John de Ruiter, a charismatic pastor who spent decades leading a religious community in Edmonton, had a special kind of emotional power over his followers. He claimed to be Christ reincarnated, and his disciples believed him. But early this year, four women reported to the Edmonton police that he was a psychological manipulator and serial predator. They said he used his position of clerical power to make them believe that having sex with him was an avenue to enlightenment.
Four additional women have since made allegations of their own against de Ruiter and his wife, Leigh Ann, who now face a total of 14 charges between them. The couple have both pleaded not guilty and are out on bail, tending to a shrunken flock of followers in northern Alberta while awaiting their trial, expected to take place in late 2024.
At the centre of the case is the matter of consent. De Ruiter’s lawyers will likely argue that the women entered into sexual relationships willingly. But in the wake of the #MeToo movement, courts are sensitive to the complexities of power imbalances. Prosecutors will likely say that de Ruiter coerced them into abusive relationships. Maclean’s writer Luc Rinaldi lays all this out in his smart, compelling feature in the December issue, detailing the evolution of de Ruiter’s religious group, the charges against him and the legal landscape ahead. It’s a twisted tale of a fascinating spiritual leader and the many searching souls who followed him.
—Sarah Fulford, editor-in-chief
