Bishop Charles Ellis, the pastor who once faced online backlash over allegations of being too handsy with pop singer Ariana Grande back in 2018, is back in the headlines. Only this time around, the reason why is arguably much, much worse.
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Things all started after a woman named Melody Walker posted more than a handful of TikTok videos exposing the alleged years-long relationship she had with Ellis that began when she was 22-years-old and the pastor was 47. Walker claimed that they began their entanglement in 2002 and didn’t bring things to an end until 2018. Bishop Ellis was and still is married to his wife, Crisette Michelle.
Fast forward to late July 2025 and now Walker is sharing her story along with a plethora of “receipts,” including text messages, audio from from phone calls, financial records and more. Specifically, in one video, she blasts the pastor for causing her “pain and suffering,” and accused him of “spiritual molestation” and “emotional and spiritual exploitation.”
In another video posted earlier this week, in which she backed up her claims with bank statement that had both her and Ellis’ name on an account, Walker said that her intent isn’t to be messy but rather to help the women who she helps as a part of her women’s ministry now that’s she’s come to a place of personal healing from the situation.
“If I could help another woman overcome and learn her value, her intrinsic value and not compromise herself for money, you know. Then I’m gonna help women do that. And that’s what this is really about. Me, helping somebody else,” she said.
What’s more is that Walker is gearing up to release a book about her time with the married bishop, entitled “The Bishop, His Wife and Me,” which is available for pre-order now.
“None of this is a lie, it’s all true. I am sharing my journey. Everyone has a story rather they tell it from truth or not[sic]” she said in a post promoting the book.
She later added in another video: “I don’t blame him. I was in love. I believed he cared for me deeply. This isn’t about blaming anybody. People are broken. People do things for different reasons and we have to understand that. May the truth make us free.”
Additionally, Bishop Ellis has since responded to Walker’s allegations, saying in a statement to the Detroit Metro Times:
“I was recently made aware of social media posts shared by a former member of my congregation, with whom I had an inappropriate relationship over 15 years ago. At that time, these indiscretions were addressed with my bishop in a redemptive process, which included counseling.”
He continued, “These posts include accusations, some of which are deeply troubling and untrue. Given the nature of several false claims being made I have asked my legal counsel, Atty. Gerald Evelyn, to carefully review all matters, in particular an apparent joint bank account with my name on it. I have retained communications counsel Mario Morrow of Mario Morrow & Associates, LLC to assist in addressing this situation appropriately.”
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