Sergei Torop, 64, a Russian cult leader who claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for mentally and physically abusing followers of his Church of the Last Testament.

Known as “Vissarion,” he founded the sect in 1991 after claiming a divine revelation, attracting thousands to remote Siberian settlements.

He and two associates, also jailed, were convicted of creating an abusive religious organization that exploited members for labor and money, causing psychological and physical harm, the Daily Star has reported.

The court also awarded victims over $500,000 in damages.

Written by B.C. Begley