Yoga guru ‘placed his hands’ on students’ breasts for ‘purification therapy’

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A yoga teacher has been arrested on suspicion of sexually abusing and beating students at a Hindu sect in northern Italy. Bruno Antonio Malatesta recruited vulnerable people as young as 11 for his courses in self defence and meditation at his Fiore della Pace (Flower of Peace) foundation. The ‘students’ were said to be forced to shave their heads and wear orange tunics on joining the cult. He then allegedly subjected them to physical and psychological violence on a daily basis, a two-year investigation by the Carabinieri, Italy’s gendarmerie, found. His ‘accomplices’, including his only monk, reportedly ‘slept at the foot of his bed’, washed him, served him food and drove him wherever he wished to go. Malatesta allegedly routinely used fear tactics on his subjects, including one occasion when he reportedly made two women stay up all night cleaning. Sign up for all of the latest stories Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens. Bruno Antonio Malatesta reportedly subjected victims as young as 11 to physical and psychological torture (Picture: Carabinieri) The 59-year-old was last week arrested on suspicion of subjugating slavery at the camp in the mountains of Bassa Val di Susa, near Turin. He is now being held in custody. The self-proclaimed ‘chosen one’ claimed to have natural healing powers and that he was in contact with Mahadevi, the supreme goddess in Hinduism. He is said to have preyed upon young people with mental illness, luring them into his cult and isolating them from their friends and family. The victims were then allegedly subjected to a strict regime of total dependence, coercion and sexual and psychological abuse. One victim who was 11 at the time, now aged 27, claimed she was forced to cook, clean and work the land after joining the sect on recommendation by her mother, who was also a member. Pandora – not her real name – told TGcom24 that Malatesta called his subjects ‘b*tch witches’ – a phrase she was afraid to repeat to police. She said: ‘He said that in our previous life we ​​were b*tch witches. That we all are. He would save us by taking away the negative energies. For example, by placing his hands on our breasts. Otherwise, evil would come.’ She added: ‘I didn’t realise they were threats.’ Two other women and a man also believed to be involved in the scheme have yet to be arrested. The women were thought to be in charge of the logistical aspect of the cult, with one nicknamed ‘the mistress’, while the other had the role of professional psychologist. The only ‘monk’ collaborator was a masseur who is accused of performing ‘sexual therapy’ on the female victims. Malatesta, known in the sect as the ‘master’ frequently subjected the minors to sexual abuse in the name of ‘purification’. As well as criminal charges of slavery and sexual assault, the yoga teacher is also accused of fraud against the state. The sect leader had allegedly pretended he was unable to walk, falsely qualifying him for €80,000 in disability pensions. He is yet to publicly respond to allegations. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk. For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: Cornell student ‘gang raped’ at party is sent threats to drop case Arrow MORE: I discovered Italy’s ‘golden’ city that’s just like Florence without the crowds Arrow MORE: Police on routine dive make incredible 2000-year-old discovery News Updates Stay on top of the headlines with daily email updates.