João Teixeira de Faria

João Teixeira de Faria (born June 24, 1942), known also as João de Deus (John of God), is a Brazilian medium , "psychic surgeon" and convicted sex offender. His business is set in Abadiânia, Brazil, where he runs the Casa de Dom Inácio de Loyola, a "spiritual healing center". 

He has had media coverage on CNN, ABC News and The Oprah Winfrey Show. James Randi and Joe Nickell had criticized him for his healing procedures as "nothing more than carnival tricks" and there is no evidence that the benefits of patients are placebo effects. 

In 2018, after over 600 people accused him of sexual abuse, he turned himself in to police. In December 2019 he was sentenced to 19 years and four months for the rapes of four different women. On January 20, 2020, Faria was sentenced to another 40 years in prison for rape against 5 women. The sentences add up to 63 years and 4 months.

In September 2023, Faria was sentenced to an additional 118 years, six months and 15 days in prison by the Goiás state criminal court as a result of 17 cases involving "rape, rape via fraud and rape of a vulnerable individual."

In 2015, Faria was diagnosed with stomach cancer and began chemotherapy treatment.

References

Category:Living people
Category:1942 births
Category:Spirituality
Category:Brazilian writers
Category:People convicted of assault
Category:Sex offenders
Category:Brazilian criminals
Category:People from Goiás