Alberta spiritual leader facing 3 more sexual assault charges
A well-known Edmonton-based spiritual leader has been charged with three new counts of sexual assault, in addition to the four he was charged with earlier this year.
Johannes de Ruiter, known as John de Ruiter, was charged with three additional counts of sexual assault in relation to three separate incidents occurring between 2012 and 2019, Edmonton police spokesperson Cheryl Voordenhout said in an email Thursday.
His wife, Leigh Ann de Ruiter, was also jointly charged with two additional counts of sexual assault involving two of the same incidents.
The 64-year old woman was charged in March with three counts of sexual assault in connection with separate incidents between 2017 and 2020.
De Ruiter is the leader of a group known as the College of Integrated Philosophy, or the Oasis Group, which has been operating in Edmonton for decades.
Police said in a news release that investigators believe there may be additional complainants.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
The 63-year old man was released on bail conditions in January, including that he surrender his passport and provide a $30,000 cash deposit.
He is not to contact any of the complainants or their family members, either directly or indirectly, through his followers.
Leigh Ann de Ruiter was released on bail in March.
