The case of ‘John of God’ – Sex Trafficking and Baby Farming. Back in 2018 the shocking revelations surrounding Joao Teixeira de Faria, popularly known as “John of God,” have exposed a disturbing web of alleged crimes, including sexual abuse, running a sex slave farm, and engaging in a sinister baby trafficking operation. The 77-year-old cult leader faced over 600 allegations, marking one of Brazil’s most significant serial crimes cases.
Initially thrust into the spotlight when accused of sexually abusing a Dutch woman on live TV, Faria’s spiritual empire began to crumble. Subsequently, more than 600 similar allegations surfaced from around the world, all vehemently denied by the accused.
The case of ‘John of God’ – Sex Trafficking and Baby Farming
Brazilian activist Sabrina Bittencourt had added another layer to this dark narrative, claiming that Faria orchestrated a baby trafficking operation within his cult. Allegedly, young girls aged 14 to 18 were lured with money to live on Faria’s properties, where they were subjected to becoming sex slaves. These girls were reportedly impregnated, and their babies were sold to the highest bidder on the black market, reaching as far as Europe, the USA, and Australia. Shockingly, the cycle continued as these enslaved girls were allegedly murdered after a decade of giving birth.
Bittencourt, head of the organization Coame, revealed that she had collected testimonies from former members of the cult, shedding light on the horrifying extent of the alleged criminal enterprise. The claims underscore a deeply disturbing exploitation of vulnerable individuals within the confines of a cult, pointing to a network that involved both sexual abuse and human trafficking. Unfortunately, Bittencourt died by suicide back in 2019.
The case of “John of God” is a nightmarish scenario where spiritual authority was allegedly wielded to perpetrate heinous crimes against women and children, leaving a stain on Brazil’s history and prompting a broader conversation about the need for vigilance against such abuses within religious and spiritual communities. Read more here.
