They will have to adjust to whatever happens. Garca took over as apostle after his father, Samuel Joaqun Flores, died in 2014. Damian Naasn Joaqun Garca, 53, who is considered the apostle of Jesus Christ by his 5 million worldwide followers, had vigorously fought charges that included child rape, until abruptly accepting a plea deal on the eve of trial. The lawsuit also includes Garcia's accomplices and facilitators, Alondra Ocampo and Susana Oaxaca, two members of La Luz del Mundo who were also sentenced to prison for helping them abuse the victims. Another female co-defendant who was a member of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca, 27, pleaded guilty Friday to assault likely to cause great bodily injury, a misdemeanor. The arrests were the result of a joint effort between the California Department of Justice and a number of law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Los Angeles Airport Police. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. 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 Garca, head of the Mexico-based La Luz del Mundo megachurch, pleaded guilty in June to sexually abusing girls from his congregation and was sentenced to He relied on those around him to groom congregants for the purposes of sexual assault. In 2014, he succeeded his father as the new leader AKA the Apostle of the La Luz del Mundo. If you see something, report it and we will vigorously pursue justice.. "The apostle always shows determination to move forward," said Phares Ruiz, who traveled from El Salvador to attend the Holy Supper. This led to the position of the organization, which requested the release of its leader through a statement. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Thats because it charts not just the way the titular Mexican non-traditional Christian Church took advantage of minors for years but also the 2019 apprehension of leader Naasn Joaqun Garcia. To gasps of surprise, Joaqun Garca addressed the congregation by telephone from his Los Angeles prison, where he is serving a 16-year sentence. 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. Garcia is currently in custody in lieu of $50 million bail and co- defendant Alondra Ocampo, 36, is being held on $25 million bail. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty. 2023-01-18T22:52:51.370Z, Russia-Ukraine war: USA apparently wants to deliver heavy weapons worth billions to Kyiv In some cities, people tithe more than 10% of their monthly income to the church. 2023-01-18T23:28:35.547Z, Hand in hand with the Argentine Dakar champion Kevin Benavides "All this goes to show that although you are part of this world, you have accepted a very particular way of life because you are Christian," Snchez-Walsh said. It seems clear that many members of the church, founded in Mexico in 1926 and now active in many countries, aren't ready to abandon Joaqun Garca as their "apostle" - the term used for the church's leader. Church youth group leader Alondra Ocampo, who previously pleaded guilty to abusing the girls, was charged with directing teenage girls in skimpy outfits to perform flirty dances for Garca. Please consult with a translator for accuracy if you are relying on the translation or are using this site for official business. Efforts to fight human trafficking have also included taking on labor exploitation. Naasn became involved with the churchs activities at a young age and served as a minister in several other congregations across California and Arizona. We will hold you accountable if you break the law, said Attorney General Bonta. - He is charged with crimes including forcible rape of a minor, conspiracy and extortion. 2022 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. She would target girls and bring them into his inner fold. Prosecutors said he used his spiritual influence to have sex with several female followers and was aided by others in the church who facilitated the abuse. 2023-01-18T21:40:44.687Z, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo meet again: their numbers in the season As of today, the Apostle has been detained for almost three years without attainable bail. 2023-01-18T23:04:35.147Z, An 'angel' with artificial intelligence tracks clues to find the disappeared in Mexico She was detained for a few days in a jail in this city and was released after paying bail of $150,000. 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. Like other women in Hermosa Provincia, she wears dresses and skirts that are not form-fitting, eschews makeup and earrings and wears her hair long. 2023-01-18T22:52:45.963Z, Police search a container in Sheung Shui and reveal it as a Pai Gow gambling stall 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 CBS Los Angeles reportedthe California Department of Justice arrested Joaqun Garcia and two other members of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, in 2019. They were suspected of committing 26 felonies in Los Angeles County between 2015 and 2018. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Even outside the temple, the sound of his voice stirred emotions among dozens of devotees guarding entries to the sanctuary. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org. Naasn Joaqun Garca leads a service at his church "La Luz del Mundo" in Guadalajara, Mexico on Aug. 9, 2018. Todays conviction is the result of a multiyear investigation and prosecution led by the California Department of Justice. Currently, journalists are not allowed to attend services or take photographs inside the church's temples. When he was a famous personality, the family used to live together in California, and the family life of all these individuals was very successful. Heres where he is now. 2023-01-18T22:10:45.162Z, "It does not rhyme": Michel Sardou not convinced by a song written by ChatGPT (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. Many organization leaders, including Susana and Alondra, were accused of being the perpetrators. Those born in the community are baptized at 14 because, according to the church, that lets them decide whether to reaffirm or leave the faith. LOS ANGELES (RNS) Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of La Luz del Mundo, is facing a new lawsuit filed by five women who allege he sexually abused them while other church members groomed them and used the religion as ammunition against them. 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? 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. After that trial that happened in 2019, certain things were not in their favour of him, so in 2019 when the official decision from The laws came, it stated that he would be imprisoned for 16 years. 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. While he initially did not enter a plea, he was held at a shocking $50 million bail, generating massive outrage among his followers against the legal authorities. Not just that, the complaint detailed how the victims were reportedly forced to perform sexual acts and dances in minimal clothing for their Apostle. 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 The suit was filed by five women who - under the pseudonym Jane Doe - were identified as victims in the original criminal charges against him. The Apostle of Jesus Christ has had no choice but to accept with much pain that the agreement presented is the best way forward to protect the church and his family, the church said in a statement to CBS News at the time. Naason Joaqun Garcia was arrested at the airport in Los Angeles, California, in June 2019. He initially faced more than 20 charges, but most were dismissed after a plea deal with prosecutors. Naason Joaquin Garcia, the leader of a Mexico-based evangelical church with a worldwide membership of more than 1 million appeared for a bail review hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court on July 15, 2019. Still, after 2019 she has already stated that she is not intended to be in a married relationship with her husband as whatever he did with all other girls and sexually abused different girls, the relationship with his wife is something that has no statement, so she has decided that she will not continue the marriage with her husband as she has supposed to be the most affected person in the entire scenario. 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 Congregation members in the neighborhood call each other "brother" and "sister" and take pride in helping one another. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. He is the third apostle of the congregation after succeeding his father Samuel in power after his death on December 14, 2014. Garca and Oaxaca were arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport upon arrival into the United States and Ocampo was also arrested separately in Los Angeles County. This Google translation feature is provided for informational purposes only. The Office of the Attorney General is unable to guarantee the accuracy of this translation and is therefore not liable for any inaccurate information resulting from the translation application tool.