WINGS Note: Multiple sentences are served consecutively, not concurrently, in Arizona.
Member of secretive Christian sect sentenced to 120 years in prison
Raymond Zwiefelhofer was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material.
ByLauren Lantry December 7, 2024, 2:01 AM
Former elder of secretive 2×2 Christian sect sentenced to 120 years in prison
An ABC News investigation into the 2×2 Church, a Christian sect so secretive most people have never heard of it, has uncovered allegations of child sexual abuse and coverups.
An ABC News yearlong investigation into the 2×2 Church, a Christian sect so secretive most people have never heard of it, has uncovered allegations of widespread child sexual abuse and subsequent coverups.
During the investigation, ABC News spoke with dozens of alleged victims of child sexual abuse across more than 30 states.
Photo – Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation & Reentry
As part of the ongoing investigation by law enforcement, Raymond Zwiefelhofer was convicted of 10 counts of possessing child sexual abuse material and was sentenced to 120 years in prison last month.
“In total, there were 87 files that were determined to be child sexual abuse material or sometimes known as child pornography,” Catherine Fu, a Maricopa Deputy County Attorney, told ABC News. “The 10 charged files were a combination of photos and videos, and they were all depicting children under the age of 15 engaged in either exploitive exhibition or sexual conduct.”
Zwiefelhofer, 61, maintains his innocence.
He was a tech CEO in Arizona, but he was also a member of the 2×2 Church, according to ex-members ABC News spoke to. He was an elder in the community on and off for decades.
“I’m not guilty. Again, I like to get that – make that clear,” Zwiefelhofer said during his sentencing hearing. “I would love to know how the jury found that I knowingly did this.”
ABC News reached out to Zwiefelhofer’s attorney multiple times for comment and did not hear back.
“An elder leads a group of members in their home through church services,” Cynthia Liles, a private investigator, told ABC News. “I would say there are almost always children present in the home meetings.”
MORE: Secretive Christian sect ignored sexual abuse for decades, congregants allege
Nationwide, it is illegal to possess child sexual abuse material. The minimum sentencing in Arizona is 10 years for one count. Zwiefelhofer was sentenced to 12 years for each count. “The 2×2 Church has a significant problem with child sexual abuse,” Liles said. “It’s systemic.”
Liles has been looking into allegations of abuse within the insular community for years, and says she works regularly with the FBI.
“I have notified the FBI of over a thousand accounts of child sex abuse and sex assault within the 2×2 Church community,” Liles told ABC News.
A group photo at a 2×2 Church convention in the early 1900s.
Courtesy of Cherie Kropp-Ehrig
What makes the 2×2 Church so unique is the way it operates. Ministers of the church, known as workers, live with members in their homes, usually for a few days at a time.
Many former members ABC spoke with say some of the church leadership knew about abuse allegations, but did not report it to the proper authorities. Instead, the leadership would often move alleged abusers to different states.
While there is no singular head of the church, ABC News did reach out to overseers – the dozen or so men in charge of the community. While ABC News did not hear back from the overseer of Arizona who oversaw Zwiefelhofer, the former and current overseers with whom ABC News did speak all denied that widespread sexual abuse has been taking place within the 2×2 community.
The FBI announced their investigation into the 2×2 Church in February, encouraging anyone who thinks that they might be a victim to come forward with information.
In a rare and exclusive interview in June, ABC News sat down with the FBI.
Eugene Kowel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Omaha Field Office, is leading the worldwide investigation into the organization known by outsiders as the Two by Two church.
“Let’s say you arrest one person, two people. Is that it?” ABC News’ Kyra Phillips asked.
“The FBI focuses, in general, on bringing cases from local to global,” Gene Kowel, the Special Agent in Charge of the investigation, said. “The FBI doesn’t stop at just an initial arrest. We will follow the evidence wherever it leads.”
“Raymond Zwiefelhofer is one of most likely thousands,” Liles said. “We’re getting reports of child sex abuse and sex assault committed by the highest level in leadership down to the regular members.”
“Hopefully there will be more arrests and convictions coming,” Liles said.
October 3, 2024 report of conviction:
https://www.12news.com/article/news/crime/jury-convicts-former-valley-tech-company-president-exploiting-children-2024/75-f694f01b-1898-4156-83b2-ef22f430fa45
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It is very, very, high time that this is happening. There are way too many victims of such abuse and way too many who are guilty of committing these kind of crimes. I thank everyone who is involved in bringing these criminals to judgment, and justice for all the victims, thank you from the depth of my heart and soul, so very much, God bless and guide each one of you, and may everyone who has done this kind of evil crime be incarcerated, locked behind bars for all victims sakes, and for their own sakes to where they cannot harm anyone anymore, and hopefully find a place of TRUE repentance in their hearts towards God, and find forgiveness for their horrible sins of ruining so many lives.
adnolt: How very wise you are! Thank You. This is NOT an unusual sentence for that crime. We have noticed such convictions for years in our communities for such crimes. We were always grateful we were insulated from such. Now, it is just heartbreaking to just know and understanding THAT many such and violently worse abuse is happening and has happened right in our very midst,; and the attitude IS ‘so what’? Just suck-it-up!
So we, too want to Thank each and every one who would NOT ‘quit’ until justice was put in place. This well be an encouragement for the victims to realize THAT inspite of all the denials, the crime does have consequences because of the great harm to victims! The so called “overseers” are a curse as they deny and try to SAY they follow the Guidance of the New Testament! We are grateful each and every soul IS ABLE to carefully and diligently read Jesus’ Ministry as he preached in His fleshly body,(Matthew 15:24) to the Nation of Israel. WHY? To bring that Nation back to God.
The Book of Isaiah is God’s record of the prophet Isaiah pleading with Israel TO COME BACK TO God. In this Book is God’s record of ALL God has planned for the Nation of Israel; if only they would return and be God’s People and God would be their God. ((God made promise to David in 2 Samuel 7:14-:15 God makes a promise to David’s seed forever.)) Isaiah records this again and again. Isaiah 1: records God’s desire for His Chosen Nation. Isaiah 2: God promises their Gospel of their perfect Kingdom WILL Appear.
Isiah 9:6 – :7; and 11:1-:13; and 24:1 :6 we see in Matthew 24:3-:4, :24 and Math. 25:31-:41. (( Oh their are so many, I will list just a few more for you to help see THAT Jesus’ ministry was to bring Israel back to God.)). Is. 42:8-:25; Is. 53:11-:12; and Is. 61:1-:11.
This is just a short study, and there is soooo much more; but this will help us understand THAT Jesus’ “ministry” was to bring God’s Chosen Nation back to God. What did Israel do to Jesus? YEP! Crucifixion! The very Government of Israel demanded Jesus’ death. That is why Jesus sent the 12 to bring that Nation back to God. They stoned Stephen!
What is important IS: IT is impossible for the 2×2 ministry to follow Jesus OR the 12 ((Luke 24:53, Acts 2:41-:47, Acts 3:1-:2. and etc.)). Eh? How can the ‘overseers follow the New Testament’? They cannot even follow the rules of our very nation!
adnolt; we appreciate your heart.