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last mo.

Taiwan Court Orders Leaders of ‘Spiritual Growth’ Group to Repay NT$13.3 Million to Exploited Family

The ruling follows years of coercive rituals that drained a cancer patient’s household, prompting the son to sell their home.

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A Taiwan woman battling cancer was duped by a cult, losing over $420,000 through coercive rituals and fake “spiritual growth” sessions.
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The so-called spiritual growth cult forced participants into same-sex marriages. Photo: Shutterstock

Overview

  • A Taiwan civil court found the mother and son were defrauded and ordered two leaders, surnamed Zhang and Chen, to jointly pay NT$13,349,560 in damages.
  • The mother joined the course in 2013 and her son in 2021, then both were subjected to humiliating punishments, beatings, and coerced same-sex marriages.
  • Payments totaled more than NT$13 million, including NT$2 million fees to attain an “Energy Purification Master” title and NT$1,000 fines for minor noncompliance.
  • Leaders allegedly terrorized the terminally ill mother with threats about death and reincarnation to force continued participation and payments.
  • The family stopped attending by March 2023 and sued in April 2024, while reports say it remains unclear whether criminal charges or judgment enforcement have followed.