DEVELOPING: Megachurch Leader, Mother Indicted on Sex Trafficking, Racketeering Charges

Megachurch Leader and Mother Indicted on Sex Trafficking, Racketeering Charges Naasón Joaquín García, the leader of Mexico-based La Luz del Mundo megachurch, and his mother Eva García de Joaquín have been indicted on federal charges of racketeering, child pornography, and sex trafficking. The indictment was unsealed on Wednesday. García, 56, has been serving a 16-year, 8-month prison sentence in California since reaching a plea deal in 2022 on state sex abuse charges. He was moved into federal custody on Wednesday as the indictment was unsealed. His mother, 79, was arrested in Los Angeles. The indictment alleges that García and his associates used their positions of power to exploit and traffic victims for sex. The charges carry penalties of up to life in prison. García has been at the helm of La Luz del Mundo since 1991. The megachurch has a significant following in Mexico and the United States. This is a developing story, with more information expected to emerge as the investigation unfolds. *This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available. Based on reporting from Npr.*