Third defendant known as ‘Prophetess’ indicted in church forced labor case
A federal grand jury in Michigan indicted Kathleen Klein, 53, known as “Prophetess,” in an alleged forced labor conspiracy tied to the Kingdom of God Global Church, the Justice Department announced.
The Justice Department said Klein served as a leader and executive of the church, formerly known as Joshua Media Ministries International, and helped run a multi-state call center operation prosecutors say exploited workers to solicit donations. Prosecutors said the call centers operated in Michigan, Missouri, Florida and Texas and that victims were forced to work long hours without pay and pressured to meet aggressive fundraising targets.
The superseding indictment, issued Feb. 11, alleges that the organization collected roughly $50 million in donations since 2014, which leaders used to fund personal real estate purchases, vehicles, airline tickets and luxury goods, the Justice Department said. The indictment also includes allegations that co-defendant David Taylor frequently requested and received sexually explicit photos and videos from female church workers, prosecutors said.
Klein is charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, the Justice Department said. David Taylor and Michelle Brannon were first indicted in July 2025 on charges including conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor and conspiracy to commit money laundering; prosecutors said each faces up to 20 years in prison on each count if convicted.
“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,” Assistant Attorney General Andrew Tysen Duva said in a Justice Department statement. “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.”
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