'Self-appointed spiritual leader' charged with sexual assault: Edmonton police
Edmonton police say a "self-appointed spiritual leader" has been charged with sexual assault, and investigators believe there may be additional victims.
Johannes (John) de Ruiter, 63, was arrested on Saturday.
He is accused of sexually assaulting four people in separate incidents between 2017 and 2020.
De Ruiter is a self-styled spiritual leader of a group known as the College of Integrated Philosophy, or the Oasis Group, which operated out of the Oasis Building at 109 Avenue and 177 Street from 2007 to 2021, police said.
Since 2021, he has been holding meetings out of an office building on St. Albert Trail in St. Albert, and holding spiritual retreats at a campground near Smith, Alta.
"It was reported that the accused informed certain female group members that he was directed by a spirit to engage in sexual activity with them, and that engaging in sexual activity with him will provide them an opportunity to achieve a state of higher being or spiritual enlightenment," police said in a release.
De Ruiter is originally from Stettler. He’s been sharing his so-called spiritual teachings for more than three decades.
John de Ruiter
Stephen Kent, a professor emeritus at the University of Alberta, has been following his activity since the 90s.
“It’s complicated trying to pin down exactly what de Ruiter’s teachings are,” he told CTV News on Monday. “In a practical matter, de Ruiter never registered his group as a religious charity. The organization called Oasis, that’s a form of business. Consequently, we have a business leader giving spiritual teachings to people.”
He says there were indications in the past that de Ruiter was having inappropriate relations with his followers, but there have never been any criminal allegations until now.
“The first indications that John was having sex with followers probably came in late 1999 when his marriage fell apart. He became involved with two sisters who were members,” Kent said
“The issues in this trial are not moral and ethical. They are not concerned with the appropriateness or inappropriateness of a leader, especially a spiritual leader, having sex with followers. The charges involve criminal allegations, and that’s what the focus of the trial will be.”
John de Ruiter
Kent says other people who may have been victimized may feel too much shame or fear to come forward.
“A lot of people who experience traumatic events inside high demand groups are afraid to come forward. They are embarrassed, they are afraid of retaliation, they probably have developed a mental attitude that the leader has extraordinary powers.
“The fact that only four women have launched formal complaints with their names is not necessarily an indication of how widespread the harmful behaviours might have been.”
A representative for de Ruiter sent a written statement to CTV News in response to the charges.
“Mr. de Ruiter will be represented by legal counsel and intends to vigorously contest these charges in a court of law. This situation is deeply impactful for those who have known and do know Mr. de Ruiter."
Anyone who believes they have been victimized by the accused is asked to call the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
With files from CTV News National's Bill Fortier.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.