List of convicted religious leaders

This is a list of religious leaders who have been convicted of serious crimes during or after their period as a religious leader, and later than 1880.

Violent crimes

* Shoko Asahara - Founder of Aum Shinrikyo sentenced to death by hanging under Japanese law for involvement in Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway. [cite news| url=http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/27/international/asia/27CND-JAPA.html| title=Ex-Leader of Japan Cult Sentenced to Death in Gas Attack| publisher=The New York Times| accessdate=2007-12-20|date=2004-02-27]
* Matthew F. Hale - Former leader of Creativity Movement sentenced to a 40-year prison term for soliciting an undercover FBI informant to kill federal judge Joan Lefkow. [cite news | url=http://www.splcenter.org/intel/news/item.jsp?site_area=1&aid=102 | title=Matthew Hale gets maximum 40-year sentence | publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |date=2005-04-07 | accessdate =2007-12-20]
* Warren Jeffs - Once President of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, convicted of rape as an accomplice. [cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7104832.stm | title=US polygamy sect leader sentenced | publisher=BBC News |date=2007-11-20 | accessdate =2007-12-20]
* Luc Jouret - A founder of the Order of the Solar Temple. He was convicted of conspiring to buy illegal handguns. [cite news | url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE2DB123CF935A25753C1A962958260&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/R/Religious%20Cults | title=Canada Seeks Money Trail Of Secret Cult | publisher=The New York Times |date=1994-10-16 | accessdate =2007-12-20]
* Jung Myung Seok - Founder of Providence. Convicted for raping several of his followers. [cite news| url=http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2008/08/13/200808130034.asp|publisher=Korea Herald|title=JMS leader sentenced to 6 years|date=2008-08-13|accessdate=2008-08-15]
* William Kamm - Self styled Pope Peter II who was sentenced to prison in October 2005 for a string of sexual attacks on a 15-year-old girl. In August 2007 his sentence was increased after being found guilty for a series of sexual abuses against another teenage girl over a 5 year period. [cite news | url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Cult-leader-jailed-for-more-sexual-abuse/2007/08/24/1187462512116.html | title=Cult leader jailed for more sexual abuse | publisher=The Age |date=2007-08-24 | accessdate =2007-12-20]
* Ervil LeBaron - Led a small sect of Polygamous Mormon fundamentalists, and was convicted of involvement in the murder of 2 people and plotting to kill another person. [cite news| url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,954957,00.html| title=TIME| publisher=TIME| accessdate=2007-12-20|date=1981-08-31]
* Alice Lenshina - Head and founder of the Lumpa Church. Conflicts with the government over their rejection of taxes led to a violent confrontation and her subsequent imprisonment. [Brockman, Norbert. [http://www.dacb.org/stories/zambia/lenshina1_alice.html "Lenshina Mulenga Mubisha, Alice"] Dictionary of African Christian Biography. 1994. Retrieved 2007-12-20.]
* Jeffrey Lundgren - Headed splinter group from Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, executed October 24, 2006, for multiple murders. [cite news | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/24/ap/national/mainD8KV5DV80.shtml | title=Ohio Executes Cult Leader for 5 Killings | publisher=CBS News |date=2007-10-26 | accessdate =2007-12-20]
* Charles Manson - Leader of the Manson Family who is serving life for first degree murder. [Linder, Doug. [http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/manson/mansonaccount.html "The Charles Manson (Tate-LaBianca Murder) Trial] ." UMKC Law. 2002. Retrieved 2007-12-20.]
* Shukri Mustafa - Leader of Takfir wal-Hijra who was captured and executed for the kidnap murder of an Egyptian ex-government minister. [Livesey, Bruce. [http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/front/special/sala.html "the salafist movement] ." FRONTLINE. 2005. Retrieved 2007-12-20.]
* Fred Phelps - Leader of Westboro Baptist Church, convicted for disorderly conduct and battery. [ [http://www.nndb.com/people/908/000025833/ Notable Names Database. Fred Phelps entry.] ] [Southern Poverty Law Center. [http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?sid=184 Timeline of the life of Fred Phelps, Sr.] ]
* Howard Douglas Porter - Pastor at Hickman Community Church, convicted of first-degree murder, embezzlement, elder abuse and attempted murder. [cite news| url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26054456/| title=Preacher convicted of murder loses support| publisher=MSNBC News| accessdate=2008-08-06|date=2008-08-06]
* Swami Premananda of Tiruchirapalli - Convicted and sentenced to double life imprisonment for rape of 13 girls and murder. [cite news| url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1069325.cms| title=Guru gets lifers for 13 rapes| publisher=The Times of India| accessdate=2007-12-20|date=2005-04-05]
* Jacques Robidoux - Leader of defunct group The Body of Christ who is serving time for first degree murder after starving his son, apparently thinking it was God's will. [cite news | url=http://www.boston.com/news/daily/14/sect_trial.htm | title=Religious sect member convicted of murder in starvation of son | publisher=The Boston Globe |date=2002-06-14 | accessdate =2007-12-20]
* Paul Schäfer - Former head of Colonia Dignidad, was convicted of sexually abusing 25 children. [cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5014608.stm | title=Chilean colony sex abuser jailed | publisher=BBC News |date=2006-05-24 | accessdate =2007-12-20]
* Roch Thériault - Former head of "Ant Hill Kids commune" serving a life sentence in Canada for the murder of Solange Boislard. [citebook|title=Satanic Ritual Abuse: Principles of Treatment |author= Colin A. Ross|year= 1995|publisher=University of Toronto Press|pages=105|id=ISBN 0802073573 |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=3PkKrgn2CrUC&pg=PA105&dq=%22Roch+Theriault%22&ie=ISO-8859-1&output=html&sig=H7HHLK85AhW7YPPg-Nn49NI-_Lg]
* Yahweh Ben Yahweh - Head of Nation of Yahweh, convicted for Federal racketeering charges and conspiracy involving 14 murders. [cite news| url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE1DF163FF936A3575AC0A964958260| title=BLACK SECT LEADER GETS 18-YEAR TERM| publisher=The New York Times| accessdate=2007-12-20|date=1992-09-05]
* Dwight York - Head of Nuwaubianism, convicted of multiple RICO, child molestation, and financial reporting charges and sentenced to 135 years in prison. [cite news| url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE1DF163FF936A3575AC0A964958260| title=Sect leader sentenced to 135 years for molesting children | publisher=The San Diego Union-Tribune| accessdate=2007-12-20|date=2004-04-22]

Non-violent crimes

* Tony Alamo - Headed a Santa Clarita commune. Convicted of tax evasion and until recently he resided in a halfway house in Texarkana. [cite news| url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04E3DD113AF931A25755C0A962958260| title=Jury Convicts An Evangelist Of Tax Evasion| publisher=The New York Times| accessdate=2007-12-20|date=1994-06-12]
* Jim Bakker - Created the PTL organization. Convicted of fraud and conspiracy charges after illegally soliciting millions of dollars from his followers. [cite news| url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/11/03/politics/p134714S10.DTL&type=politics| title=A Look at Some Fallen Religious Leaders| publisher=SF Gate| accessdate=2007-12-20|date=2006-11-03]
* Hogen Fukunaga - Founder of Ho No Hana who was given a twelve year jail sentence for fraudulently gaining 150 million yen from his followers. [cite news| url=http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-9451849_ITM| title=Foot cult leader sentenced to prison.| publisher=United Press International| accessdate=2007-12-21|date=2005-07-15]
* Kent Hovind (Dr. Dino) - founder of the Creation Science Evangelism ministry. Willful failure to collect, account for, and pay over Federal income taxes, knowingly structuring transactions in Federally-insured financial institutions to evade the reporting requirements, and obstructing and impeding the administration of the internal revenue laws. [Indictment, "United States of America v. Kent E. Hovind and Jo D. Hovind", U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division, case no. 3:06CR83/MCR (dated July 11, 2006; filed at 12:55 pm, July 11, 2006).] [cite news| url=http://www.religionnewsblog.com/16451/kent-hovind-dr-dino-guilty-on-all-counts| title=Kent Hovind, ‘Dr. Dino,’ guilty on all counts| publisher=Pensacola News Journal| accessdate=2007-12-21|date=2006-11-03]
* Mary Sue Hubbard - Headed Scientology's Guardian's Office. Convicted in 1979 of conspiracy against the United States Government. [cite news| url=http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/648634902.html?dids=648634902:648634902&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Dec+06%2C+1979&author=&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Wife+of+Founder+of+Scientology+Given+Five+Years| title=Wife of Founder of Scientology Given Five Years| publisher=Los Angeles Times| accessdate=2007-12-21|date=1979-12-06] (See Operation Snow White.)
* Henry Lyons - Former President of National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.. Convicted for racketeering and grand theft. [cite news| url=http://edition.cnn.com/US/9903/31/ministers.mess.02/index.html| title='Time to pay the piper' for preacher convicted of grand theft| publisher=CNN| accessdate=2007-12-21|date=1999-03-31]
* Sun Myung Moon - Leader of Unification Church, imprisoned for criminal tax fraud in the 1980s. [cite news| url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A05E7DB1038F937A2575AC0A965948260&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss| title=Moon Conviction IsUpheldbyCourt| publisher=The New York Times| accessdate=2007-12-21|date=1983-09-14]
*Ole Nydahl, Leader of the Diamond Way group, who was convicted of drug smuggling into Denmark.
* Edward Morrissey of the Living Enrichment Center. He pled guilty of money laundering. [cite news| url=http://www.religionnewsblog.com/11010/edward-morrissey-pleads-guilty-in-taking-millions-from-church| title=Edward Morrissey pleads guilty in taking millions from church| publisher=The Oregonian| accessdate=2007-12-21|date=2005-04-14]
* Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh – later called Osho. Fined $400,000 and given a 10-year suspended sentence following a plea bargain agreement in which he made an Alford plea to (1) a charge of having concealed his intent to remain permanently in the U.S. at the time he applied for his visa extension and (2) a charge of having conspired to have followers stay illegally in the country by having them enter into sham marriages. [Citation
last =Gordon
first =James S.
author-link =
coauthors =
title =The Golden Guru
publisher =The Stephen Greene Press
date =1987
location =Lexington, MA
pages =199–201
url =
doi =
id =
isbn =0-8289-0630-0 ]

ee also

*Apocalypticism
*Christian evangelist scandals
*Destructive cult
*Religious terrorism
*Religious violence

References

External links

* [http://www.religioustolerance.org/destruct.htm Religious Tolerance.org on Doomsday Cults]
* [http://www.cesnur.org/text_mov.htm CESNUR case studies]