Newly-released Affidavit Lists Allegations against Lev Tahor

CTV
September 11, 2014

http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/newly-released-affidavit-lists-allegations-against-lev-tahor-1.2001442


A police affidavit obtained by a media consortium that includes CTV has revealed a lengthy collection of unproven allegations against the Lev Tahor sect, an ultra-Orthodox group of about 45 families once based in Ste. Anne des Monts.

The police affidavit presents a list of reasons explaining why they should be given a search warrant to investigate the sect.

SQ police detective Normand Dion said in the report that there was reason to suspect that leaders forged passports and other identification documents in aims of throwing police off the scent of misdeeds inside the community.

The 14-pages of partially-redacted testimony offers a timeline of events, based on allegations made by former adherents.

In April 2012 police opened an investigation into the unproven allegations after receiving a letter alleging that the sect:

Employed physical violence as a teaching tool.

Sometimes kept disobedient children in a basement.

Had girls as young as 14 marry adult men.

Had children placed into other families if their parents were judged to be inadequate teachers.

Medicated sect members in order to psychologically manipulate them.

Took government cheques from members.

The document also noted that sect leader Shlomo Helbrans was awaiting permanent resident status in Canada as of May 2012.

The allegations, which were mostly made by the son of sect leader after he left the group, have not been proven in a court of law.

The sect moved to Chatham, Ontario and then on to Guatemala.