A court has sentenced the leader of a religious sect labelled a cult by authorities to life in prison on several charges, with three of his followers also jailed.
The court in the southern city of Zhuhai on Friday also fined Wu Zeheng, head of the "Huazang Zongmen" sect, more than 7 million yuan (HK$8.5 million). The charges included organising a cult, rape, fraud and selling harmful food products.
Wu seduced dozens of women by telling them sex with him could give them "supernatural power", state media has said. He also operated a restaurant that claimed the food was cooked with "precious" ingredients.
A police investigation showed Wu had amassed an illegal fortune of more than 6.9 million yuan through his activities, according to Xinhua.
The court sentenced three of his followers to jail terms of one to four years, but one of those tried to escape punishment, the statement said. The group, which operates under multiple names, claims links to Buddhism.
Analysts say China has tightened control over religious worship, among other areas, under the administration of President Xi Jinping , who took office in 2013.
