Mexico probes child sex allegations in religious sect

0

NUEVO LAREDO, Mexico: The Spanish leader of a sect in Mexico who saw himself as the reincarnation of Christ is being investigated over claims children were forced into sex, an official said Wednesday.

Mexican authorities broke up the cult, Defenders of Christ, during a raid Saturday on a house near the US border in Nuevo Laredo city, where 14 foreigners, including Spaniard Ignacio Gonzalez de Arriba, and 10 Mexicans were found last week.

Gonzalez de Arriba was accused by former members of
“promoting illegal sexual practices in which he forced minors to participate, and we are working on that,” a source in the prosecutor’s office told AFP.

Another official said that leaders of the cult were being investigated for human trafficking.

The National Migration Institute had said Monday that all of the cult’s foreign members were detained amid accusations that they deprived people of their freedom while making them do forced labour and “pay tithes.” — AFP