Jacksonville Minister Brian Carn, Jr. Pleads Guilty to Obstructing IRS Tax Collection

iPraiseRadio.com Special Report

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the faith community, Jacksonville minister Brian Carn, Jr., known to many as “Prophet Brian Carn,” has pleaded guilty to obstructing the Internal Revenue Service’s efforts to collect his tax debts. The announcement was made today by Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

The Charges

According to court documents and statements made in court, Carn operated a ministry under various names, including Healing House Ministries, Inc., Brian Carn Ministries, Inc., and Kingdom Culture City Churches. The case involves a sophisticated scheme to deceive the IRS after initially reporting substantial income from his ministry operations.

Timeline of Tax Evasion Scheme

2016: Initial Proper Reporting

In 2016, Carn filed his tax return for the 2015 tax year that properly reported earnings of more than $1.4 million in income. The return showed he owed more than $600,000 in taxes to the IRS. However, he did not pay those taxes.

The Scheme Begins

When the IRS began collection efforts—including placing liens on his properties and attempting to levy his bank accounts—Carn took deliberate steps to obstruct those efforts. A few months after his initial filing, he amended his 2015 tax return and falsely removed nearly $1.3 million in income that he had previously reported.

The Fictitious Employment Agreement

To accomplish this dramatic reduction in reported income, Carn hired a new accountant and provided him with a backdated employment agreement that was completely fictitious. This fabricated document claimed he received only an annual salary of $120,000 and an annual parsonage allowance of $24,000—a fraction of his actual income.

Carn represented to his accountant that this employment agreement reflected all the income he earned for the year. However, he knew this was false. In dealings with third parties on credit applications, financial account openings, and lease applications, Carn acknowledged that the income he actually earned far exceeded the purported salary in the employment agreement he had provided to his accountant.

Pattern of Underreporting Continues

Operating under the premise of the fictitious employment agreement, Carn filed a series of tax returns in subsequent years that drastically underreported his true income. This pattern of deception continued until 2020, when he stopped filing tax returns altogether—despite continuing to earn income and using ministry funds to pay for personal expenses.

Concealing Assets from the IRS

As the IRS attempted to collect the outstanding taxes, Carn made numerous false representations and material omissions to conceal his assets and income from federal investigators. These actions further obstructed the government’s ability to collect the taxes he legitimately owed.

Financial Impact

According to court documents, Carn’s obstruction caused a loss to the United States of between $550,000 and $1,500,000. This represents a significant theft from the American taxpayers and the federal government.

Legal Consequences

Carn now faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date, and the final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Investigation and Prosecution

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation into Carn’s activities. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Chief David Zisserson and Trial Attorney Max Wilner-Giwerc of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.

Background on Brian Carn, Jr.

Brian Carn, Jr. gained prominence in charismatic Christian circles as a self-proclaimed prophet and minister. His ministry operations, which included Healing House Ministries, Brian Carn Ministries, and Kingdom Culture City Churches, attracted followers and generated substantial income through offerings, speaking engagements, and other ministry-related revenue streams.

The case highlights the financial success Carn achieved through his ministry work—earning well over a million dollars in a single year—while simultaneously revealing the betrayal of that trust through deliberate tax fraud and obstruction.

A Call for Accountability

This case serves as a sobering reminder that religious leaders, like all citizens, are accountable to the law and must fulfill their tax obligations. The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 13:6-7: “This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

Impact on the Faith Community

For many in the faith community who supported Carn’s ministry, this news comes as a deep disappointment. The case underscores the importance of financial transparency and accountability in ministry operations, and the need for church leaders to model integrity in all aspects of their lives—including their financial dealings.

While the legal process will determine the final consequences for Carn’s actions, the spiritual and communal impact of this breach of trust will likely resonate for years to come among those who supported his ministry and believed in his message.

Moving Forward

As this case moves toward sentencing, it serves as an important reminder to ministry leaders and congregations alike about the critical importance of:

• Financial Transparency: Ministries should maintain clear, honest financial records and reporting
• Accountability: Church leaders must be accountable to boards, congregations, and the law
• Stewardship: Those entrusted with ministry funds have a sacred responsibility to handle them with integrity
• Tax Compliance: Religious organizations and their leaders must comply with all applicable tax laws

The Department of Justice has made clear that it will pursue cases of tax fraud and obstruction regardless of the perpetrator’s position or profession, including when those crimes are committed by religious leaders.

Conclusion

The guilty plea entered by Brian Carn, Jr. marks a significant fall for a minister who once held considerable influence in certain faith circles. While the legal process will now determine his sentence, the case stands as a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing financial success to eclipse moral and legal obligations.

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For more information about this case, visit the official Department of Justice website at justice.gov. iPraiseRadio.com will continue to monitor this case and provide updates as they become available.