The trial has concluded for a Black man in Georgia accused of leading a sex cult where he raped and abused a group of women and men. Based on the gruesome details of his behavior exposed by prosecutors, there’s no wonder why he’ll spend the rest of his life in prison.
Eligio Bishop or “Natureboy,” as he called himself, is the leader of a polygamist cult called Carbon Nation. Bishop was worshipped as a god by his followers and had possession of their credit cards and banking information, according to The Costa Rica Star. Their practices included a vegan diet, nudism, not bathing and defecating on trees.
Bishop was arrested in 2022 after being accused of rape and revenge porn. It’s an understatement to call the revelations from his trial “shocking,” Here are four of the biggest takeaways.
“Hell on Wheels”
Some cult members said in trial they didn’t have a choice whether to have sex with Bishop, as they felt it was an obligation. If they refused, they were at risk of being sexually assaulted.
A former member testified that, upon deciding to leave the group, members would be subject to abuse and harassment. She said she was raped and the videos of them being sexually intimate were posted on social media.
“All of you (expletive) belong to the three and I will have my way with you as I see fit. If any of you disrespect me, into the abyss you go,” Bishop said in a video played in court.
Cult Expert Certified
“In my opinion, Eligio Bishop fits the profile of a destructive authoritarian leader,” testified Rick Allen Ross, founder and director of the Cult Education Institute.
Ross said on the stand that he was following Bishop’s cult for years and confirmed that Bishop’s power dynamic with the group members placed him in the category of a cult leader.
“There are patterns of coercive persuasion to gain undue influence that have been reported by people under his influence and families affected by him,” said Ross.
A Bizarre Farewell
After being directed by Judge Stacey Hydrick to direct his final remarks toward her, he still spoke to the victims who watched his sentencing online. His haunting statement didn’t even acknowledge the pain he caused the victims.
“Are you happy? I forgive and I still love you. Kiss my girl for me,” he said before the microphone was muted.
Not a Lick of Remorse
The jury convicted Bishop of one count of rape, one count of false imprisonment and four counts of prohibition on nude or sexually explicit electronic transmissions, per FOX 5 Atlanta.
Bishop’s defense attorneys asked for parole based on his childhood trauma and lack of a criminal record, but the judge wasn’t having it.
“I would have been inclined to exercise some discretion if Mr. Bishop showed any remorse, guilt, or regret throughout this process,” Hydrick said. “And I saw nothing during the trial, but him laughing, cutting it up, and looking shocked and surprised at all of the testimony. Mr. Bishop, you are a master manipulator and probably the classic definition of a narcissist that I have ever seen.”