John of God, Oprah’s Former Spiritual Healer, Sentenced to Additional 99 Years in Prison

João Teixeira de Faria, a Brazilian self-described spiritual healer also known as “John of God,” received an additional 99-year prison sentence in July 2023 after being found guilty of multiple sexual crimes. This sentence increased his total potential prison time to more than 370 years.

Faria was convicted on charges related to the sexual abuse of multiple victims who sought his spiritual healing services at his center in Abadiânia, a town in the central Brazilian state of Goiás. Dozens of women came forward beginning in 2018, accusing him of sexually abusing them during healing sessions over several years. The additional sentence in 2023 came from convictions involving eight victims between 2010 and 2018.

Faria’s practices were not medically licensed, and he claimed supernatural healing powers. His center, called Casa de Dom Inácio de Loyola, attracted many people seeking cures for various illnesses. The legal proceedings revealed a pattern of criminal conduct against vulnerable individuals who trusted him for spiritual help. In some cases, the court also ordered him to pay compensation to victims.