly reported because no journalist obtained depositions/court transcripts and then the case gets closed.

Philanthropists can close this void by partnering with media to fund court reporters.

Bloggers, YouTubers, and social media commentators may also fill this gap by researching court documents, attending court hearings, and interviewing attorneys to find out how laws are applied. Religion reporters may enhance their investigative skills by covering court cases.

The following cases, while not an exhaustive list, may be viewed as opportunities to examine allegations of corruption in the church world and to learn about America’s court system.

Continue reading “Religious Court Cases to Watch in 2025”

(Photo: Worship band at Gateway Church Southlake campus. The church campus was constructed for $86 million and opened in 2010.)

By Barry Bowen and Pete Evans

Two class action lawsuits filed in 2024 are creating an opportunity to produce court precedents for suing churches engaged in alleged financial fraud.

In July, Mormon donors merged five cases filed against the Mormon Church into one class action lawsuit.

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, “A total of nine plaintiffs — so far — are alleging that senior church leaders and their money managers lied for decades about using member tithing donations solely for charitable causes while instead investing the cash in a multibillion-dollar ‘slush fund’ at Ensign Peak Advisors, the faith’s investment arm.”

The Mormon class action case follows another groundbreaking lawsuit. In 2021, Mormon Church donor James Huntsman sued the church for $5 million, alleging that church tithes were used to build the City Mall Center in Salt Lake City.

On September 25^th, Huntsman’s case was heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which has not yet rendered a decision.

In early October, four Gateway Church donors filed a class action lawsuit alleging that Gateway Global Ministries was spending less than $3 million on missions when the total should have exceeded $15 million annually in recent years.  Robert Morris and other church leadership had claimed 15% of money given to the church would be spent on missions.

Precedents created by the Mormon lawsuits may determine the outcome of the Gateway class action lawsuit.

Continue reading “Seeing the Bigger Picture: Making Sense of the Gateway Church Class Action Lawsuit”

Besides shining a spotlight on the bad behavior of religious leaders, court  cases often bring unique attention to church and ministry governance issues. Cross examination frequently provides answers to questions church members have long sought.

The finances of churches and ministries which are often secret may become a matter of public record during litigation.

For organizations filing a Form 990, legal expenses are disclosed on the Statement of Expenses page.

* Evan and Joshua Edwards – Evan and his son are accused of using their non-profit organization ASLAN International Ministry to fraudulently obtain a Paycheck Protection Program loan. According to ProPublica, the ministry received a loan of $8,417,200 in 2020 to retain 486 employees during COVID. USA Today reported the family used part of the money toward purchasing a $3.7 million home in Orlando among other misdeeds.

A trial date has not yet been set. The court docket is available on PACER.

Continue reading “Court Cases to Watch in 2023”