Jonathan Emanuel Cardona Castillo, a 23-year-old Lev Tahor leader, was arrested last week in El Salvador following the issue of an international arrest warrant against him.

Law enforcement authorities in Guatemala have begun extradition proceedings.

“We received official confirmation from the authorities in El Salvador regarding the start of the extradition process,” said Juan Francisco Reyes, an assistant prosecutor in the Guatemalan combatting human trafficking department.

Castillo, 23, is suspected of having brutally abused women and children as part of the cult’s activities, engaged in human trafficking, and forced minors to marry.

In a statement to local media, a former member of the Lev Tahor cult, who spoke anonymously, said that Castillo’s behavior had changed drastically since he joined the cult. He noted that he had become violent and threatened to kill children.

Uriel Goldman, one of the cult leaders, claimed that Castillo was expelled from the cult due to his behavior and presented documents supporting this claim. Local media reported that he claimed other people had tried to join the cult but were “rejected due to alleged connections to drug trafficking.”

Meanwhile, another member of the cult was arrested while attempting to flee to Mexico.

(YWN’s Jerusalem desk is keeping you updated after tzeis ha’Shabbos in Israel)