Overview
- Gendarmes arrested five people in Bellaffaire during a Tuesday raid, then brought three before an investigating judge on Wednesday and Thursday, with the alleged pastor charged with organized abuse of weakness, fraud and money laundering and placed in pretrial detention.
- Investigators say the group operated as “Lève-toi” and received adherents at a property called “Le Refuge,” where a home studio was used to film sermons posted to a YouTube channel followed by thousands.
- About 30 followers were described as under strong psychological control that led some to take on debt, cut off family ties or stop medical treatment, according to the departmental gendarmerie.
- Authorities report asset seizures totaling about €920,000, including the Bellaffaire property, cash, gold, silver and a vehicle, with an on-site haul of roughly €220,000 and links to holdings or investments in Belgium, Switzerland and Israel.
- The judicial inquiry remains active as investigators question remaining followers and invite other potential victims to come forward, which could spur cross-border asset tracing and cooperation with partners outside France.