LOS ANGELES (Legal Newsline) — The International Churches of Christ and others are facing a class action over its leaders' alleged torture, molestation, coercion, sexual assault and abuse of members' children.
Jane Roe 1, an individual and Jane Roe 2 filed a complaint Feb. 1 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against International Churches of Christ Inc., Hope Worldwide LTD and others alleging sexual assault, negligence and other claims.
According to their complaint, the plaintiffs, who are sisters, suffered violent molestation and abuse at the hands of the defendants' ministry leaders and their son throughout their childhood and early adolescence. They claim the abuse included torture, molestation, verbal harassment, repeated raping, sexual abuse as early as age three and their being forced to witness each other's abuse.
The plaintiffs also claim the defendants use physical force, psychological coercion, manipulation and illegally prescribed prescription drugs as part of the abuse on both male and female members. They allege the defendants actively concealed their church leaders' abuse to avert discovery by child protective services and the police as well as financially exploited church members and isolated them from outsiders to further conceal the abuse of their children.
The plaintiffs seek monetary relief, interest, trial by jury and all other just relief. They are represented by Bobby Samini, Michael Katz, Steve Baric, Nicole Prado, and John Oney of Samini Baric Katz PPL in Costa Mesa, California.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California case number 2:23-CV-00765