Religious leader Leonardo Campello Ribeiro arrested for sexual abuse in Rio

Leonardo Campello Ribeiro, 57, a leader of the Centro Espírita Semeadores da Luz on Ilha do Governador in Rio de Janeiro, was arrested on Wednesday, 5 May, after being a fugitive from a conviction for sexual violation by fraud. Police say he used his position to coerce men and women into sexual acts, promising spiritual benefits, over roughly a decade.

Investigators also linked him to financial exploitation of the centre’s members, diverting donations for personal travel and other expenses. He worked alongside former centre president Marcelo Antônio Marques Prazeres, who was arrested earlier this year. Ribeiro falsely presented himself as a psychologist despite lacking qualifications. Following his capture, he was taken into custody pending sentencing.