Sex, Murder, Fraud:....

[Vanhelsing]

Sex, murder, fraud: sham Indonesian cults in the spotlight after scandals

In recent times in Indonesia, the deep-rooted belief in the occult has taken a dark turn with several cases of cult leaders facing allegations ranging from murder to fraud and sexual assault

Desperate and despondent after losing an Indonesian local election, Abdul Junaidi was the perfect prey for a charismatic cult leader promising great wealth and political success.Lured in with assurances that he would see his money multiply, the sugar cane farmer handed over 200 million rupiah ($15,000) to the sect.

But his cash disappeared, his political career stalled, and the leader of the group was arrested, accused of murdering one of Junaidi’s friends for threatening to unmask him.

From former lawmakers to army generals and police officers, Pribadi managed to attract a huge and influential following to his cult in Probolinggo on Indonesia’s main island of Java, with members living in his palatial residence and nearby buildings.

In 2014, then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono recounted how he and his wife were attacked by mysterious black clouds while at home in an episode of black magic he described as like a “horror movieâ€.

http://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south...r-fraud-sham-indonesian-cults-spotlight-after