The trial against Naasón Joaquín García, leader of La Luz del Mundo, accused of human trafficking, sex trafficking and organized crime, was scheduled in the United States for March 2027.
The trial against the leader of La Luz del Mundo, Naasón Joaquín García , his mother Eva García de Joaquín , and collaborator Joram Núñez Joaquín , accused of organized crime, sex trafficking, and human trafficking , was set for March 15, 2027 , in the United States.
Representatives from the federal prosecutor's office , the defense, and the judge participated in the meeting, a brief encounter that served mainly to confirm the schedule for exchanging evidence prior to the trial.
What happened at Naasón Joaquín's hearing in the US?
At the hearing, the prosecution reported that there are still two additional deliveries of evidence that will be shared with the defense before the trial begins.
In addition, another hearing to review the progress of the case was scheduled for September 23 .
Meanwhile, the defendants' lawyers have until July 25 to file additional legal requests, such as:
- Requests to dismiss some charges .
- Requests to exclude certain evidence from the process.
Due to the size and complexity of the case, the prosecution estimates that the presentation of evidence during the trial could last around two months .
Lawyers for leader of La Luz del Mundo are having problems with the evidence
During the hearing, Eva García de Joaquín 's lawyer mentioned that the defense has faced technical problems reviewing some of the evidence provided by the prosecution.
The judge questioned why this problem had been raised only now; however, the defense attorney assured that they were working to resolve it before the next stages of the process .
What are Naasón Joaquín and his mother accused of?
According to the indictment filed by U.S. authorities, members of the religious organization allegedly sexually abused girls and women , whom they supposedly convinced that doing so would bring them a spiritual blessing.
The investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office and spans several years of inquiries .
Authorities say that at least 13 victims are part of the case.
In addition to Naasón Joaquín , Eva García and Joram Núñez, the following were also accused:
- Azalia Rangel García
- Rosa Sosa
- Silem García Peña
The latter was a councilman in Xalapa between 2014 and 2017 and currently filed an injunction to avoid being arrested in Mexico for extradition to the United States .
What is The Light of the World?
The Light of the World is a religious organization of Mexican origin founded in 1926 in Guadalajara, Jalisco .
Over the decades, the group has grown and claims to have millions of followers in different countries, with a presence in America, Europe and other regions.
However, in recent years the organization has been at the center of investigations and legal proceedings related to alleged abuses and sexual crimes linked to some of its leaders.
La Luz Del Mundo's response:
