A Russian court has sentenced Sergey Torop, a self-proclaimed religious leader known as the “Jesus of Siberia,” to 12 years in a high-security prison for orchestrating a religious cult that psychologically abused followers and illegally seized their property.
Torop, 64, was convicted alongside two of his senior aides by the Novosibirsk Regional Court under multiple charges, including the intentional infliction of psychological harm and large-scale fraud. His associate Vladimir Vedernikov received an identical 12-year sentence, while another accomplice, Vadim Redkin, was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
The case, one of Russia’s most prominent prosecutions of a religious sect in recent decades, highlights the government's growing intolerance for non-traditional spiritual movements accused of endangering public safety and exploiting vulnerable individuals.
Torop founded the "Church of the Last Testament" in 1991 in the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia, shortly after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Claiming to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ, he attracted more than 10,000 followers from across the world. Most of them settled in Petropavlovka, a remote village where they lived in wooden cabins without electricity, practiced strict veganism, and abstained from money, alcohol, and smoking.
Authorities said the group operated under rigid control, with followers dedicating their lives and resources to their spiritual leader. According to court findings, at least 16 individuals suffered significant mental trauma due to the sect's teachings, and six more were exposed to life-threatening situations as a result of prolonged psychological manipulation and isolation.
Torop and his associates were arrested in 2020 during a large-scale military operation ordered by President Vladimir Putin. The raid involved four helicopters and heavily armed agents from the FSB and the Presidential Guard.
The defendants were found guilty under several articles of the Russian Criminal Code, including Article 239, which prohibits the creation of religious or public associations that pose a threat to individuals, and Article 159, which concerns large-scale fraud.
In addition to their prison sentences, the three men were ordered to pay 40 million Russian rubles (approximately €430,000) in restitution to the victims.
“The court finds that the actions of the accused resulted in substantial harm to human dignity and individual rights,” the presiding judge stated during the verdict. “The use of religious influence to manipulate and exploit is a serious offense under Russian law.”
Further controversy surrounded Torop’s personal relationships. Reports revealed he had married two women within the sect, including one who had lived with him since the age of seven and officially married him at 19. He is believed to have fathered six children.
While prosecutors focused primarily on psychological abuse and financial exploitation, the case drew public attention to broader concerns about child protection and cult-like environments in remote communities.
This conviction is seen as part of Russia’s broader crackdown on religious extremism and non-orthodox sects. The Russian government has increasingly used its anti-extremism and public safety laws to monitor and shut down religious movements it considers dangerous or manipulative.
Human rights groups have expressed mixed reactions. While some welcomed the protection of vulnerable individuals, others cautioned against the potential misuse of such laws to suppress religious freedom.
As of press time, representatives of the Church of the Last Testament have not publicly commented on the ruling.