https://www.reddit.com/r/cults/comments/767oft/former_new_kadampa_tradition_monk_creates_his_own/
Former New Kadampa Tradition monk creates his own abusive sex cult.
In the Dutch city of Middelburg, 'Lama Kelsang Chöpel' (Gerhard Mattioli) sexually abused and threatened female members of his 'Sangha' between 2001 and 2008: http://www.omroepzeeland.nl/nieuws/82320/Slachtoffers-misbruik-boeddhistische-leraar-werden-bedreigd
Mattioli was ordained as a monk by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), who subsequently retracted his ordination and ordained name because Mattioli threatened Dutch NKT staff members with 'black magic' for not allowing him to teach. Mattioli kept the name Lama Kelsang Chöpel, kept dressing as a Tibetan Buddhist monk and opened his own Buddhist centre nonetheless, and started abusing his female followers right away. He also ordained nuns and a monk. For an impression of this 'Sangha' (in Dutch) see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mo9V9dWjE8s&t=3s
The Dutch New Kadampa Tradition branch knew fully well that this 'Lama' was a complete fraud, yet did nothing at all to warn people in and around Middelburg. They did send one of their own monks to Middelburg, though, hoping to lure away students.
The Dutch Buddhist Union, the Buddhist Broadcasting Foundation, and the editors of a Buddhist magazine were all warned by former members of Lama Kelsang Chöpel's Sangha. Their warning was ignored by all.
The bubble burst when one of Mattioli's students got pregnant. It has cost several women with children their marriages, caused severe psychological problems for some, and aggravated serious psychiatric symptoms in others. One former female student, who had a personality disorder and acute psychiatric symptoms, committed suicide shortly after the centre broke up.
Sometimes, during lectures for a general public, I show a photograph of Mattioli dressed as a monk—with the mala and watch—next to a photograph of the Dalai Lama, and ask my audience to tell the difference. They can't. How can practicing Buddhists expect the general public to see the difference, while they themselves routinely refuse to openly denounce frauds wearing the exact same dress?
Recently, Neil Elliott, (seen as the power behind the NKT throne) who was disrobed 20 years ago for alleged sex with nuns and students, was re-ordained as Gen-Thubten, and has been the main teacher in the NKT. This goes directly against the New Kadampa Tradition's 'internal rules' meant to protect students and teachers against abuse. This begs the question: Just how complicit are the New Kadampa Tradition when it comes to sexually and psychologically abusive teachers?
Some debate whether the New Kadampa Tradition and other Western Tibetan Buddhist sects qualify as 'Cults' or as New Religious Movements. With this and so many scandals coming to light with groups like Triratna
(https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/19/buddhist-sexual-abuse-triratna-dennis-lingwood) and Sogyal (https://tricycle.org/trikedaily/new-allegations-sexual-abuse-raise-old-questions/) it's frightning to think what's happening in the NKT as well.
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Bad Karma in the Dharma
by Dan Green
self-appointed Austrian lama Kelsang Chopel, and serious sexual abuse at the Mahayana Buddhist Centre, Middelburg, from 2003-08, where the lama, real name Gerhard Mattioli, had sex with his drugged students, one resulting in pregnancy.
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New article regarding former New Kadampa Tradition monk that started his own sex cult.
(Browser translation from Dutch to English required for non-Dutch speakers)
"Buddhist journalists who were able to investigate Gerhard Mattioli's performance as "Lama Kelsang Chöpel" at an early stage showed this. First, Buddhist media that acted as Matthew's Buddhist teacher immediately encountered serious concerns, and then placed directed warnings by Mattioli's followers on sexual abuse, manipulation, intimidation and disgust. After the launch of his Buddhist Mahayana Center in Middelburg, these journalists gave the self-known "lama" a lot of familiarity, but critical followers asking for help got zero on the run.
When the center was suddenly abolished in 2007 and 'Lama Kelsang Chöpel' disappeared from an unknown destination, the same journalists continued to look unemployed: afterwards, they did not give openness about the events surrounding the Zeeland lama. As a result, the derailments in Middelburg and their own failure did not result in a warning.
According to former followers, Mattioli abused at least eight female students between 2001 and 2007. Different women are therefore severely traumatized. At one woman, Mattioli raised a child. Mattioli's 'tantric sexual exercises' ended several marriages. One former student with whom he had no sexual relationship in 2009 suicide."
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