Now in Miami, the monastic candidates of Holy Cross Academy start to realise that life there isn’t exactly what the priests promised. And one of those monks reveals how a dark secret kept inside the monastery put him on a path to prison.




Wanna get in touch? Email us at hello@sacredscandalpodcast.com or follow us on Instagram @SacredScandal.




Hosted by Paula Barros and Melanie Bartley



A Production of EXILE Content Studio

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Now in Miami, the monastic candidates of Holy Cross Academy start to realise that life there isn’t exactly what the priests promised. And one of those monks reveals how a dark secret kept inside the monastery put him on a path to prison. Wanna get in touch? Email us at hello@sacredscandalpodcast.com or follow us on Instagram @SacredScandal. Hosted by Paula Barros and Melanie Bartley A Production of EXILE Content Studio Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

SEASON 2: La Luz del Mundo

Sacred Scandal, named one of Podtrac’s Best New Podcasts of 2022, embarks on its second season, focusing on Mexico-based megachurch La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World). It tells the story of Naasón Joaquín García, a self-proclaimed apostle, who is currently behind bars after pleading guilty in June 2022 of sexually abusing girls from his congregation. Naasón is currently serving a nearly 17-year sentence, but maintains his innocence.

Host and investigative journalist Roberta Garza explores Naasón's control over a multitude of devotees, some of whom now describe their experiences in the church as "pure evil." In this true-crime series, survivors share stories about this powerful religious leader and the alleged sexual abuse that followed, many relating to minors.

SEASON 1:

Two decades ago on a calm, dark Miami night, a nun was stabbed nearly 100 times on the grounds of a prestigious private academy and monastery, by student Mykhaylo Kofel. As investigators started asking questions around this Byzantine Catholic School and the gruesome murder, they found more than just her killer. In a search for answers that stretches into some of the most remote villages of Eastern Europe, they uncovered allegations of sexual abuse, secret letters to the Vatican and other mysteries of faith. Sacred Scandal unravels the fuller picture that came to light in the wake of this crime. Led by a former student, told by those who lived through the aftermath, and Kofel himself, the show pieces together a complicated narrative that, twenty years later, still has those closest to it questioning what they truly believe… including a man who’s spent half his life in prison for the crime: “It’s so unbelievable. It definitely wasn’t me. I’m not a killer. No way. That’s not me.” — Mykhaylo Kofel, 2021

SEASON 2: La Luz del Mundo
Sacred Scandal, named one of Podtrac’s Best New Podcasts of 2022, embarks on its second season, focusing on Mexico-based megachurch La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World). It tells the story of Naasón Joaquín García, a self-proclaimed apostle, who is currently behind bars after pleading guilty in June 2022 of sexually abusing girls from his congregation. Naasón is currently serving a nearly 17-year sentence, but maintains his innocence.
Host and investigative journalist Roberta Garza explores Naasón's control over a multitude of devotees, some of whom now describe their experiences in the church as "pure evil." In this true-crime series, survivors share stories about this powerful religious leader and the alleged sexual abuse that followed, many relating to minors.
SEASON 1:
Two decades ago on a calm, dark Miami night, a nun was stabbed nearly 100 times on the grounds of a prestigious private academy and monastery, by student Mykhaylo Kofel. As investigators started asking questions around this Byzantine Catholic School and the gruesome murder, they found more than just her killer. In a search for answers that stretches into some of the most remote villages of Eastern Europe, they uncovered allegations of sexual abuse, secret letters to the Vatican and other mysteries of faith. Sacred Scandal unravels the fuller picture that came to light in the wake of this crime. Led by a former student, told by those who lived through the aftermath, and Kofel himself, the show pieces together a complicated narrative that, twenty years later, still has those closest to it questioning what they truly believe… including a man who’s spent half his life in prison for the crime: “It’s so unbelievable. It definitely wasn’t me. I’m not a killer. No way. That’s not me.” — Mykhaylo Kofel, 2021

Sacred Scandal

Sacred Scandal, named one of Podtrac’s Best New Podcasts of 2022, embarks on its second season, focusing on Mexico-based megachurch La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World). It tells the story of Naasón Joaquín García, a self-proclaimed apostle, who is currently behind bars after pleading guilty in June 2022 of sexually abusing girls from his congregation. Naasón is currently serving a nearly 17-year sentence, but maintains his innocence.

Host and investigative journalist Roberta Garza explores Naasón's control over a multitude of devotees, some of whom now describe their experiences in the church as "pure evil." In this true-crime series, survivors share stories about this powerful religious leader and the alleged sexual abuse that followed, many relating to minors.

Sacred Scandal, named one of Podtrac’s Best New Podcasts of 2022, embarks on its second season, focusing on Mexico-based megachurch La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World). It tells the story of Naasón Joaquín García, a self-proclaimed apostle, who is currently behind bars after pleading guilty in June 2022 of sexually abusing girls from his congregation. Naasón is currently serving a nearly 17-year sentence, but maintains his innocence.
Host and investigative journalist Roberta Garza explores Naasón's control over a multitude of devotees, some of whom now describe their experiences in the church as "pure evil." In this true-crime series, survivors share stories about this powerful religious leader and the alleged sexual abuse that followed, many relating to minors.

Now in Miami, the monastic candidates of Holy Cross Academy start to realise that life there isn’t exactly what the priests promised.

The Boy from Verkhovyna-Bystra pt. 2

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/cc5802c1-7feb-4635-98ba-ae390081c33a/transcript

Leaving a high control group isn’t as simple as walking out through the front door. A cult is not simply a physical location, it’s a lifestyle, a belief system, a community and a state of mind.

So is it possible to know if the preacher, the yoga guru, or the beloved politician you, or a loved one, are so taken with, is really a narcissistic psychopath cult leader in disguise?

In this episode, we attempt to highlight some of the signs, that can signal the red flags.

Leaving a high control group isn’t as simple as walking out through the front door. A cult is not simply a physical location, it’s a lifestyle, a belief system, a community and a state of mind. So is it possible to know if the preacher, the yoga guru, or the beloved politician you, or a loved one, are so taken with, is really a narcissistic psychopath cult leader in disguise?
In this episode, we attempt to highlight some of the signs, that can signal the red flags.

La Luz Del Mundo: Finding The Force Within

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/5c74c5d7-fd93-4bd7-8b70-b05800ed3ee8/transcript

Through the perspective of whistleblower Sochil Martin and the emergence of an online forum, we delve into the intricate web of events that led to the downfall of Naason Joaquin, the leader of the controversial religious organization La Luz del Mundo.

Through the perspective of whistleblower Sochil Martin and the emergence of an online forum, we delve into the intricate web of events that led to the downfall of Naason Joaquin, the leader of the controversial religious organization La Luz del Mundo.

La Luz Del Mundo: A Deal With The Devil

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a9722d36-e9ad-4c2f-b221-b051012d4d53/transcript

The counts against Naason are plenty.  The Accusations are damning!  And finally, after countless postponements, the five Jane Does get ready to face their abuser in court. But nothing goes as planned.

The counts against Naason are plenty.  The Accusations are damning!  And finally, after countless postponements, the five Jane Does get ready to face their abuser in court. But nothing goes as planned.

La Luz Del Mundo: The Jane Does

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/18b410b9-d8bc-4689-8f1b-b0460148524f/transcript

The Boy from Verkhovyna-Bystra pt. 2

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