The Church La Luz Del Mundo, based in Guadalajari in Mexico, built an image of the Global Religious Community with millions of followers. However, the last indictment in the United States reveal the dark side of this institution – a decade of systemic sexual abuse for which prosecutors claim to have implemented the leaders of the Church.
From family heritage to international movement
La Luz Del Mundo founded in 1926. Essebio “Aaron” Joaquín Gonzalez, who called himself God’s “Apostola”. After his death in 1964. The leadership took over his son Samuel Joaquín Flores, and in 2014, after Samuel Death, his son of Naasón Joaquín García stopped at the head of the church. Today, the Church is bragging in with the presence of all 50 American federal states and about 50 countries around the world, with the claim that there are five million members. However, the new indictment of the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in New York questions the foundations of this institution.
Charges of “inherited abuse”
According to the Prosecution, three leaders – the founder of Aaron, his son Samuel and grandson Naasón – did not transmit only leadership, but also a “deep disturbing tradition of” sexual abuse of children and women. The indictment argues that the Church leaders were abusing their status “apostola”, presenting as the only way to salvation. Members are learned that God will punish those who suspect or disobey the “apostles”. In such an environment, young girls and women are allegedly deceived by promises of “special blessings” involving sexual intercourse.
In addition to Naasón, his mother, Eva García de Joaquín, wife of the deceased Samuel, is among the accused. According to the Prosecution, Eva helped husband and son in abuse of girls and women – identifying victims, gradually “preparing” and even directly participating in abuse. In one of the charges, Eva allegedly used pornographic material to “prepare” a minor girlfriend, then helped Samuel had sexually abused when she was about 16 years old.
Money believer as fuel for crimes and luxury
The persecutors claim that the leaders of the Church used the donations of believers – known as “love contributions” – not only for concealing the traces of abuse, but also to finance luxurious life. According to the indictment, Naasón, he bought masks, costumes and sexual toys to produce recordings of child abuse. At the same time, the family lived in luxury: they drove expensive cars, wore designer clothes and traveled the first class. Samuel and Eva allegedly used the free work of the Church members to build a lavish villa in Los Angeles, decorated with gold details, which believers call “Versace House.” During the search of their homes in September, federal agents found more than a million dollars in cash, gold coins, coins, as well as secret safeans under the bed, which came through the hidden door.
The court process and denial of charges
Naasón Joaquín García is currently serving a penalty in California, but was transferred to New York to face new charges, including racketing and human being threatened. And he and his mother Eva pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers claim that the accusations were “and that they were” grotesque portrait “that created prosecutors and their allies. For millions of believers La Luz del Mundo, these cites are deeply shocking. While prosecutors claim that the abuse was the systematic and multidecarial, the Church still operates worldwide, and Naasón was also formally considered “apostola”.
(Type / Source: Federal.ba/The Guardian / photo: Genaro Molina / Los Angeles times)
