A member of the Lev Tahor cult, Jonathan Emanuel Cardona Castillo, was apprehended on December 31 in El Salvador. The Salvadoran authorities have officially begun the process of extraditing him to Guatemala, where he faces charges of abuse and other crimes committed against minors.
On December 27, Interpol issued an international red alert against Cardona at the request of Guatemala’s National Civil Police and the prosecution. Cardona is suspected of human trafficking, forced marriage, and abuse.
A member of the Lev Tahor cult, who spoke anonymously, stated that Cardona’s behavior had drastically changed since he joined the group. The source revealed that Cardona became violent and began threatening to kill children.
Uriel Goldman, one of the leaders of Lev Tahor, claimed that Cardona had been expelled from the cult due to his behavior, presenting supporting documents to back this assertion. Local reports indicated that Goldman also mentioned that others had tried to join Lev Tahor but were rejected due to alleged connections to drug trafficking.
Cardona, 23, originally from La Libertad, Colón, El Salvador, joined the Lev Tahor cult during his time in Guatemala after converting to Judaism. Juan Francisco Reyes, a prosecutor’s assistant at the Anti-Human Trafficking Office, confirmed that they received official notification from Salvadoran authorities yesterday.
In a separate report, it was revealed that a scheduled meeting between the Attorney General and members of Lev Tahor, planned for yesterday did not take place. One of the reasons cited for the cancellation was that the cult members refused to identify themselves.
Additionally, further reports surfaced last night about the arrest of another Lev Tahor member who attempted to flee Guatemala. The individual will be extradited to Mexico, where he is wanted for serious crimes.
{Matzav.com}