The Brazilian celebrity faith healer accused of sexually abusing hundreds of women is now facing allegations he sold babies to foreigners, including Australians, for up to $70,000 each.
Joao Teixeira de Faria, also known as John of God, was arrested in Brazil in December after hundreds of people came forward with allegations of rape and threats of violence. Many claimed they were underage at the time of the alleged abuse.
Now, John of God has been hit with stunning new claims that he operated a baby-selling and human trafficking ring from his spiritual compound in Abadiania, 130km south-west of Brasilia.
Prosecutors have reportedly been given information that an unknown number of adoptive parents from five countries, including Australia and the US, bought Brazilian babies for a price between $27,000 and $70,000, according to Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo.
The infants were said to be born to impoverished mothers who lived around John of God's compound, the newspaper reported.