One of the most high-profile court cases in recent years has begun in Castellón. Six people stand accused of belonging to a sect that operated in the small village of Vistabella. Investigators allege that for decades, systematic sexual abuse—including crimes against children—took place on an isolated estate, along with mind control and exploitation of followers.
The hearings are expected to last a month, with 13 sessions scheduled. The case involves 53 witnesses and around a dozen experts. Among the accused are five women and one man, including close relatives of the sect’s leader, known as tío Toni. He died in prison before the trial, but is considered the group’s founder and driving force.
A sect disguised as a spiritual community
According to court documents, since the early 1990s a closed community was formed at the La Chaparra estate, eight kilometers from Vistabella. The sect’s leader, presenting himself as a ‘messenger of higher powers’, spent decades convincing followers that only through special rituals and absolute submission could they be saved from misfortune and disease. The group had a rigid hierarchy, and contact with the outside world was discouraged.
Women managed the household, while men handled repairs and worked outside the estate. All earnings were pooled into a common fund, and the sect leader allocated them at his discretion. Outwardly, La Chaparra looked like an ordinary farm with its own livestock and vegetable garden, and to the residents of Vistabella, its inhabitants seemed no different from other neighbors.
Accusations and details of the investigation
Prosecutors are seeking sentences ranging from 16 to 76 years for the accused. Investigators claim that all six were aware of what was happening and actively participated in organizing rituals, including those of a sexual nature, with minors among the victims. According to the prosecution, the leader’s wife and daughter-in-law played a special role: they helped arrange meetings and brought children to the guru.
In March 2022, police carried out a large-scale operation that shut down the sect’s activities and sealed the estate. The investigation found that many group members had been subjected to psychological pressure and were, in effect, unable to make decisions on their own. For some, this way of life became the norm, and any attempts to leave the community were viewed as betrayal.
Court proceedings and public reaction
The case has sparked widespread public outcry in the region. Local residents were shocked by the scale of what was happening right next to them. The court hearings are being held under heightened security and have drawn attention not only from the media, but also from human rights advocates. The trial is expected to conclude in early December, after which the court will issue its verdict.
This case has become one of the most challenging for the Spanish judicial system in recent years. It has once again raised questions about the oversight of closed religious groups and the protection of vulnerable citizens, especially children, from manipulation and abuse.
