Pastor Brian Carn facing 18-24 months in prison after pleading guilty to IRS Tax Fraud
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
Brian Carn Jr., 37, founder and pastor of Kingdom City Church and leader of Brian Carn Ministries and Healing House Ministries, has pled guilty to charges of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service’s efforts to collect his outstanding tax liabilities.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Carn attempted to misrepresent and make false representations to the IRS to conceal his assets and income.
According to the DOJ, Carn filed a 2016 tax return accurately reporting more than $1.4 million in income and over $600,000 in taxes owed.
However, he failed to pay the balance and subsequently engaged in actions intended to evade collection.
Federal prosecutors state that when the IRS moved to recover unpaid taxes by placing liens on property and levying his bank accounts, Carn attempted to reduce his liability by amending a prior-year return. Specifically, he altered his 2015 filing to remove approximately $1.5 million in reported income. Investigators allege he also provided an accountant with a backdated and false employment agreement, claiming a significantly reduced annual salary and housing allowance that did not reflect his actual earnings.
According to investigators, he hired the accountant and provided a false employment agreement that showed an annual salary of $120,000 and a parsonage allowance of $24,000, which was suppose to represent to his total income for the year.
The Department of Justice further alleges that Carn continued to underreport income in subsequent years and, by 2020, stopped filing tax returns altogether, despite using ministry funds to cover personal expenses.
Investigators also allege Carn made several additional false representations, including:
In 2016, omitting a real property, he received from his grandmother through a quitclaim deed
Failing to disclose a Cash App account used to transfer hundreds of thousands of dollars to his personal bank account
Omitting an investment account in his name
Failing to report ownership of two vehicles
Listing his monthly income as $0 from 2017 through 2020
While the charge carries a statutory maximum sentence of three years in prison, a United States Sentencing Memorandum is recommending a prison term of 18 to 24 months.
In a public video statement, Carn acknowledged his wrongdoing and accepted responsibility. "I’m not here to justify myself or minimize anything," he said. "This is mine to own." He added that some of his actions stemmed from ignorance rather than intent, although he acknowledged that "ignorance does not excuse responsibility."
Carn also stated that after being confronted by federal authorities, he retained legal counsel and made the decision to plead guilty. He expressed hope that his experience would serve as a cautionary lesson about accountability and the importance of addressing legal and financial obligations promptly.
Brian Carn has been in ministry since around 12-years old. He's known as a "prophet" in some circles.
The tax fraud case remains under review by IRS Criminal Investigation.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 30, 2026 in Jacksonville federal court.
Visit the Inspirational Gospel Music Channel Faith Shop!
Comments