La Luz del Mundo

The leader of a megachurch with 5 million followers worldwide was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison Wednesday for sexual abuse.

Survivors from La Luz del Mundo case react to the news that the disgraced pastor has reached a plea deal.

Days before his trial was set to begin in downtown Los Angeles, the leader of a Mexico-based evangelical megachurch pleaded guilty Friday to multiple sex-related charges involving minors, according to the state Attorney General’s Office.

Citing insufficient evidence, a judge on Wednesday threw out extortion charges against the leader of a Mexican megachurch but left in place accustations of child rape and human trafficking. The California attorney general’s office failed to show that Naasón Joaquín García, the self-proclaimed apostle of La Luz del Mundo, extorted sex acts from alleged victims by threatening to disgrace...

The leader of a Mexico-based evangelical megachurch was ordered Tuesday to stand trial on nearly two dozen criminal charges, including forcible rape of a minor, involving crimes allegedly committed in Southern California. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen found sufficient evidence to allow the case against Naason Joaquin Garcia, the 51-year-old leader of La Luz del Mundo, and…