California cult leader sentenced to over 200 years for sexual assault

A California cult leader has been sentenced to more than 200 years for sexually assaulting his followers, according to officials.

Sansue Bee Vang, a 58-year-old from Oroville, was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday after being found guilty of molesting four young girls and raping two women from his congregation, the Butte County District Attorney’s Office said in a press release.

Vang was the leader of a Hmong religious organization called Kev Ntseeg Leej Niam Kee Tiam Vaj Lis Thum, which loosely translates to “Belief in the Mother.”

In 2024, an 11-year-old girl and her mother accused Vang of sexual assault. During an investigation into the cult leader, four more women came forward with their own allegations of sexual abuse.

After a week-long trial in February, Vang was convicted of eight counts of child molestation and three counts of rape.

Supervising Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Bennet, who prosecuted the case, said at Vang’s trial that he used his cult to “exploit the power he imagined for himself and that he had used the organization’s structure to silence the women for years before they found the courage to come forward,” according to the press release.

At his sentencing hearing, five of Vang’s six victims spoke about how the sexual abuse they endured has continued to impact their mental health and familial relationships.

Vang will serve 225 years to life, the maximum sentence allowed by law. But because of his age, Vang will be eligible for elder parole in 20 years. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender.

It was revealed during the trial that Vang molested one child five times when she was between the ages of eight and 10 years old. The girl said Vang threatened to beat her if she told anyone about the abuse.

Vang also raped a woman at her home twice and threatened to harm her and her family if she reported the assaults, according to court testimony.

Three more women testified that, when they were between the ages of six and 12 years old, Vang “repeatedly touched them, commented on their figures, and told them he would marry them one day” during his religious ceremonies that they were required to attend, the DA’s office said.

The sixth victim said in court that when she was around 19 or 20 years old, Vang told her she had to have sex with him or terrible things would happen to her family and community.

Vang’s attorney claimed during the trial that all the victims were lying or mistaken about his client’s intent.