Sergei Torop, a former traffic cop, founded the “Church of the Last Testament” in 1991 and recruited thousands of members in Siberia.

“It’s all very complicated. But to keep things simple, yes, I am Jesus Christ,” Torop, told The Guardian in 2002. 

However, he and two other “church” leaders were arrested in 2020 and accused of violating the rights of their followers.

They were accused of forcing followers to hand over cash, using them as free labour and causing serious harm to their mental and physical health.

Torop was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment by a court in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, which also awarded over 45 million rubles (c. £415,000) in damages to 16 victims.

Vladimir Vedernikov was also given a 12-year sentence while Vadim Redkin received an 11-year sentence.