Brazilian Faith Healer ‘John of God’ Is Sentenced To Additional 99 Years for Sexual Crimes – Once Promoted by Oprah, Serial Rapist Now Faces 370 Years in Prison, but Awaits Appeals Under House Arrest

For decades, from his small town in Center-west Brazilian state of Goiás, João Teixeira de Faria built a worldwide reputation as a medium and faith healer.

Both the common people and celebrities flocked to his house on the outskirts of the Federal District of Brasília, in search of his ‘healing touch’ and his highly controversial psychic surgeries.

O Globo reported:

“João Teixeira de Faria, ‘João de Deus’, gained a following of faithful foreigners – who call him ‘John of God’ – when he appeared on a program by American presenter Oprah Winfrey, in 2012. Among his international fans, figures like former US president Bill Clinton, actress Shirley MacLaine and model Naomi Campbell.”

But it all came crashing down in 2018, when a scandal of gigantic proportions broke, revealing that the medium had raped or abused hundreds of women and girls that sought his ‘spiritual help’.

Conexão Política reported:

“This Monday, the 10th, the medium, better known as João de Deus, was sentenced to an additional sentence of 99 years in prison for sexual crimes.

The Justice considered that the medium committed ‘rape of vulnerable person’ and ‘sexual violation through fraud’ against eight victims between the years 2010 and 2018. In addition to the prison sentence, João de Deus was also condemned to pay R$ 100 thousand in compensation for moral damages to the victims.

Despite the new convictions establishing the fulfillment of the sentence in a closed regime, João de Deus is currently under house arrest due to a second instance decision. Since his arrest at the end of 2018, he has alternated between a closed regime and house arrest. The defense of João de Deus alleged that he suffers from a series of illnesses to obtain this benefit.”

sentence was 99 years, 8 months and 15 days of imprisonment in a closed regime.

four lawsuits in progress in the Abadiânia district, in which he is a defendant. These lawsuits are already in the final arguments phase.

Metropoles reported:

“With the new convictions, the medium’s sentences adds up to 370 years, 9 months and 15 days in prison. The sentences await judgment of appeals. Now, there remains four criminal prosecutions against João de Deus awaiting sentencing. According to the Court of Justice of Goiás, all cases are in the final arguments phase.”

All cases are still possible to be appealled. According to court records, João de Deus committed abuses against at least 42 victims between 1985 and 2018.

Incredible as it may seem, this torrent of accusations of sex crimes against people who put their misguided trust on him was NOT the worst accusations against the ‘healer’.

While these allegations have been erased from all recent coverage of the story, I’m here to remind you that an activist blew the whistle on the fact that ‘John of God’ allegedly ‘ran a baby trafficking operation where children were then sold to childless couples’.

The Daily Mail broke the story back in 2019:

“Activist Sabrina Bittencourt – whose investigations lead to his arrest – claims the celebrity medium ran a baby trafficking operation where children were ‘farmed’ in Brazil before being sold to childless couples around the world.

She alleges that young girls were held captive in remote farms where they were forced to produce babies – before being murdered after ten years of giving birth.”

Bittencourt spoke to women from three continents who claimed they bought Brazilian babies from John of God.

“These girls were murdered after 10 years of giving birth. We have got a number of testimonies.’

She added: ‘We have received reports from the adoptive mothers of their children that we sold for between $20,000 and $50,000 in Europe, USA and Australia, as well as testimony from ex-workers and local people who are tired of being complicit with John of God’s gang’.”

But in a shocking – but hardly unexpected – turn of events, Sabrina Bittencourt was found to have ‘committed suicide’ while living in Spain under protection from death threats she was receiving.

The Sun reported:

“Sex abuse support group Victimas Unidas, which worked with Sabrina Bittencourt, said she had left a note explaining why she killed herself.

[…] Eldest son Gabriel Baum confirmed her death, writing on Facebook: “She took the last step so that we could live. They killed my mother.”