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That may disturb some viewers powered by the Polish moon he was a self-styled Messiah promising salvation to his followers here totally they use their team and spread the gospel to start a church but he took their money brutalizing women and children else on a number of occasions suicidal.
So did you believe that you were born evil.
That's what I was told while he sexually abused many of them in my brain was going absolutely crazy it can understand why would do such a thing why would I surrender to somebody in such a way how did he get away with it.
Welcome to Four Corners there's a depressingly familiar pattern to the appeal of religious cults and the vulnerability of people who are drawn to them a pattern that includes strict obedience to the leader who demands control of all elements of the followers life psychologically and physically such leaders then surround themselves with a small exclusive click and will not tolerate criticism or dissension the count we're reporting on tonight an evangelical Pentecostal group called Christian assemblies.
International was formed in Germany nearly four decades ago by a self-appointed pastor an Australian nine Scott Williams he subsequently led many of his followers to Scotland and finally to Australia the whole while subjecting many too brutal psychological and sexual abuse one of the staggering things about this story was the apparent ease with which Williams was able to set up a pseudo charity in full view of authorities stockpiling money and property while climbing text benefits former disciples who have broken away from the cult say Williams has successfully manipulated the justice system to stay out of jail caramel drumheller reports.
This is a man in recovery going to France was abused by the leader of the secret of religious cult based in Australia.
First as a boy then as a man for almost 30 years.
It's not am i touching you or you forced to touch him that's hello venus time do you think could you count until hundreds and hundreds of times hundreds of times and hundreds you have no idea sorry today.
Swimming is a form of therapy for going to France.
It's also how he came to know his future abuser and Australian man and where this story begins poolside at a military school for young men in filth in bavaria germany in $MONTH 1978 going to France was 12 years old I wasn't a club their usual trend every Wednesday a promising swimmer going to France had caught the eye of the school's new pool attendant his name was Scott Williams 34 years old a fun-loving Australian charismatic outgoing and charming Williams took an immediate liking to go to France and his older brother here told me that he's there to spread the gospel to start a church so it over the years here is having a church and he's a posture of the church's scott williams was lying he wasn't the pastor of the church instead he was a self-styled guru with no religious qualifications and he was on a mission to create his own Pentecostal revival his own Christian Assembly anyone who is not within the church is my i even i was gonna burn in hell and they're either convert or die and you have nothing to do with them.
Scott williams was persistent and highly convincing he needed people power soon williams invited goethe and his older brother to spend social time with him when swimming training had finished they began to go to the sauna together after hours who were not good there in the change your boy and his older brother.
We're having a naked sauna with her that much older man school trip over six months and in secret the naked Sooners and showers coupled with intense scripture lessons continued at the direction of scott williams they were followed by lengthy massages.
He claimed to be chosen by God absolutely what would he say the goddess sent him to this country to convert all of Germany and all of Europe but mainly the Germans the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man Scott Williams encourage men in his assembly to have close relationships with other men seen here praying over one another in later years he called the relationship a boon shaft a German word related to covenant the policy of the bunch shaft would later become compulsory for almost everyone senior men in the church had to have a male partner and their bond was above that of husband and wife.
To use the words of the assembling these Scots were dislike it like a marriage without sex.
They were expected to lie almost naked basically in the same bed and cuddle each other massages each other that was a big thing and basically have been very very intimate as you will probably be intimate with your girlfriend or your wife into France became Scott Williams bundling and one of his most senior and trusted advisors making him a powerful figure inside Williams evangelical Pentecostal group.
Treated to a rockstar welcome at the Assembly's annual general meeting in 1996 whole body started to shake my guns are covering onto should learn everything there became like hot inside just wanted me to Todd ice and my tongue started to move and it's something only two big Steve Fulton was another of scott williams early convert in Germany he was 17 years old and still at school most of the people in the organization were in their late teens early twenties so it was a very sort of vibrant young community in Europe Williams quickly surrounded himself with more and more young men and women he claimed to be filled with the Holy Spirit gifted with the divine power of healing yeah.
When Scott paid for me and you're within my heart that illness was totally going it was in Australia that Scott Williams first attempted to set up an assembly he was a high school teacher first at ballarat east in Victoria pictured here in the early nineteen seventies then in New South Wales Scott Williams pictured here with his wife free went to Western Sydney where it's alleged he ran into trouble for using his role as a schoolteacher to indoctrinate dozens of teenage students he left Australia in 1976 under a cloud in Germany Scott Williams soon caught the eye of the local authorities it very quickly good for about a hundred people i would say the first two years at which point Scott was done told by the German authorities he had to leave.
Williams was reportedly running an unregistered charity and vast sums of money.
Mandatory offerings from members in addition to ten percent of their gross income were pouring into a bank account controlled by Williams well we didn't have anything registered at that time so it was really a.
Money-laundering exercise really are personally drove the money every month over to the border of Austria and deposited into different accounts illegally yep and the pressure in the mid-nineteen eighties Scott Williams fled to Scotland ordering his members to follow him he said hold in the small County of clackmannan sheer and successfully registered his church as a charity later known as Christian assemblies Europe international Williams had learned from past mistakes Klaus tisha another early german convert worked in the Assembly's finance department he says Williams devised a new way to collect money from his congregation which was now in the hundreds spread across Europe he moved money around by not even putting it through the banking system people were set up from the length and breadth of Europe to career to drop off points for large amounts of cash for being Korea across you know know what we sometimes were frightened for the people who were driving around at night in the cars if they had an accident or something and people would find all these what's of money and they would collect what's going on here.
Using the growing fortune amassed from his members Scott Williams went on a spending spree building an impressive property portfolio.
His first purchase a large house in dollar in his own name followed by Pete versi house in the church's name and impressive 270,000 pound mansion is it a lavish place some really beautiful place it's a big house and set up like the Queen's palace inside were you allowed to enjoy these properties use them at your free will know who they reserved for the past or pastor scott williams final purchase a hotel in a banoffee badger open Douglas has the glory of the lord and many of you have worked.
What are they are committed into the hands of the Lord just pray with me.
The pressure to work hard and donate more and more to Pastor Scott Williams church knew no bounds.
Every possible source of money was targeted pensioners students withers we've even found evidence of members being fined by scott williams.
Klaus teachers wife was pressured to hand over her inheritance when her father died she was asked to give it to the glory of God because God's work which happen to have been reused for the purchase of the headquarters in Scotland pastor scott williams grew all-powerful and life in the assembly began to change in the minds of his believers Williams held the key to their salvation and leaving wasn't an option he would get really really angry anymore busy freaked out and obviously everybody sort of feel for the live in a way it's a web it's like he's the spider he's got you there and you can't get out of the bloody spiderweb because he injects that in doctrine I'd poisoned believe once you're out of that net year you condemned for life Sylvia wagner was an outgoing independent 21 year old woman living in Germany when she was first introduced to Christian assemblies international in 1993 I was a hippie I was engaged to a rock musician as a pretty well Chuck yeah dream.
Please go.
Sylvia Wagner's colleague already a member of the church dragged her along to a two-week camp here in Cornwall England run by Pastor Scott Williams you say that this is when you were brainwashed.
Yes yes strongly believe that when Sylvia Wagner tried to leave the cab she was told she would be attacked by Satan and that people outside the church were evil including her fiance what did they tell you about your boyfriend.
They told me if I got married to him my kids will become drug addicts will not be blessed and I shouldn't be yoked together with someone who was an unbelievable.
Brainwashed Sylvia Wagner lift her fiance.
Alone in the assembly she grew increasingly desperate now was told i can only marry someone within the church that I wasn't free to marry who are wanted to marry and but also didn't want to stay alone so I asked somebody to tell me what I should do and they said I should pray Sylvia Wagner prayed and prayed.
What she didn't know was that behind-the-scenes church members were plotting choosing a husband for her.
What's your greatest regret I regret not marrying the men that are really loved i really regret that like it's really hot sweet and the vows which i'm about to read very powerful arranged marriages they feature a hallmark of a cult that's a hallmark of a cult you get two families now they're joined together through marriage in the system they're more committed to the system.
For women like catcher forkin life inside Christian assemblies international was a living nightmare so women on equal footing two men not definitely not where did you come in the chain of four suppose we were like we were servants really women were constantly monitored and their lives were completely controlled however dressed how we cook Tom behave towards our husbands how the brother our kids cleanliness of the heartland earnest of the house everything church videos show women happily taking part in assembly life but the reality was often very different these couples that the front represent women have told us there was subjected to a strict regime executed by Pastor Scott Williams they all stand before a virgin.
It started with verbal abuse in private and in public praise god you would get up here and they're leaving bastards i have this vision and you don't believe in this big evil satanic bitches whores on one occasion i was called a Nazi bitch which is not seize ya gotta rats swans 50s ones with their love her comfort her.
According to the teachings of Pastor Scott Williams women would Jezebel's not to be trusted.
Instead they were to be punished physically you both shall live they were banished her locked away we haven't hit to the point where poor told the church to hit either their own what's or others were used to hit against their will.
This is a hard question to ask you did you raise a hand to your wife Ruth at the direction of anyone in Scotland's.
In a disturbing escalation going to Francis former wife was also beaten in front of a group of men for not being obedient enough scott williams was on the phone instructing a senior officer to hit her as she cried and begged for mercy.
Tom Baker a long-term member of the church from germany was there the night had happened the woman was stripped down to Underpants she was light over a chair i was called in at the time I was only about 23 years old and then what happened the other pasta were told by scott williams that he had to spank her with what wooden stick Gunther France wasn't present than I she's wife was beaten with a stick and he didn't know she was pregnant at the time did that make you feel fresh and makes you sick to your got it in 1996 pastor scott williams bid goodbye to Scotland the Lord had sent him a message to return to Australia and bring his assembly with him in reality claims of arranged marriages and bizarre six rituals life inside the Colt had hit the press in Scotland and a series of internal church emails from the mid-nineteen ninety's obtained by four corners reveal the Assembly's finances were also being investigated by the Scottish charities regulator the documents show the assembly was being investigated again in 2008 the Scottish charities regulator has refused to confirm what action if any was taken against the church that Pastor Scott Williams was allowed to leave Scotland and set up shop in Australia here in the picturesque coastal town of Coffs Harbour in northern New South Wales what was life like in the church in Australia no no no and it all the extreme teachings and the policies come to absolutely even even worse and it was really exciting here in one of the most disturbing policies used to punish women under the direction of scott williams babies and young children were often separated from their mothers and given to others temporarily to raise it happened to catch your Falken how did you cope with that yeah i was a nightmare so i suppose it made us do in that moment the only way we knew how is it made as to everything we could to behave in the way they expected so that we could get the children bank and what will the children be told when they were being taken away that they were bad and that they didn't behave and that their parents were bad Emily wassman was born into the church growing up in the assembly in Australia her childhood memories are fear confusion and profound loneliness the teaching was that a child was born evil and that that had to be beaten out of them with the road irvine so did you believe that you were born evil.
That's what i was told Lucas were filmed here as a teenager a member of the Assembly's band Emily Watson says she wasn't allowed to have a life outside the church.
When she was 14 she told her parents she wanted to leave the assembly when I didn't change my mind and made it clear that i didn't want to go anymore they basically coming up after their life if they do that i mean we live to get luck that they stopped speaking to me a stranger in her own home at the tender age of 15.
Emily wassman was sent away to canada to live with another church member a strategy designed to break her spirit and force her back to god she became depressed and developed an eating disorder in Canada I was on a number of occasions and suicidal and the only thing that would stop me from from actually going through with anything was the fear that if it didn't work.
How much trouble I would be in for doing that Emily was man managed to make it out of the church with her parents and she says her experience isn't an isolated one you know other young people who are born into the church and left.
Yes and if they had similar struggles yes all of them everyone these memos detail how children were to be ruled in Scott Williams assembly they make for disturbing reading to your children matchup if not then do not be surprised that they are going to help James any your children are weird and unacceptable this sick fruit will no longer be tolerated break the spirit of the children will be broken by the Lord yeah there's certainly delusions and paranoia we showed these messages to psychologists Graham Barker who specializes in spiritual abuse and religious cults have you ever seen anything like this on the scale no but this would be consistent with a pattern of the more intimacy you can control the greatest control you have and how dysfunctional is this what is its various factions board its bordering on pathology there are now three in Australia using church fans as prophesized again by God Pastor Scott Williams went on another buying frenzy purchasing a vast secluded compound for more than one and a half million dollars registered in the church's name now international renovated to luxurious standards a swimming pool BBQ area three houses rolling manicured lawns this is the headquarters of Christian assemblies international nestled in the isolated cedar valley around half an hour outside of Coffs Harbour the gates are locked to the public.
You can't see much from the street but it's an impressive multimillion-dollar compound of almost 300 acres it's here that many former members claim they spent hundreds of hours almost every weekend working on the property under the direction of Pastor Scott Williams they've told four corners that if their work and their behavior wasn't up to scratch.
They be punished severely you know we're just fewer working slaves you know that cases of pregnant women having to work the manual ibotta light in pregnancy.
You're not digging trenches this sort of stuff that's really just horrific horrific stuff Scott Williams also use church fans to buy and sell multiple apartments in the beachfront Pacific towers complex Williams purchased two grand apartments a penthouse in the church's name and another for himself it's a miracle and he was assisted by the penthouse and the Son and the Holy go in coffs harbour the recruitment drive was in full swing even the former mayor john smith was converted along with the well-known local city councilor version the heathens can run khabar the Heiden cassava lighten but they can't save the soul of Zika need easy lettin of men and women we humbly relying on the blessings of all my god Josh who only wants to be known by his first name says he was 21 when he was introduced to the church by Councillor barberton and quickly sucked in my life thought you to be like the Haven initially you are treated like royalty in that last for about six months.
Given everything just did you forget them and they're already influenced australian-born handsome and athletic josh says got Williams paid special attention to him inviting him to attend secret mins knots did you attend mins nuts with scott williams this footage during these men's not.
It's we've been told that scott williams was very interested in people's private lives within child has got Williams would ask people so often they had sex that's right.
No this is an awkward question where people also asked our from the best about it.
Yeah yep you absolutely yeah they're checking on people see how you traveling in Australia nothing was off limits Josh a new recruit soon realized there was more to these men's nights pastor scott williams was using his brand of religion to groom n46 did you say that did experience a partially i was in the early stages before it was happening behind closed doors in private inside the pen house located at the top of this apartment building in coffs harbour the leader of Christian assemblies international held regular men's knots a mandated time for male bonding it's also where many men say they were sexually abused by Pastor Scott Williams in a bizarre religious ritual men were chosen to lay naked with him.
They've told four corners they were then forced to perform six acts against their will Pastor Williams justified it all using select passages from the Bible.
It began 20 years earlier with going to France Scott Williams first convert beloved bundling and most senior officer when he was just a boy in philadelphia in Germany horse 14 we started to sexually a touch me he just sit here relax just more or less off the words which uses just surrender yourself friend surrender that word has been used a million times towards me a good to Francis Scott Williams used scripture to terrify him and abuse him continuously see what either force me to touch him and make him cum tried a few times.
Good oral is long and often would just message and then just lie on my back and try to force himself into me in the abuse continued in Australia videos how old were you when it stopped I was in the moment.
Authorities more than 20 years go to France says he never consented and he had no idea others was suffering in silence Steve fortune has prayed to forget the nice Williams first sexually abused him he was 19 years old in dispersing each act with Scripture Williams told him this was the Lord's training the ordeal lasted seven hours eventually he made me have oral sex with him and it's at this point that my brain was going absolutely crazy couldn't understand why would do such a thing why would I surrender to somebody in such a way you know I was devastated I was confused I think he could see that Steve for considers the abuse intensified and it continued for years all against his consent did many more times after that how many probably 30 or 40 it's hot.
I don't know exactly the numbers but over the years many times as the men and his assembly grew older pastor scott williams turned his attention to the next generation of boys coming up in the church focusing on one in particular but Williams the chosen your nephew as his next protege yeah another one yet he created him from the day was born under life then France was 18 when Pastor Scott Williams almost 60 appointed him as his personal private secretary and his new bundling he left his parents home in Melvin and moved to coffs harbour in order to be closer to scott williams to begin his religious training will be trying what were you really trying for news for t believe are now about from Scotts on ratification not a lot else to be lost.
Then France says he was 19 when the sexual abuse began like so many others during a naked massage session with scott williams it continued for months even by the roadside inside a car he said put me in math and a scenario and then he said if you love me you will of course the whole time I've been encouraged that I need to love him it's it's my duty so i didn't know what to do I couldn't couldn't refuse all of that and this is disgusting.
If you love me you do it absolutely clear that was used what is being asked and what has been probably groomed into them is total obedience.
So there's this idea of you know i'm i'm being compliant to an anointed leader then there's the spiritual dimension as well that in somehow this was actually helping them in their spiritual growth because that's what they've been told scott williams then believe that he was above the law.
Well he was sanctioned by God and therefore his role was untouchable.
Really.
And my other friends Scott Williams may have believed he was untouchable but the tables were about to turn.
To begin in august 2006 William spoke of his excitement for the future going to France was in the front row.
What was going through your mind my main thought is you know when you come home.
There will be justice Scott Williams had no idea that a group of his most loyal male followers among them his alleged victims into France Steve forkin been france had been secretly planning to expose him and bravely break free from the assembly and where were you at the criticism concerned that more young men were at risk they went to the local place where inspector Scott Parker began to investigate he noticed a pattern there was a consistent pattern of desensitization misinterpretation of the Bible and the allegations of the compliance was that.
Misinterpretation including concepts of bundling up on shaft and the love between men that mr. Williams had misinterpreted from biblical verse was the payoff for overriding theme which then completely led to the desensitization and the indoctrination of these compliance.
The police investigation ran for almost four years during that time the overseer Scott Williams wrote this stunning letter of confession to his victims there is no excuse on my part for my actions of amorous affection which has or have gone beyond the borders of decency and breached partial homosexuality in December 2010 scott williams was committed to stand trial charged with 23 sexual offences were just two weeks before the trial was set to commence in February 2012 Scott Williams successfully launched a new defense using to medical reports obtained after he was committed to stand trial.
Scott Williams claimed he was to seek to attend court due to a stroke in 2009 the crown oppose the argument that the judge accepted Scott Williams version of events placing a permanent stay on the proceedings on what medical opinion did the judge rely on with independent medical reports or whether chosen by defense the medical reports were provided by a trading physicians of mr. Williams the judge's ruling was a devastating blow in the eyes of his victims Scott Williams a master manipulator had managed to evade justice how can a judge make judgment in two-and-a-half hours of boards happened to victims for 25 years hundreds just for mere modern my face and to any other victim even if he is a sick man he still free.
He still has all the money on top of that he has the ability to continue on and control people who are silently still suffering in that organization because they haven't got the courage to stand up against it there are so many people in the we went to coffs harbour to try and find pasture Scott Williams still a director of the assembly and reportedly a recluse he's living here in one of his apartment in the Pacific towers we've been told by current members of the church that he's in a wheelchair that he still attends church meetings and weddings and is able to communication.
Oh hello I'm looking for mr. Scott Williams we got as far as the intercom with Scott Williams wife Ari answered and I got the right apartment we have a number of questions we'd like to ask are not very well well all right okay would you be able to let us up is your name really Scott's wife this put down the phone okay we have the right apartment no one from Christian assemblies international would talk to four corners or answer our questions Scott Williams may have managed to avoid his day in court but he may have more to answer for tens of millions of dollars flowed into the church a registered charity in Australia that members say the books were cooked and their donations weren't used for charitable purposes possibly in breach of Australian laws and how much of that approximate 20 million dollars was used for charitable purposes.
Maybe about five percent to the five-percent the generated 95% curve there are mostly for the maintenance of the properties and into scott williams own pocket and he is also obviously to maintain his lifestyle Steve Fulton worked in the Assembly's finance department he says . williams was secretly stashing wads of money in the loft of these cops have a compound why saw steel boxes basically the wooden beams in the loft work source under to make a secret hiding place where you could stash money in large quantities and jewelry and gold did you complain to authorities in Australia about the financial irregularities I did after we left in 2006 did approach to text office.
Klaus teacher says there was no response from the tax office the ATO the overseas Scott Williams he claims we presented our findings to Susan pasco the head of the Australian charities and not-for-profits commission set up 18 months ago to regulate the conduct of registered charities so will you be looking into international you investigate this is clearly one that's we've been alluded to by the media and in that instance we would certainly be investigating ultimately if there was evidence that this was not acting in a charitable way or causing serious harm than the charity can be directly registered so it can be shut down.
Yes we have the powder deregister the financial documents we had Susan pasco will need to act fast the added government is moving to ax the commission so we'd be back to square one who would who would be overseeing.
Parties the the plan the government has is to return the function to the tax office to the idea is the very.
Organization that failed to respond to complaints from members of Christian assemblies international yes.
Steve falken has found pace with a new church but his faith has been tested.
The Bible says the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are those who wait for for the hundreds of people have been irreversibly harmed by the cult of Christian assemblies international the time has come justice must be served I'd like to see the organization shut down i'd like to see all the wealth and assets seized from them something of a charitable nature done in the end I think you should be locked up shouldn't be walking the streets free.
There aren't too many instincts stronger than survival in this case it seems obedience comes first and its height see I had 700 members worldwide dwindling to about 300 currently with 100 of them here in australia in a written statement to the program the directors of CII said CII considers it would be inappropriate to comment on any allegations the four corners report might raise against mr. Williams the full statement is on our website.
Next week on four corners terror in Iraq an investigation into the Islamic extremist group Isis and it's pulling pair in countries like australia until then goodnight.
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