Alleged assaults occured during lifting of "curse"
Woman paid men at least $70,000
TWO men high up in the Greek Orthdox and Coptic Orthodox communities will be charged with more than 220 sex offences against a young woman who believed she had been cursed.
The men, aged 61 and 38, were arrested at their Sydney homes this morning and taken to a nearby police station. The older man was later taken out on a stretcher after suffering chest pains, the Daily Telegraph reported.
The 61-year-old Dulwich Hill man and 38-year-old Enfield man were expected to appear in Burwood Local Court today charged with 151 and 79 sexual offences, respectively.
Polcie alleged the Dulwich Hill man claimed to be a spiritual mentor who was able to “speak to angels” to remove curses and banish evil spirits including the “evil eye”.
Police alleged the victim believed she and her family had been cursed by a member of the Greek community practising black magic and that they would all suffer terrible consequences including death and illness unless the curse was removed.
The woman told police she attended numerous “prayer sessions” at various hotels between 2001 and 2005 where she was blindfolded and sexually assaulted.
It was alleged she paid the men between $500 and $1000 for each “prayer session” and by 2005 had paid at least $70,000, police said.
Last June police arrested and charged both men – and the Enfield man’s 36-year-old wife - with similar offences, including aggravated sexual assault and extortion, in relation to another 40-year-old woman.
Fairfield Acting Superintendent Gary Bailey said the women were allegedly drugged during the abuse.
"I have never seen anything as bizarre as this or as callous as this before, perpetrated on young women in the community that really don`t deserve this," he said.
"Police will allege that both victims may have been drugged during these incidents."
He said there may be other victims and urged anyone with information to come forward.
“These victims are from religious families. Two extremely courageous women have already come forward with information which has led to the arrests of these two men,” Supt Bailey said.
“We will allege these women have been the cruel prey of callous individuals who used religious fear to manipulate and abuse them for their sexual gratification and financial gain.
“Sexual offences are heinous but an offender who hides behind the cloak of religious respectability is particularly vile.”
Supt Bailey said both victims were from religious families and had been raised to firmly believe in the Orthodox faith, which includes the evil eye.
“We believe this was a major reason why they were persuaded into believing they were cursed,” Supt Bailey said.
“These two women have already shown tremendous strength and courage to overcome the embarrassment and shame they feel to contact police."
AMERICANS gathered to mark the seventh anniversary of the terror attacks that shook the world.
