Orlando Coleman, a man posing as a pastor, has been sentenced to three years in prison for bigamy after marrying at least 10 women. Coleman, who visited black churches across the US under the guise of a travelling bishop, deceived women into marrying him by presenting himself as a member of the clergy and the founder of several churches on social media.
Despite pleading guilty to bigamy in July 2023 and being placed on probation for marrying two women simultaneously, Coleman married another woman just two months later. His web of deceit began to unravel in 2021 when one of his wives discovered he was receiving money from another woman in Virginia. This revelation led to an investigation by the Harris County Sheriff's Office and the filing of bigamy charges against Coleman.
Prosecutors say Coleman married the women for housing and financial security, using his guise as a pastor to gain their trust. He would propose marriage, move in with the woman, and allow her to cover his housing and food expenses. Some of the women filed for divorce after Coleman fled to another state.
Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg stated, "At the heart of this repeat offender’s schemes was a plan to defraud women and take advantage of them for financial gain." Coleman's case highlights the serious consequences of bigamy in Texas, which carries a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Coleman is currently being held at the Harris County Jail.
No comments:
Post a Comment