TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung District Court on Tuesday sentenced a 65-year-old temple manager to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting five women under the guise of religious rituals.

The man, surnamed Liu (劉), took over a temple in Taichung in 2009 after his mother’s death, per CNA. He told worshippers she had become a deity capable of granting fortune or warding off misfortune, warning that disobedience would bring disaster.

From 2009 to November 2024, prosecutors said Liu coerced five adult women facing difficulties in health, relationships, or work into sex, claiming it was necessary to alter their destinies. He was accused of committing 58 assaults during that period.

Liu was taken into custody in November 2024 and later indicted on multiple counts of forcible intercourse under Article 221 of the Criminal Code, which carries a penalty of three to 10 years in prison. Prosecutors emphasized that his crimes spanned 15 years and urged a heavy sentence.

The court convicted Liu on 48 of the 58 counts, handing down terms of three to four years each, to be served concurrently for a total of 10 years. The ruling is subject to appeal.