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Gregorian Bivolaru also known as Magnus Aurolsson and nicknamed Grieg, Grig or, by the press, Guru (born 12 March 1952) is the founder of the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA). MISA has faced allegations of procuring and forced prostitution. He is imprisoned in France for an "alleged rape, human trafficking and kidnapping scheme". He faces accusations of organized crime.

In 2005, the Supreme Court of Sweden agreed to grant political refugee status to Bivolaru in response to his claims of persecution by Romanian authorities. On 14 June 2013, the High Court of Cassation and Justice of Romania definitively sentenced Bivolaru to six years in prison, without suspension, for sexual acts with a minor. Furthermore, he was acquitted for all the other charges against him (e.g. trafficking of a minor). Bivolaru is also on the 'wanted' list of Interpol, for criminal charges of aggravated trafficking in human beings. In a European Court of Human Rights judgement in 2021, he was proclaimed to be criminal on-the-run for forcing his followers to turn over their life savings to him and have sex with each other, and him, at his command. Young female members said they were forced to work as strippers and appear in hardcore porn films. In 2013, he was convicted in absentia for having sex with a minor. France executed a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) for him in 2016. He was again arrested in France in November 2023, but not for extradition purposes.

Early life

Bivolaru, born in Tărtășești, Ilfov County, (now in Dâmbovița County), Romania, completed high school in Bucharest. He joined a predecessor to the Bucharest Metro company as an unskilled labourer in 1971. He began practicing yoga at the age of 17.

During the communist regime Bivolaru was kept under observation by the Department of State Security, because he was practicing and teaching yoga, yoga being dissuaded in Romania at that time. He was jailed twice and forcefully hospitalized in a psychiatric ward once. In 2012 two courts acknowledged that Bivolaru was sentenced and jailed for political reasons during the communist regime.

In 1977, he was arrested on the charge of distributing pornographic materials and sentenced to one year in prison, but he did not complete it due to an amnesty granted for all minor convictions by the President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu on his birthday. On 17 April 1984, he was arrested again for the distribution of pornographic materials. He was locked up in a Securitate cell, from which he managed to escape. He was captured a few days afterwards, then tried only on the charges of escaping from prison and sentenced to 18 months in jail.

On 17 August 1989, Bivolaru was arrested again, on the grounds that he was mentally unhinged and a menace to the general public. Prosecutors requested he be hospitalized, which was granted two days later on 19 August 1989 by the sector 1 Tribunal of Bucharest based on a report submitted by National Institute for Legal Medicine IML. He was sentenced to hospitalization at The Poiana Mare Neuropsychiatry Hospital in Dolj county. In the IML report the diagnostic was schizoid personality disorder, paranoia with obsessive-phobic elements. Until 1989 he was constantly on the list of the most dangerous people for the communist regime, being permanently in the sights of the Security, but he never stopped practicing and teaching yoga. Gabriel Andreescu, researcher of the CNSAS archives, dissident and human rights activist, states in his book MISA - Radiografia unei represiuni that the group of yogis coordinated by Bivolaru is "the only example of long-lasting collective resistance under Nicolae Ceaușescu's regime". On 1 July 2011, a Bucharest court issued a ruling recognizing the political nature of the sentences suffered by Bivolaru during the communist period and his internment in Poiana Mare Psychiatric Hospital.

Debate exists about the validity of the Bivolaru's mental health diagnoses. A psychologist friend of Bivolaru, when asked by a young girl in 1993 about attending Bivolaru's courses, advised her to stay clear of him because he is a "psychopath". Cecilia Tiz, a yoga teacher and formerly associated with MISA, has publicly stated that "Bivolaru is a sick man who needs therapy". During his 2016 extradition procedures, Bivolaru pleaded irresponsible by reason of being legally insane, although the French court refused to pass judgment upon him being insane, since that is not germane to extradition procedures. One of his lawyers publicly declared during that trial "He has become paranoid, he is fearful of everything."

However, the doctor at Poiana Mare who was in charge of Bivolaru, Leonard Hriscu, declared that "Gregorian Bivolaru was not a man in need of psychiatric treatment."

Bivolaru thinks he is unfairly persecuted, just as Jesus Christ was unjustly crucified. Gregorian Bivolaru was acquitted after 17 years of trial. The name "Operation Christ" was given to the case by prosecutors.

The French newspaper Libération reported that comparing himself to Jesus Christ is evidence of megalomania.

MISA

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In Romania, yoga was removed from public facilities in 1982, in connection with the "Transcendental Meditation scandal." Yoga was not illegal in Romania but it was dissuaded by the regime, until December 1989, the time of the Romanian Revolution. After it, Bivolaru founded the Movement for Spiritual Integration into the Absolute (MISA) as a non-profit association on 23 January 1990. It claimed a socio-professional, philosophical and educative character, aiming to increase the spiritual level of people by spreading the yoga knowledge and practices. MISA included bogus lectures on related disciplines such as Kashmirian philosophy and Ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine). The yoga courses were first held in Bucharest but quickly spread all over the country.

Finnish broadcasting company Yle published a program under MOT series on MISA and Bivolaru. In the program, ex-Natha members were interviewed. Natha is described as being rooted to Romanian MISA movement. The interviewees described controversial activities like vomiting as a way of purification. Also sexual tendencies like pornography and sexual relations with the teachers and pupils were reported. A representative of Finnish Natha commented that sex is always a matter between the two persons. Seppo Isotalo, a human rights activist who tried to help MISA in confrontation with Romanian authorities, described MISA as follows:

It has all the characteristics of a cult: one truth, one leader, and it isolates the dissident.

— Seppo Isotalo, a Finnish human rights activist

Bivolaru was an honorary member of the European Yoga Council until April 2008, when he was expelled from it and from all affiliated branches. Shri Yogacharya Ajita, as President of the European Yoga Council of European Yoga Alliance and Honorary Secretary of the European Federation of Yoga for the European Union, announced the following to the International Yoga Federation: "My official resolution as president of the European Yoga Council of the European Yoga Alliance is that Mihai Stoian, Grieg Bivolaru and all people linked to the MISA/NATHA organization are immediately expelled from our organization and that we stop their membership."

According to The Times of India, MISA currently operates under different names in different countries. It is Natha in Denmark and Portugal, Tara in the US and UK and Satya in India. MISA is also known as ATMAN.

According to Romania TV (data from 2014) "Thus, only from the annual membership fee, Guru collects 4 million euros." In December 2023, MISA (all worldwide branches, regardless of their different names) counted a hundred thousand adepts. Another source says it has "40,000 adepts from 34 countries".

In 2011 MISA was entangled in a scandal in Argentina described as "porno-yoga".

In 2012 MISA was entangled in a scandal in Italy involving sexual slavery. At the time, several tabloid newspapers took some of the bombshell accusations without checking them, without waiting for any proof. Despite the searches and confiscations carried out by the Italian police, even 10 years later none of the accusations have been proven and not a single person has been prosecuted.

In fact, the long trial of MISA members on charges of "Trafficking in human beings and conspiracy to commit crimes", which took place in Romania, was finally concluded after 17 years and not a single guilty party was found, according to a 2021 post of a justice watch organization. Other articles show that there have never been any official charges of pimping, according to the 2021 post.

In 2023 MISA was entangled in a scandal in France involving sexual slavery and human trafficking. MISA has been described as "a group reminiscent of the Mafia and pimping disguised as philosophy". 30 years prison sentences are on the table. In France, various women were deprived of passports, of mobile phones, they were transported blindfolded, so that they will not know where they are, there were rarely allowed to remotely communicate with their parents, and all such talks were supervised, they were forced to sign formal statements that they did sex and porn because of their own free will, and except for women's underwear they were allowed no clothes. MISA has been described as organized crime. MISA is organized compartmentally, according to a general operating principle of organized crime.

Some MISA ashrams close to Bivolaru, hidden from the main teaching schools are, for a want of a better word brothels, and the journalist Bogdan Comaroni said that children born in ashrams are sometimes sold to pedophiles. Comaroni stated that many local politicians, policemen and prosecutors from Romania were clients of MISA prostitutes. According to Comaroni, Bivolaru built a real estate financial empire based on pimping and money laundering.

Legal problems

In 2005, he was charged in Romania with eight counts, including sexual exploitation, tax evasion, and illegally crossing the border to escape prosecution. In March 2005, Bivolaru asked for asylum in Sweden, claiming that he feared persecution in Romania. On 4 April 2005, the Swedish police of Malmö detained Bivolaru.

On 15 April the Romanian Police issued a second warrant in his name, in which he was accused of "human trafficking and other charges related to organized crime" (related to an allegedly sequestration of some persons in some ashrams and forcing them to work without being paid).

The decision of the Swedish Immigration Authority that Bivolaru should be granted political asylum was effective 2 January 2006.

The lawyers of Bivolaru filed two applications to the European Court for Human Rights. The applications cover alleged violations that occurred while issuing the two arrest warrants.

On 18 January 2011, Bivolaru's trial was, for the tenth time, postponed again until 23 March 2011, marking his case as one of the oldest in the Cluj court. This trial for human trafficking is still pending, but the unconstitutionality exceptions invoked by the suspects were already rejected.

The solution in another trial, held at the Sibiu court, was that the charges were dropped, partly due to lack of evidence for some charges (the prosecutors refused to show authorization for performing the taps, considering it a state secret, so evidence was dropped) and partly due to exceeding the statute of limitations corresponding to the charges.

Bivolaru has requested damages from the Romanian state for being sentenced to mandatory psychiatric treatment during the Communist regime.

On 14 June 2013, the High Court of Cassation and Justice of Romania convicted and sentenced Bivolaru in absentia to six years in prison, without suspension, for sexual acts with a minor, who said she never had sexual relations with Bivolaru. Also, on the same day, Court Judge Ionuț Matei received a letter threatening him and his family.

On 27 February 2016, Bivolaru was arrested in France. After extradition from France, he was imprisoned in Romania. He has requested a retrial. He had to do one year and three months less than six years, since he had already spent this time in detention. Alba Iulia Court of Appeals had rejected Bivolaru's demand for a retrial.

On 13 September 2017, he was conditionally released from prison. After being conditionally released, Bivolaru fled the country shortly after. The Romanian news agency Agerpres wrote in 2017, citing the website of Europol, "Bivolaru is wanted for trafficking in human beings, Finland and France between 2008 - 2013", sexual abuse, and other crimes. In 2023 he was wanted by Interpol for aggravated trafficking in human beings and sexual assault at the request of Finland. He has been arrested in France on 28 November 2023. Bivolaru and five other people belonging to MISA remain under provisional arrest. They are accused of financial exploitation, under the guise of Tantra (sexual exploitation). Bivolaru thinks he is "the victim of a political conspiracy", who would have retaliated against him for "fighting against a gigantic planetary satanic and freemasonic conspiracy". This is for a long time the official creed of Bivolaru and MISA.

The Spanish newspaper El País confirms he is accused of exploiting female adepts for sexual contacts and luring them into performing in pornography, even by secretly recording them for such purposes.

In Finland he is punishable with ten years imprisonment. In France he is punishable with 30 years imprisonment. The other five persons still in prison at this time are punishable with 15 years imprisonment.

According to Le Monde, "At the eight locations they visited, the police found 58 women – 51 of Romanian nationality, none French – 'living in difficult conditions, with severe overcrowding and no privacy'". Each woman in the villa of Bivolaru's right-hand man from France had a room of three square meters, and the hygiene conditions were poor. They were malnourished. Many of the women arrested on 28 November 2023 were inebriated.

In 2024 German authorities also opened an investigation regarding MISA/ATMAN. The authorities have expressed doubts about the success of such investigation, since Germany does not have the same laws as France.

At the end of April 2024, the French authorities arrested the wife of Bivolaru's right-hand man.

Bivolaru will receive payment for damages, for a 17-year trial in Romania, a duration which was ruled excessive.

Two of his close associates from EU were arrested in August 2024 in Georgia. According to another source, they were arrested on 2 September 2024. When they were arrested, they had half million Euro. The article from Marianne links them and other MISA chieftains to an even more infamous cult, Ashram Shambala from Russia. Agence France-Presse mentioned that 15 persons were indicted in 2023 in this matter.

As of October 2024 the investigation still continues, unveiling various massage parlors (i.e. brothels) linked to Bivolaru/MISA in various locations from France, Monaco, and Italy. The authorities keep mum precisely because the investigation is ongoing. As of December 2024 he is still wanted by Interpol at the request of Finland.

Controversies

In the 1990s and the 2000s, there was a media campaign in Romania against Biolvaru and MISA, campaign which has been compared with those of Stalinism and Nazism. According to Andreescu, the motivation was not political, instead it was a sensational subject which largely promoted the sales of newspapers, while the journalist Ion Cristoiu suspected that the Social Democratic Party was the evil genius behind such campaign, aiming to appease conservative voters. Andreescu accused the Romanian Justice of repression, but noticed that in the end justice was rendered to those who were not guilty.

Bivolaru flirted with the purportedly Hindu myth of having sex with a thousand virgins, hoping to reach the heights of spiritual power.

An article in Huffington Post referred to MISA as a

"dangerous personality cult whose "supreme spiritual leader", Gregorian Bivolaru, has been accused of coercing or seducing hundreds of vulnerable women into producing hard-core porn videos, abandoning their spouses, and in some cases, becoming strippers and prostitutes — all in the name of "liberating" the female body and bringing MISA members into intimate communion with the "Divine Goddess."

"Bivolaru and his chief lieutenants were known to engage in sex with underage girls, some in their early teens. One prominent MISA activity — which the group describes euphemistically as "karma yoga", or service — involves young female MISA members being sent to Japan and other countries to work as pole dancers and strippers."

A Vice article states that

"as a MISA female member, it was an honour to have sex with guru Gregorian, because it meant positive karma and spiritual progress"

In one his books, Bivolaru claims Freemasonry is a satanic conspiracy trying to achieve world domination via the establishment of a world masonic government, a world kingdom, as well as a unique world religion. Gregorian Bivolaru claims to have contact with extraterrestrials who have healing powers and they will help humanity during its "difficult moments". His publications have been described as "conspiracy theory writings having paranoid ideas".

Bivolaru and MISA are fiercely against homosexuals, but they have no objection to lesbianism, which they even promote during Tantric initiation (underage virgins first had to undergo lesbianism before having sex with Bivolaru). One woman claimed in court she was sexually exploited by Gregorian Bivolaru and lost her virginity to him while she was only 15. Before getting deflowered by Bivolaru she was initiated through "performing lesbian acts with a dozen other women".

One German witness described how Bivolaru raped a 16-year-old Hungarian girl.

Bivolaru gained a bad reputation in Romania in the 1990s, through advising his adepts to drink urine, both as urine therapy and as paraphilia, while the religion scholar Zdeněk Vojtíšek says that is a vanilla mystical ritual in some religion.

Vojtíšek described in 2018 that Bivolaru sexually initiates women in an atmosphere of secrecy and drinking urine, but ultimately concluded that the bad press which MISA had is due to an unavoidable misunderstanding.

According to Crikey, "women were coerced into gaining weight to conform to Bivolaru's tastes."

See also

• List of fugitives from justice who disappeared
• Sexual abuse by yoga gurus
• Agama Yoga

Footnotes and references

Footnotes

1. Yoga was not outlawed in the Socialist Republic of Romania.
2. During as time period; not at that trial.
3. In fact it was a Chinese myth.
4. Literally translated from Romanian: "to be beaten by" instead of "to have sex with".

References

1. Sources for 'Magnus Aurolsson':
   • Fantaziu, Ionuț; Apostol, Mariana (29 September 2011). "Magnus Aurolsson, noul nume al lui Bivolaru > EVZ.ro". Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 31 December 2011. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
   • Redacția (9 February 2010). "Gregorian Bivolaru si-a schimbat numele in Magnus Aurolsson". PRO TV (in Romanian). Retrieved 29 November 2023.
   • Mîrza & Giurgiu 2023
2. Sources for 'procuring', 'prostitution', or 'forced prostitution':
   • Liboux, Daudin & Hecker 2023
   • Lawrence 2012
   • Seznec, Erwan; Simon, Bartolomé; Trevert, Emilie (12 December 2023). "INFO LE POINT. Des salons de massage jusqu'à Davos : le tentaculaire réseau de la secte Misa". Le Point (in French). Retrieved 13 December 2023.
3. Szaniecki, Maya; Tanno, Sophie (3 December 2023). "French police arrest yoga guru in connection with alleged rape, human trafficking and kidnapping scheme". CNN. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
4. Le HuffPost avec AFP (1 December 2023). "Le gourou d'une secte de yoga, soupçonné de viols, mis en examen et écroué". Le HuffPost (in French). Retrieved 8 June 2024.
5. Kuchler, Teresa (12 January 2006). "Sweden grants asylum to citizen from EU candidate Romania". EU Observer.
6. Soteria International. "HRWF calls European Commission to check upon the legality of Gregorian Bivolaru's conviction by Romanian Court". HRWF. Archived from the original on 22 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
7. ^ "View Red Notices". INTERPOL. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
8. Quell, Molly (25 March 2021). "Rights Court OKs France Extradition of Romanian Yoga Guru". Courthouse News Service. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
9. ^ Sources for 'arrested in 2023':
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   • Mîrza, Alic; Giurgiu, Irina, eds. (2 December 2023). "Sectă internațională de yoga: 'Guru' Gregorian Bivolaru inculpat în Franța pentru violențe sexuale". www.agerpres.ro. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
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12. Bucharest Tribunal. "File no 48765/3/2010 solution: Gregorian Bivolaru was sentenced and jailed for political reasons during the communist regime". TMB Website. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
13. Departamentul eveniment (13 April 2005). "Cum a trecut Guru granita?". Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 2 September 2005. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
14. Andreescu, Gabriel (2017). Radiografia unei represiuni, la zi. Shambala. p. 17.
15. Decizia Tribunalului București, din data de 1 July 2011 în dosarul 48765/3/2010
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19. ^ Sources for 'pleaded legally insane':
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21. Sources for 'Jesus Christ':
    • ""Guru" Bivolaru s-a autocomparat cu Iisus". Jurnalul (in Romanian). 23 February 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
    • Bolojan, Bogdan (22 February 2017). "Proces Gregorian Bivolaru: Sunt ca Iisus, crucificat pe nedrept". DCNews (in Romanian). Retrieved 29 November 2023.
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23. Baldovin, Nora (7 November 2023). "Românii îi vor plăti 50.000 de euro gurului Gregorian Bivolaru, pentru că a fost judecat 17 ani și apoi, în final, a fost achitat" [Romanians will pay €50,000 to guru Gregorian Bivolaru because he was tried for 17 years and then finally acquitted]. b1tv.ro. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
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46. • "'I found myself at the centre of a trafficking ring'". BBC Home. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
    • "World Of Secrets, The Bad Guru, The Bad Guru: Trailer". BBC. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
    • "The Bad Guru: 1. The Retreat". BBC. 9 December 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
47. Rabino, Thomas (29 December 2023). "Médecins, concertistes, boulanger... l'étrange sociologie de la secte du gourou Bivolaru". Marianne (in French). Retrieved 10 January 2024.
48. Sources for 'operating principle':
    • Nadal 2023
    • Chevalier, Justine (29 November 2023). "Viols, fuite et yoga ésotérique: qui est le gourou Gregorian Bivolaru arrêté ce mardi?". BFMTV (in French). Retrieved 15 December 2023.
    • La rédaction (29 November 2023). "Séquestrations, conditionnement, abus sexuels... Ce que l'on sait de la secte de yoga mise au jour entre Paris et la Côte d'Azur". Nice-Matin (in French). Retrieved 15 December 2023.
49. ^ Ionita, Raluca. "Amanare din lipsa de procedura in dosarul liderului MISA, Gregorian Bivolaru". Romania Online (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 27 September 2011. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
50. Dan, Raluca; Torr, Cosmin (4 March 2012). "Guru Bivolaru are mandat pentru crima organizata". 9AM (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 4 March 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
51. "Suedia îi acordă azil politic lui Gregorian Bivolaru". BBC (in Romanian). 6 January 2006 . Retrieved 14 April 2024.
52. Ravoiu, Tudor (24 January 2011). "Bivolaru, o "fantoma" in Tribunalul Cluj". citynews.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 3 December 2023.
53. http://portal.just.ro/InstantaDosar.aspx?idInstitutie=117&d=MTE3MDAwMDAwMDAwMzU1OTU Retrieved 14 December 2011.
54. Rășcanu, Voichița (6 July 2011). "INCOMPETENTA SAU ARANJAMENT? Grig Bivolaru a fost achitat la Sibiu si Alba-Iulia pentru ca procurorii au refuzat sa depuna la dosar mandatele de autorizare a interceptarilor, pe motiv ca sunt "secrete de stat". Procurorii nu au probat nicio infractiune!". Lumea Justitiei (in Romanian). Retrieved 28 November 2023.
55. http://portal.just.ro/InstantaDosar.aspx?idInstitutie=85&d=ODUwMDAwMDAwMDAwNjY0Mg Retrieved 14 December 2011.
56. Pahontu, Cristi (11 December 2010). "Liderul MISA, Gregorian Bivolaru, cere despăgubiri statului român". romaniapress.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
57. ^ Redactia Hotnews (14 June 2013). "VIDEO Gregorian Bivolaru, condamnat definitiv la sase ani de inchisoare pentru acte sexuale cu minori si trafic de persoane". www.hotnews.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 22 May 2024.
58. "Judecătorul Ionuț Matei, de la instanța supremă, amenințat înaintea procesului lui Gregorian Bivolaru" (in Romanian). Digi24. 14 June 2013. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013.
59. Condrut, Petriana; Lazaroi, Raluca; Traicu, Andreea (4 March 2017). "Gregorian BIVOLARU, primul INTERVIU dat presei de când a fost adus în țară. Detalii despre fuga în Suedia, relațiile cu persoane publice și cum a fost prins în Franța". Mediafax.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 4 March 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
60. la rédaction; July, Benoît; Dubuisson, Martine; Cloot, Amandine (27 February 2016). "Un des hommes les plus recherchés d'Europe a été arrêté à Paris". Le Soir (in French). Retrieved 28 November 2023.
61. Ghitcuta, Gabriela (1 August 2016). "APADOR-CH se delimitează de cererea de grațiere a lui Gregorian Bivolaru". Mediafax.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 28 November 2023.
62. Paulescu, Isabela (8 August 2016). Simionescu, Mihai (ed.). "Sibiu: Liderul spiritual al MISA, Gregorian Bivolaru, cere redeschiderea procesului pentru că." www.agerpres.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
63. "Gregorian Bivolaru, victorie in instanta in dosarul de trafic de persoane si acte sexuale cu minori. Ce a decis Tribunalul". Stirileprotv.ro (in Romanian). 10 November 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
64. Brumar, Marinela (8 March 2017). Dumitru, Diana (ed.). "Apel declarat de Gregorian Bivolaru, respins de CA Alba Iulia". www.agerpres.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 21 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
65. Țucui, Tina (13 September 2017). Jalbă, Nona (ed.). "Bistrița-Năsăud: Fondatorul MISA, Gregorian Bivolaru, va fi eliberat condiționat din." www.agerpres.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
66. Florea, Daniel Alexandru (24 September 2017). Tatu, Cristina (ed.). "MISA: Mandatul emis de Finlanda pentru Bivolaru, nou abuz flagrant; avea dreptul să." www.agerpres.ro (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
67. "BIVOLARU, Gregorian". Europe's most wanted. 22 September 2017. Archived from the original on 26 November 2018. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
68. ^ Nadal, Thibault (2 December 2023). "Secte internationale de yoga : six personnes dont le gourou Gregorian Bivolaru écrouées". actu.fr (in French). Retrieved 4 December 2023.
69. AP (29 November 2023). "France arrests yoga guru Gregorian Bivolaru on suspicion of indoctrinating followers for sexual exploitation". CBS News. Associated Press. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
70. Gregorian Bivolaru a fost arestat în Franța pentru viol și trafic de persoane on YouTube, Digi24HD, 28 November 2023.
71. Rabino, Thomas (1 December 2023). "Secte internationale de yoga Misa : la très tardive arrestation du gourou roumain Bivolaru". Marianne (in French). Retrieved 12 May 2024.
72. AP (2 December 2023). "A yoga leader promised followers enlightenment. But he's now accused of sexual abuse". EL PAÍS English. Archived from the original on 3 December 2023. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
73. CNN (4 December 2023). "French police arrest yoga guru Gregorian Bivolaru following year-long investigation". 9News. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
74. Rabino, Thomas (28 February 2024). "Secte de yoga Misa : traductrice, stripteaseuse, actrice X… qui sont les six personnes placées en détention ?". Marianne (in French). Retrieved 2 March 2024.
75. Seckel, Henri (24 March 2024). "The downfall of a yogi-guru accused of rape and human trafficking in France". Le Monde. Retrieved 25 March 2024. At the eight locations they visited, the police found 58 women – 51 of Romanian nationality, none French – "living in difficult conditions, with severe overcrowding and no privacy,"
76. La rédaction; Galliano, Eric; Cirone, Christophe (11 April 2024). "Flacons d'urine, photos de femmes dénudées, DVD pornos... L'antre nauséabond du bras droit du gourou Bivolaru sur les hauteurs de Nice". Nice-Matin (in French). Retrieved 12 April 2024.
77. Gheorghe, Ștefania (9 December 2024). "„Am vrut să cred că orice făceau, chiar dacă mi se părea dezgustător, era pentru un scop spiritual pe care nu-l puteam înțelege". Mărturia unei femei care a făcut parte din mișcarea lui Gregorian Bivolaru". HotNews.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 10 December 2024.
78. Dumitrescu, Radu (29 November 2023). "French police detains Romanian fugitive cult leader Gregorian Bivolaru". Romania Insider. Retrieved 10 December 2024.
79. ^ Sources for 'Germany 2024':
    • Hawranek, Christiane (24 April 2024). "Vorwürfe gegen Yoga-Guru". tagesschau.de (in German). Retrieved 24 April 2024.
    • "Seelenfänger. Toxic Tantra". ARD Audiothek (in German). 23 April 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
    • Hawranek, Christiane; Paysen-Petersen, Katja (24 April 2024). "Brainwash in Yogaschulen? Engel, Dämonen, Sex-Training". BR24 (in German). Retrieved 24 April 2024.
80. La rédaction; Cirone, Christophe (1 May 2024). "Nouveau coup de filet dans la secte de yoga tantrique: la femme d'un lieutenant du gourou interpellée près de Nice". Monaco-Matin (in French). Retrieved 2 May 2024.
81. Țimonea, Dorin (12 May 2024). "Gregorian Bivolaru primește daune morale în România, deși este inculpat în Franța pentru trafic de persoane, răpire și viol. Motivul: procedura penală care a durat 17 ani". Libertatea (in Romanian). Retrieved 13 May 2024.
82. AFP - Agence France Presse (18 September 2024). "Georgia Reviews French Extradition Request For Couple In Controversial Sect Case". Barron's. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
83. ^ Sudouest.fr avec AFP (18 September 2024). "Géorgie : arrestation de responsables présumés d'une secte de yoga, leur extradition en France « examinée »". SudOuest.fr (in French). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
84. La rédaction (30 November 2023). "Secte de yoga tantrique: une maison de l'arrière-pays de Nice où étaient organisées des "orgies" au cœur de l'enquête". Nice-Matin (in French). Retrieved 23 November 2024.
85. SudOuest.fr avec AFP (2 December 2023). "Violences sexuelles dans un mouvement sectaire de yoga : 15 personnes mises en examen, six écrouées". SudOuest.fr (in French). Retrieved 18 September 2024.
86. ^ Sources for 'media campaign':
    • Cristoiu, Ion (21 March 2016). "Gîndul de marți, 22 martie 2016". cristoiublog.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 25 January 2024.
    • "Ion Cristoiu: Gregorian Bivolaru e lipsit azi în presa noastră de un drept al omului în democrație". B1TV.ro (in Romanian). 29 February 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
    • Cristoiu, Ion (22 March 2016). "Cazul Gregorian Bivolaru poate fi punctul de plecare al unui Scandal la nivelul Uniunii Europene". Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian). Retrieved 28 September 2024.
    • Andreescu, Gabriel (2013). MISA. Radiografia uneori represiuni (in Romanian). Iași: Polirom. p. 53. ISBN 978-973-46-3441-5. OCLC 890630268.
87. Andreescu, Gabriel (29 July 2015). "O excepțională decizie judecătorească despre reprimarea MISA". Observator cultural (in Romanian). Retrieved 25 January 2024.
88. Fagan, Brian; Durrani, Nadia (2019). "Three. The Big Bang. Lie Back". What We Did in Bed: A Horizontal History. Yale University Press. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-300-24501-1. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
89. Sources for 'sex with a thousand virgins':
    • Popeanga & Racoviceanu 2005
    • "Guru, sex cu 1.000 de virgine". acasa.ro (in Romanian). 27 June 2006. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
    • SVM (30 November 2023). "Sekteleider gearresteerd in Frankrijk: wie is Gregorian Bivolaru (71), de goeroe die seks wil met duizend maagden?". Het Laatste Nieuws (in Dutch). Retrieved 1 April 2024.
    • Stoica, Ionel (7 June 2013). "FOTOMODELUL care îl înfundă pe Gregorian Bivolaru: "Era ca o DIVINITATE!" De ce voia GURU MISA să facă amor cu 1.000 de VIRGINE". Evenimentul Zilei (in Romanian). Archived from the original on 7 June 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
    • Brown, Mick (2 December 2023). "'So many yoga gurus try to have sex with female followers – I'm amazed women still fall for it'". Yahoo! Finance. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
90. ^ Lawrence, Stewart J. (31 October 2012). "European Yoga Porn 'Cult' Establishes a U.S. Beachhead: Where Is the Outrage?". HuffPost. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
91. "smotoci". dexonline (in Romanian). Retrieved 5 December 2023.
92. Axinescu, Ionuț (1 March 2016). "Cine e Gregorian Bivolaru, guru român al sexului și liderul MISA". VICE (in Romanian). Retrieved 28 November 2023.
93. Bivolaru, Gregorian (1995). Francmasoneria: misterele dezvăluite ale unei gigantice conspirații satanice planetare (in Romanian). Shambala. p. 7. ISBN 978-973-96658-1-0. OCLC 895702364. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
94. Bivolaru, Gregorian (2013). Vindecări ce au fost posibile prin intervenția directă a unor ființe benefice extraterestre (in Romanian). Shambala. ISBN 9786068408415. OCLC 953011967.
95. "Spirala MISA de la Costinesti. La 7:07 s-a facut legatura cu extraterestrii". Stirileprotv.ro (in Romanian). 28 August 2010 . Retrieved 29 November 2023.
96. ^ Hertel, Olivier (12 December 2023). "L'homme qui a contribué à faire tomber la secte de yoga tantrique". Le Point (in French). Retrieved 14 December 2023.
97. "Guru Bivolaru indeamna adeptii MISA sa voteze cu Gusa". Ziare.com (in Romanian). 21 May 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
98. ^ Popeanga, Lidia; Racoviceanu, Alecu (28 January 2005). "Minorele lui Gregorian Bivolaru, transformate in sclave". HotNews.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 28 November 2023.
99. "Declaratia ei poate decide soarta liderului MISA. Marturisirile fostei iubite a lui Bivolaru". Stirileprotv.ro (in Romanian). 28 May 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
100. Hunter, Brad (10 December 2023). "Yoga guru allegedly forced teens into lesbian orgies, sex with him". Toronto Sun. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
101. Farcis, Sébastien (29 November 2023). "TEMOIGNAGE. "J'avais peur, je me sentais piégée" : l'une des victimes de la secte internationale de yoga tantrique dénonce des scènes de viols". Franceinfo (in French). Retrieved 14 December 2023.
102. Popescu, Alina (29 November 2023). "Mărturii șocante ale femeilor păcălite de Gregorian Bivolaru, arestat în Franța: "Îmi spuneam că trebuie să-l văd drept ființă divină"". Digi24 (in Romanian). Retrieved 12 May 2024.
103. Sources for 'drinking urine':
     • Vojtíšek 2018
     • Axinescu 2016
     • Hertel 2023
     • "13 reguli pentru a fi iubita de guru Grig". Jurnalul (in Romanian). 7 April 2004. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
     • Agence France-Presse (7 December 2023). ""Sexual Act Was Approved By God": How Yoga Guru Lured Women Into Sex Ring". NDTV.com. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
104. Vojtíšek, Zdeněk (28 November 2018). "Yoga, tantrism, and persecution: MISA, a new religious movement in social conflict". Central European Journal for Contemporary Religion. 2 (2): 123–141. doi:10.14712/25704893.2018.7 (inactive 1 November 2024). ISSN 2570-4893.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of November 2024 (link)
105. Lewis, Charlie (27 September 2024). "'There's no going back': A survivor's story of a cult's manipulation and exploitation". Crikey. Retrieved 27 September 2024.

External links

• From Spiritual Leader to Most Wanted . Gregorian Bivolaru . FBI Most Wanted on YouTube

• 1952 births
• Forced prostitution
• Fugitives wanted by Romania
• Living people
• People from Dâmbovița County
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• Romanian people convicted of child sexual abuse
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