(NationalUSNews.com) — Georgia police recently discovered a dead South Korean woman in the trunk of a car located in the Atlanta area, which they believe is connected to the fanatic religious organization known as the “Soldiers of Christ.” Authorities claim the religious group lured Sehee Cho to the area and killed her during an admission process into the fanatical religious group. Two South Korean men lead the Soldiers of Christ and will stand trial for Cho’s death in the near future.
Prosecutors claim that a group of seven people kept Cho captive in a house’s basement for several weeks and subjected her to horrible conditions and various forms of abuse. The seven people who allegedly kept Cho beat her, submerged her in ice, and eventually starved the South Korean national to death. Following the discovery of Cho’s body, police arrested suspected members of the Soldiers of Christ, claiming that they’d arrested every member of the fanatical religious organization. Cho’s death sparked fears about potential cult activity in the Atlanta region, with one expert claiming that other similar religious sects operate within the area.
While the Soldiers of Christ describe themselves as members of a religious organization, Georgia authorities designated the group as a criminal organization. Prosecutors identified Joonho Lee as the group’s founder and shared details about his goals regarding his religious organization. According to prosecutors, Joonho Lee wanted to recruit 12 disciples to act as his followers. Authorities also claim that shortly after Cho’s death, Joonho Lee attempted to recruit a new follower from Georgia State University. Cho’s death sparked an investigation, resulting in police arresting the seven people responsible.
Prosecutors charged each of the seven people with murder, as well as other felonies. Following his arrest, Joonho Lee claimed that he received directions from God, which experts say is a common claim by cult leaders. One expert, Dr. Steve Hassan, shared his own experience while discussing the Soldiers of Christ. Hassan escaped from a cult almost 50 years ago and is a leading expert regarding cult activity.
Hassan said that the circumstances surrounding Cho’s tragic death seem to indicate cult activity rather than the actions of a criminal gang. Authorities identified Cho as a cult target due to her struggle with depression, which prosecutors claim the Soldiers of Christ took advantage of to lure her to the religious group’s home. Cho arrived at the house for her initiation, which included the aforementioned beatings and starvation. According to prosecutors, Cho wanted to leave the group immediately after her initiation process began.
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