In some cities, people tithe more than 10% of their monthly income to the church. This, as explained at the time by the prosecutor in charge of the case, because there was a suspicion that his followers would seek to pay the fine. 2023-01-18T22:10:45.162Z, "It does not rhyme": Michel Sardou not convinced by a song written by ChatGPT It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. Naasn Joaqun Garcia has been successfully married to Alma Zamora since 1992. The California Department of Justices investigation was supported by several law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Los Angeles Airport Police. OAKLAND California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued a statement on the nearly 17-year prison sentence imposed by the court for Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of La Nearly all closed their eyes. Its male members favor suits and short hair, and female members wear veils that cover their hair and modest dresses. He is the third apostle of the congregation after succeeding his father Samuel in power after his death on December 14, 2014. In addition, they accused the La Luz Del Mundo church of sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and gender violence, seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. Prosecutors said that the crimes dated back to at least 2015. As the leader of La Luz del Mundo, Naasn Joaqun Garca used his power to take advantage of children. All three individuals are associated with La Luz del Mundo. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Garca took over as apostle after his father, Samuel Joaqun Flores, died in 2014. It is also anticipated that he wont survive this long and will die in prison within these 16 years. The head of the multinational church La Luz del Mundo was sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to several sexual assault charges. "It has been a very difficult issue, of course, for him and for us," she added. "Knowing that these abuses took place there, in my happy place, in my safe place, is horrible," she said. Today it claims a membership of more than 5 million in some 50 nations. However, the five complainants, addressed as Jane Does in the court, were unhappy with the minimal sentences their aggressors received. Thus, the Church of Light assured that based on the motion submitted it is clear that his constitutional rights have been unjustly violated, putting this as the main reason why he should be released. "Ministers, pastors and deacons have their same duties. 2023-01-18T22:22:50.746Z, Netflix presents a very varied and especially humorous cinematographic menu for 2023 SACRAMENTO California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced the arrest and filing of charges against Naasn Joaqun Garca (Joaqun Garca) and his co The California Department of Justice has also fought to protect juvenile victims of trafficking,bringing 54 felony chargesagainst the alleged operators of a statewide sex trafficking ring in 2017. 2023-01-18T23:46:40.448Z, Tidiane, 16, stabbed to death in Thiais: four teenagers indicted and imprisoned HBOs Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo peeks behind the closed doors of the Mexican Christian megachurch La Luz Del Mundo and sheds light on the rampant sexual abuse faced by several minors by the church leaders. His confession came June 3, three days before his trial was scheduled to start. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty. The Daily Caller | 1775 Eye Street NW | Suite 1150-290 | Washington, DC 20006, (RELATED: Pastor Who Admitted To 1998 Sexual Assault Will Not Face Charges), (RELATED: DOJ Opens Investigation Into Roman Catholic Church Sex Abuse). 2023-01-18T23:10:55.786Z, The atrocious methods of organized crime in Ecuador to sow terror Parents give biblical names to their children and take them to the temple at 40 days old to promise they will guide them to follow their path. Jericho, Bethlehem and Nazareth are among the names of roads converging on the white temple that locals call "the cake," for its white tiers that diminish in size as they rise upward. They will have to adjust to whatever happens. 2023-01-18T23:10:35.355Z, Deadly brawl in Val-de-Marne: four minors indicted and imprisoned HBOs Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo explores the story of alleged sexual abuse, many relating to minors, within a Mexico-based Christian megachurch called La Luz del Mundo (LLDM). 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. As a documentary series that lives up to its title in every way imaginable, HBOs Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo can only be described as equal parts gripping, riveting, as well as haunting. As for their professional standing, while Alma allegedly serves as a social worker, Adoram has been linked to the Mexican soccer promotional league. Garcia pleaded guilty to counts 1, 7, and 9. "It is not sufficient to say 'I have converted' or "I have baptized'" she said. If you believe you have been a victim of sexual abuse or have information about incidents of sexual misconduct related to anyone who may be involved in this case, please call (323) 765-2100 or you can file a complaint online at https://oag.ca.gov/LLDM. Most teachings translate into something quotidian. Born on May 7, 1969, in Guadalajara, Mexico, Naasn Joaqun Garcia was the fifth of Mexican church leader Samuel Joaqun Flores eight children. 2023-01-18T21:41:01.084Z, A 115-year-old Spaniard could be the new oldest of humanity Search warrant details items seized from Idaho murder suspect's apartment, U.S. lawyer who died in Mexico was "victim of a brutal crime," family says, Georgia state trooper shot near "Cop City," alleged shooter killed, officials say, South Carolina's Clyburn says he is convinced Biden will seek second term, Brian Walshe, accused of killing wife, allegedly looked up ways to dispose of body, Lisa Marie Presley's cause of death "deferred," coroner says, UPenn asked for info on Biden think tank donors, visitor logs, 200 millionaires say inequality is "eating the world alive", Rat poison found in Taco Bell takeout order, authorities say, British actor Julian Sands reported missing while hiking north of Los Angeles, George Santos accused of stealing funds for veteran's dying dog, Officials investigate arson at central Illinois Planned Parenthood facility, Sam's Club New Year's 2023 deal: Get a Sam's Club membership for $25 and save big on gas, Market has biggest pullback of the year, led by tech, U.S. to allow private sponsorship of refugees from around the world, New York City starts providing free abortion pills, Netflix is looking for a flight attendant, and the pay range may shock you, Kamala Harris to give speech to commemorate 50th anniversary of Roe v. 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In the criminal complaint filed with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the California Department of Justice alleges Joaqun Garca and his co-defendants committed 26 felonies in Southern California over a period of approximately four years. Read Also Joseph Pikul, Murderer of Diane Pikul Now? They were suspected of committing 26 felonies in Los Angeles County between 2015 and 2018. Moreover, if they denied or hesitated, they were blackmailed by being told how they were defying Gods will. Yet, despite the charges against Naasn, his followers and the La Luz del Mundo continued supporting him and believing his claims of innocence. In 2018, Attorney General Becerracharged the operators of Rainbow Bright, a California adult residential and childcare company, with 59 criminal counts for alleged human trafficking and other alleged labor-related violations. La Luz del Mundo is sometimes described as evangelical, but its members do not embrace this term. There are apparently video clips of them engaging in such atrocious acts, some of which even go as far as to include extreme incest. Illicit enrichment, money laundering, transfers to tax havens and the purchase of luxury goods and services were some of the alerts issued by the unit. Susana Medina Oaxaca appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, June 21, 2019. La Muz del Mundo is represented in over 58 countries and claims to have over 5 million followers. The grandson of the churchs founder, Garca maintained his innocence following his arrest but eventually pleaded guilty in June 2022 to two counts of forcible oral copulation on a minor and one count of committing a lewd act on a child in exchange for a reduced sentence of 17 years behind bars. The Associated Press contributed to this report. As per court documents, the complainants alleged he sexually abused one woman and three minors, also raping the woman and another child. 2023-01-18T21:40:44.687Z, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo meet again: their numbers in the season From what we can tell, every member of the Joaqun family prefers to stay well away from the limelight these days, yet they do likely divide their time between their homeland of Guadalajara and their last known base of California. (Photo by ULISES RUIZ / AFP via Getty Images), Multiple witnesses came forward during in investigation launched in 2018 by the California Department of Justices Special Prosecutions Section. 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For three years she remained monitored by a geolocation device that kept her rooted in her home in San Diego, on the border with Mexico. A Teen Murder Victim's Horrific Diary Entry Helped Police Find Her Killer, Kai The Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker Was Arrested Months After His Viral Interview, Netflix's Latest True-Crime Docuseries Dives Into A $65 Billion Ponzi Scheme, 'The Last Of Us' Star Bella Ramsey Almost Didnt Take The Role Of Ellie, Get Even More From Bustle Sign Up For The Newsletter, By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our. Naasn Joaqun Garcia was a church leader for a very long time and was a good and famous personality who used to perform good deeds but later on when the actual truth got revealed in 2019, he was directly charged with 20 rape cases there together, and after the investigation by the police officers, proper evidence got to reveal that he was related to these 20 women and salted the women sexually and raped them more than once. 2023-01-18T22:22:45.283Z, TikTok, banned from government devices in more than half of US states. But prosecutors said the victims were essentially brainwashed by Garca and felt they would be ostracized by the insular church community if they didnt submit to his desires. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Azalea Rangel Melendez, who is currently at large. According to the suit, the victims said they were routinely coerced since they were children to believe that Garcas wishes were direct orders from God and that if they didnt obey, it would lead to catastrophic consequences including, but not limited to, eternal damnation, unspeakable tragedy, infertility, and countless other harms.. The conviction comes just days ahead of trial, which was set to begin on Monday. 2023-01-18T22:52:56.769Z, RBD gathers their fans in different parts of the world to share an important announcement SACRAMENTO California Attorney General Xavier Becerra today announced the arrest and filing of charges against Naasn Joaqun Garca (Joaqun Garca) and his co In 2020, Ocampo pleaded guilty to three felony counts of contact with a minor for the purposes of committing a sexual offense and one count of forcible sexual penetration. Citing crimes dating back to 2015, the California Department of Justice arrested Garca, aka the Apostle, in 2019 at Los Angeles International Airport, along with two other church members, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, and held him on $90-million bail. Garcia is currently in custody in lieu of $50 million bail and co- defendant Alondra Ocampo, 36, is being held on $25 million bail. Period, said Attorney General Becerra. The case was prosecuted by the California Department of Justices Special Prosecutions Section with assistance from the Appeals, Writs, and Trials Section. 2023-01-18T22:10:50.568Z, Yasmine Ateeq A cultural heritage seminar in Kafr Souseh, Damascus  Details About Democratic US Senator Raphael Warnocks Children And His Win in Georgia Run-off Election, Check Who Is Hakeem Jeffries Wife And Know His Net Worth, Who is Kevin McCarthy Wife? "For us everything is very nice, everything continues to work," she said. Crimes like those alleged in this complaint have no place in our society. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov, State of California Department of Justice, Consumer Protection and Economic Opportunity, California Justice Information Services (CJIS), helped bring downthe worlds largest online brothel, push for the passage of the federal Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, Attorney General Becerra Announces Arrest of Naasn Joaqu. Megachurch leader Naason Joaquin Garcia has been sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison. As of writing, the case is still being deliberated in a court of law. | AL SEIB/AFP via Getty Images The attorney general of California, Xavier Becerra, has even said that he is a madman. The leader, of the Church of Light, today behind bars of a prison in California, is accused, along with three accomplices, of multiple crimes. 2023-01-18T23:10:48.565Z, Qu Yingyan questioned that members of the Legislative Council have 80 days of summer vacation Jasper Jasper: As a member, I have to hold meetings during summer vacation Oaxaca pleaded guilty to assault charges resulting in bodily harm, while Ocampo pleaded guilty in 2020 and still awaits sentencing. A judge had thrown out four counts of extortion and sentencing enhancements for great bodily injury for lack of evidence. Ocampo pleaded guilty in 2020 to counts 19, 20, 21, and 33. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Some knelt and wept. Naason Joaquin Garcia, the leader of the La Luz del Mundo, Spanish for The Light of the World, appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court, on June 5, 2019. Garca told the girls after they danced for him that a king could have mistresses and that an apostle of God can never be judged for his actions, according to the charges against him. Additionally, Attorney General Becerra testified before the U.S. Senate to push for the passage of the federal Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, which became law in 2018. 2023-01-18T21:41:11.932Z, Ambassador Sabbagh: Syria calls on the Security Council to abandon its silence and assume its responsibilities to end the Israeli occupation of Arab lands These individuals created a direct impact on their life. If you have any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at (916) 210-7580. Her bail was originally set at $5 million. "He's firm in his convictions, and the church is firm as well in its purpose of moving forward.". 2023-01-18T23:52:35.912Z, Between essays, biographies and novels: what books will we read in 2023 This is actually despite the fact he was born as the fifth of seven children to Samuel Joaqun Flores (his predecessor) and Eva Garca Lpez in May 1969 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco. For Raquel Haifa, 43, fulfilling the revivals was a traumatizing experience that she considers abusive, because minors are not able to decline to take part. 2023-01-18T23:28:35.547Z, Hand in hand with the Argentine Dakar champion Kevin Benavides But in court they called him "evil" and a "monster," "disgusting human waste" and the "antichrist. "The apostle always shows determination to move forward," said Phares Ruiz, who traveled from El Salvador to attend the Holy Supper. Flores was also the subject of child sex abuse allegations in 1997, but authorities in Mexico never filed criminal charges. "I did cry, because I was saying, 'God, deliver me from this, make this time pass quickly,'" Haifa said from Texas. "I think it changed for the better in the sense that now we feel more united, and we feel more empowered," she said. Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of Mexican megachurch La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World), was sentenced to 16 years by a Los Angeles judge after pleading guilty to three counts of the sexual abuse of minors in his following. In this case, the court set bail for Joaqun Garca at $25 million. The religion is "very demanding," said Arlene M. Snchez-Walsh, a professor of religious studies at Azusa Pacific University, a Christian institution near Los Angeles. We will always stand with Californians against injustice.. Naasn Joaqun Garca leads a service at his church "La Luz del Mundo" in Guadalajara, Mexico on Aug. 9, 2018. Ocampo told girls that if they rebuffed the wishes and desires of the apostle, they were going against God, according to the charges. 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