Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr., U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan | Department of Justice
A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Michigan has returned a superseding indictment against Kathleen Klein, also known as Prophetess, for her alleged involvement in a forced labor conspiracy linked to the Kingdom of God Global Church (KOGGC). The case involves victims from Michigan, Florida, Texas, and Missouri.
According to court documents, Klein was a leader and executive at KOGGC, previously known as Joshua Media Ministries International. She is accused of running call centers with co-defendants David Taylor and Michelle Brannon that used forced labor to solicit donations for the church. Victims reportedly worked long hours without pay and faced severe punishments such as public humiliation, sleep deprivation, physical violence, withholding of food and shelter, forced repentance rituals, and threats of eternal damnation if they did not meet fundraising targets or challenged leadership. The indictment states that leaders controlled most aspects of the victims’ lives. Over more than ten years, KOGGC allegedly collected about $50 million in donations used for personal expenses including real estate, vehicles, travel, and luxury goods.
The new indictment also alleges that Taylor requested and received sexually explicit photographs and videos from workers at KOGGC.
Klein faces a charge of conspiracy to commit forced labor with 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 itself, and conspiracy to commit money laundering; each count carries up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva stated: “This case reflects the gravity of forced labor schemes that strip victims of their basic human rights and subject them to physical and brutal psychological abuse. Combating human trafficking is a top priority for the Department of Justice. We will relentlessly pursue those who facilitate and profit from forced labor and fight to obtain justice for survivors.”
U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. said: “We will follow the evidence and meticulously build the case. We thank our federal partners for their dogged pursuit of human traffickers.”
Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office commented: “Forced labor is a direct assault on human freedom. It strips victims of their dignity, their autonomy, and their basic right to control their own lives. Anyone who conspires to exploit and enslave others for profit will be held fully accountable under the law. This case demonstrates the strength of our federal, state, and local partnerships in dismantling a multi-state forced labor operation. We will not stop until these criminal networks are shut down and justice is delivered.”
Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd from IRS Criminal Investigation added: “IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is dedicated to fighting human trafficking to ensure the safety of all communities we serve,” she said. “Working together with our federal and local partners and leveraging IRS-CI’s unique investigative talents, we are able to disrupt suspected trafficking operations, keeping the vulnerable safe from becoming another victim.”
The FBI and IRS-CI are investigating this case.
Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Christina Randall-James from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights & Special Prosecutions Section along with Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Resnick Cohen are prosecuting.
Anyone with information about human trafficking can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Additional details on efforts by the Justice Department can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in court.
