Grammy-nominated gospel artist Vicki Yohe claims her embattled former lover, televangelist and self-styled “apostle,” David E. Taylor, who was recently arrested by federal authorities, has slept with at least 100 women while doing ministry. She also claims he exploited her for money and access to her 1.2 million Facebook followers.
“I thought I was in love with him, you know,” Yohe, 60, said in an emotional interview with 10 Tampa Bay about her 16-month relationship with Taylor. “But when I look back at it, he really just used me because I have, like, 1.2 million on my Facebook page — on my platform.”
A press release from the Department of Justice last Wednesday said Taylor, 53, whose Joshua Media Ministries International runs the Kingdom of God Global Church in Michigan, was arrested along with his organization’s executive director, Michelle Brannon, 56. They are accused of conspiracy to commit forced labor, forced labor, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Their operation is alleged to have left behind victims in Michigan, Florida, Texas and Missouri, including women who were forced to take the emergency contraception drug Plan B.
Authorities say the ministry received millions of dollars in donations each year through its call centers. Taylor and Brannon allegedly used much of the money to purchase luxury properties, luxury vehicles, and sporting equipment such as a boat, jet skis and ATVs. In total, Taylor is reported to have collected approximately $50 million in donations since 2014.
As Taylor peddled his ministry, Yohe told 10 Tampa Bay that she was one of scores of women and thousands of followers worldwide who bought what he was selling.
She said after singing at one of his ministry’s services in 2017, she began a romantic relationship with him during which he had promised to marry her. She would end the relationship more than a year later and go on to release a memoir in 2019, called All You Have Is a Voice: Free From a Hidden Cult, where she shares her experience with Taylor.
“He would have me promote his book. If I didn’t promote his book every day, it was like the end of the world. So, when I look back on it, he used me for my platform. He did not love me. He did not — because it was all about what I can do for him,” Yohe said. “I just cannot believe that I got caught up in it.”
Taylor’s ministry reportedly ran call centers that solicited donations daily in Taylor, Michigan, and other states, including Florida, Texas and Missouri. Victims were allegedly forced to work at the call centers as Taylor’s “armor bearers.”
“Armor bearers were Taylor’s personal servants who fulfilled Taylor’s demands around the clock. Taylor and Brannon controlled every aspect of the victims’ daily living. Victims slept in the call center facility or in a ‘ministry’ house, and Taylor and Brannon did not permit them to leave without permission,” the DOJ said in its release.
“Taylor demanded that his Armor Bearers transport women from ministry houses, airports, and other locations to Taylor’s location and ensured the women transported to Taylor took Plan B emergency contraceptives.”
Yohe said she has no idea how many women Taylor was involved with during his ministry, but said when their relationship ended and she started speaking out publicly against him, more than 100 women came forward to tell her that they were also in a relationship with the televangelist.
“He has convinced you that you are in an OK relationship because he’s best friends with Jesus and he’s immune from all of that and you’re gonna be OK,” Yohe recalled of her relationship with Taylor.
“I would say stuff to David, [like] ‘David, this ain’t right.’ He said, “It’s, it’s OK. I’m best friends with Jesus.’ But being a preacher’s kid, I knew it was wrong, and so I spoke out. … I just told everybody what was going on,” she continued.
“Within three weeks — I stopped counting at 100 women — told me that they were in a relationship with David. Many of them said they were his wife.”
In a leaked audio recording from six years ago, Yohe told Taylor’s mother that he distributed nude images of her and insisted that he needed to be stopped.
A Facebook group called Victims Of David E Taylor and others, created on Aug. 28 by revivalist founder of Jesus House, Sharell Barrera, has more than 180 members.
Barrera told 10 Tampa Bay that Taylor’s followers once tried to recruit her and when she refused, she was harassed and threatened.
“There have been several women who have said that he promised them cars, homes,” she said. “He would send them pictures. He told several different women that they were his wife. Many people were threatened. Some people had their lives threatened.”
In 2019, Taylor’s ex-wife, Tabitha Taylor, alleged that he engaged in multiple extramarital affairs during their relationship and got her pregnant before they were married.
Speaking out in a broadcast on Facebook Live, Tabitha explained that she decided to speak up to warn the Church against the abusive and manipulative behavior of pastors operating contrary to Scripture.
“We’re teaching people that it’s OK to sin. We’re teaching people that it’s OK to live unrighteously, but God is gonna bring judgment to the household of God. He is. He’s gonna judge us if we don’t get it together, people of God.
“We’re preaching in the pulpit and we’re sleeping with our members,” she continued. “We’re preaching in the pulpit and we’re abusing the sheep. We’re preaching in the pulpit and we’re not doing right by the people of God. We’re not walking in love. We’re destroying people’s marriages; we’re destroying people’s homes, and God is not pleased.”
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