Cult leader jailed for 11 years in Siberia for raping and sexually assaulting his followers

Konstantin Rudnev, 45, a self-proclaimed alien god from the star Sirius, demanded blind submission from his followers mainly aged between 14 and 30.

He was also convicted of creating a religious organisation infringing on people's personalities and rights.

Rudnev's cult members often lost their money and property and abandoned their relatives and friends, and many of them were reported missing. 

One mother said he son took up yoga classes with the sect - called Ashram Shambala - when he was 15, and three years later vanished after joining his 30,000 followers. Some 16 of these gave evidence for the prosecution but videos were also found showing how some Ashram Shambala followers were subjected to violence and sexual abuse.

Previous attempts to convict him over a 12 year period had failed because his 'victims' refused to testify against him in court, said prosecutors who had sought a 15 year sentence.

Rudnev - a former army  conscript who claims he was sent to Earth to enlighten mankind - formulated his own bizarre teachings called 'The Way of a Fool' which mocked traditional views of family life, study and work. He ran yoga seminars to lure young people who then disowned their families and gave their life savings and property to his Ashram Shambala sect, allegedly making Rudnev a multi-millionaire. 

After joining up, females were forced to take part in 'ritual rapes' and orgies with Rudnov and other cult leaders, the court was told.

 

Rudnev's 'teachings' took elements from the Bible, the Koran, Karmasutra, shamanism, paganism and tantric sex, he claimed.  

Prosecutors alleged his methods were sinister and involved the brainwashing of vulnerable people.

When he was arrested some 15 people - including a 14 year girl from Belarus - were on police search lists after being reported missing by relatives. 

Rudnev's lawyer Alexander Nizhinsky said: 'We think the verdict announced today was not very objective'.

In 2004, a psychological commission found him criminally insane and he was placed in a mental hospital, but later escaped.