Yoel Alter, a senior member of the Jewish group Lev Tahor has been arrested in Guatemala. Jonathan Emanuel Cardona Castillo has also been arrested in El Salvador.
A raid on the group’s compound uncovered potential evidence of sexual abuse, child rape, forced marriages, and even the burial of minors, leading to the removal of 148 children from their parents’ custody.
Interpol agents have arrested a senior member of the Jewish group Lev Tahor over the weekend. He is wanted in Mexico for human trafficking.
Yoel Alter, a 35-year-old Israeli citizen, was apprehended near a government-run centre for minors in Guatemala City, police confirmed. The facility currently houses children of members of the group who were separated from their parents due to accused sexual abuse, child rape, forced marriages and burial of minors.
In recent weeks, Lev Tahor members have staged protests and clashed with police over their separation of minors. According to the Guatemalan Attorney General’s office, a total of 148 children have been removed from their parents’ custody.
The large-scale operation in the Santa Rosa region involved approximately 480 personnel, including police officers, soldiers, prosecutors, and psychologists. Investigators seized electronic devices and searched for evidence of child pornography.
Alter being handcuffed, Alter was taken to court and is set to be extradited to Mexico in the coming days.
Earlier this year, El Salvador announced the arrest of Jonathan Emanuel Cardona Castillo, a 23-year-old member of the Jewish group, wanted on an international warrant for severe child abuse. Castillo, originally from El Salvador, had fled to his home country before being apprehended. He had cut off his payis and beard in an attempt to evade arrest. El Salvador police have released footage of him without his facial hair at the time of his arrest.
Guatemalan authorities estimate that Lev Tahor consists of about 50 families, primarily from Guatemala, the United States, and Canada. Currently, 160 children and dozens of women are being held in welfare facilities after authorities uncovered evidence of abuse and starvation. Reports indicate that young mothers, following orders from cult leaders, are deliberately depriving their children of food in an attempt to pressure authorities into releasing them.
On December 20, 2024, Guatemalan authorities raided the Lev Tahor compound in San Rosa, approximately 90 kilometres from Guatemala City, following reports of sexual abuse suffering mistreatment, neglect, and starvation. Human remains were discovered during the police raid.
The raid and rescue followed an incident on November 11, when four teenagers escaped from the compound, describing the horrific conditions they had lived under. “After hearing their testimonies and conducting medical exams, it became clear that human trafficking practices, such as forced marriages and related crimes, were indeed taking place,” the prosecutor’s office stated.
