In total 41 people were arrested today in Franceas suspected of being linked to an international sect accused of many perversions under the guise of practicing yogawas made known by a judicial source close to the investigation.

Those arrested include Gregorian Bivolaru, 71, the Romanian guru and founder of this controversial international yoga movement, the source close to the investigation said, adding that other alleged “important figures” of the sect were also arrested in France.

The arrests, revealed by the newspaper Libération, took place in the Paris region and southwestern France, the source added.

Almost 175 police officers participated in this major operation, which is coordinated by the Central Office for the suppression of violence against persons.

During the arrests, 26 women who were under the control of the movement were released, the source close to the investigation said.

The Movement for spiritual integration towards the absolute (Misa), as it is called, has many yoga schools and other branches. “It’s hard to tell the number of followers” but “it’s several hundred people,” said the same source.

French justice began a preliminary examination in July 2023, for abuse of power, kidnapping in a gang, rape and human trafficking.

At the end of July 2022, the Interministerial Mission for Vigilance and Combating Sectarian Deviations had sent a report to the judiciary after being informed by the Human Rights Association of 12 complaints by members of the Misa movement, a judicial source clarified.

According to this source, the Misa movement, which became Atman during its expansion outside Romania, taught yoga, with the aim of “tuning victims to accept sexual relations through mental manipulation techniques aimed at abolishing any concept of consent”.

This sect urged female victims to “accept sexual relations with the leader of the organization” and/or “engage in pornographic practices for money in France and abroad”.