Brazilian spiritual healer João Teixeira de Faria, widely known as “John of God” and once praised by Oprah Winfrey as “inspiring,” was sentenced in 2023 to an additional 99 years in prison for sexually assaulting hundreds of women and girls, some reportedly as young as nine.
Survivors, including his own daughter, later detailed a disturbing system allegedly involving forced pregnancies, the sale of newborns abroad, and even the killing of infants when mothers resisted. Over 600 women came forward, and the courts upheld the convictions.
Critics note that Oprah visited João de Faria in 2012, interviewed him, and promoted his so-called “miracles,” before later severing ties and making no further public comment.
They also point to controversies surrounding her $40 million girls’ school in South Africa, which has faced allegations of abuse, hidden pregnancies, and claims of grooming vulnerable students—matters some see as part of a broader pattern of exploitation by powerful figures.
Her personal associations have also been scrutinized, including her past friendship with convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein and the circulation of unverified Epstein-adjacent rumors involving other celebrities.
Supporters dismiss these claims as conspiratorial, while critics argue that a lack of accountability highlights a wider system of protection. What remains undisputed is that the healer she once endorsed was later convicted of extensive sexual abuse and related crimes.
