La Luz del Mundo Mexican Megachurch Leader Already in Prison Now Indicted by New York Grand Jury

Naasón Joaquín García, the self-proclaimed "Apostle of Jesus Christ" and head of the Mexican megachurch La Luz del Mundo, was formally indicted Tuesday in a federal court in Manhattan on charges of sex trafficking, child exploitation, and conspiracy to engage in organized crime.

The indictment, unsealed by the U.S. Department of Justice and revealed by the Attorney Office of the Southern District of New York, accuses García, 56, of creating a parallel structure within the church that facilitated a systematic network of abuse. Prosecutors say the scheme began under his father, Samuel Joaquín, the church's previous leader, who died in 2014.

A Pattern of Exploitation

According to court documents, García and his associates coerced children, teenagers, and women into sexual acts, producing images and videos of sadistic child sexual abuse. The Justice Department said these crimes were masked by the church's spiritual authority, with victims silenced through intimidation, religious manipulation, and threats tied to the organization's global reach.

García is already serving a 16-year prison sentence in California after pleading guilty in 2022 to state charges of sexual abuse of minors. Federal agents transferred him into federal custody this week to face the new charges in New York.

Using the Church as a Cover

The Southern District of New York described the operation as an "illicit enterprise" that exploited the trust and resources of La Luz del Mundo, which claims to have five million members across 60 countries.

"This enterprise was hidden in the shadows of the church while it engaged in sex trafficking, child pornography, forced labor, and illegal financial transactions," said Harry T. Chavis Jr., special agent in charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.

Federal prosecutors argue that García and others weaponized faith to maintain silence around decades of abuse, pressuring victims to comply or risk excommunication and social isolation.

Along with García, two additional individuals connected to the alleged network were arrested in Los Angeles and Chicago. Authorities say three more suspects remain fugitives and are believed to be in Mexico. The U.S. government has announced it will seek their arrest and extradition to face trial in the United States.

Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement that García and his collaborators "exploited their positions and the resources of La Luz del Mundo to sexually abuse girls, boys, and women for decades."

A History of Allegations

García's legal troubles are not new. In 2019, he was first arrested in California on charges that sparked widespread outrage among former church members and human rights groups. The case reignited longstanding allegations that La Luz del Mundo had shielded abusive practices for years under a veil of religious authority.

California prosecutors at the time accused García of cultivating a culture of silence enforced by fear, religious obedience, and the church's financial power. Survivors described being told that resisting sexual acts was akin to resisting God's will.

The new federal indictment expands on those claims, portraying La Luz del Mundo not merely as a religious organization with a corrupt leader, but as the front for a sophisticated criminal operation with transnational reach.