Five women sue La Luz del Mundo church, former leader over alleged abuses

Five women filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday against La Luz Del Mundo church, its former leader, several church members and an attorney. The plaintiffs are identified only as Jane Doe 1 through 5. The suit alleges that the former church head, Naason Joaquin Garcia, sexually abused them with the help of the other defendants. It asserts claims of sexual battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and gender violence, and seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

The defendants named in the suit include the church; Garcia, who is 53; Alondra Ocampo, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Azalea Rangel, whom the suit says allegedly groomed the plaintiffs for abuse by Garcia; Garcia’s wife, Alma Zamora de Joaquin, who the suit says allegedly knew of her husband’s crimes and of the alleged assistance of the three women; Garcia’s three children; and an attorney, Joram Nunez. The plaintiffs are between 20 and 28 years old.

According to the suit, the church “systematically indoctrinated all of its members, including (Does) 1-5, to believe that (Garcia) was an anointed ‘apostle’ and the literal presence of God on earth.” The suit alleges that from early childhood the plaintiffs were “routinely coerced” to believe Garcia’s wishes were direct orders from God, and that disobeying him would bring serious consequences, including eternal damnation and infertility. The suit says Garcia committed the alleged abuses between 2015 and 2019.

The complaint further alleges that Garcia instructed Ocampo, Oaxaca and Rangel to “further indoctrinate and brainwash” the plaintiffs by any means necessary, including through daily reminders of his power and the routine use and manipulation of Bible verses. It also alleges that Ocampo took one plaintiff to a motel, where the girl was photographed nude with whipped cream and coerced into “sexual activities” with other girls. These are allegations in the suit and have not been tried in court.

The suit alleges that Garcia sexually abused the plaintiffs on several occasions, including kissing, fondling and sexual touching. It states that the girls were required to buy and wear lingerie in his presence and that the alleged abuse began when some of the plaintiffs were as young as 14. It further alleges that Garcia instructed one plaintiff to read Bible verses to him nightly to help him sleep and to perform a sex act with him. The suit describes the church’s responsibility for protecting such young people from harm (Mark 9:42).

Garcia initially maintained that he was innocent of all allegations. In June, however, he pleaded guilty in Los Angeles Superior Court to two counts of forcible oral copulation on a minor and one count of committing a lewd act on a child. He was sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison.

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