INTERPOL, in coordination with Guatemalan authorities, arrested 35-year-old Yoel Alter, an Israeli national and senior member of Lev Tahor, a Jewish cult with extreme and highly controversial interpretations of Jewish law. Since the arrival of Lev Tahor in Guatemala in 2013, the fundamentalist group has 200-300 members who have been involved in multiple alleged child abuse and trafficking cases.
On December 20, 2024, Guatemalan authorities rescued 160 children and adolescents from the cult in southeast Guatemala following allegations of child abuse, including rape, Reuters reported.
Alter was wanted in Mexico for suspected pedophilia and child trafficking and is expected to be extradited to Mexico. Alter is not the first senior member of the group to be arrested in January. Jonathan Emmanuel Cardona Castillo, a fellow senior cult member who had been evading authorities after being charged with child abuse, is also in custody.
Boutakrint, Mohamed. "INTERPOL Arrests Jewish Cult Leader in Guatemala for Alleged Child Trafficking." Barlaman Today. February 1, 2025.
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