DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Eligio Bishop, the alleged cult leader known as "Nature Boy" was arrested after a former member of the cult who identified herself as his girlfriend said he posted revenge porn "because she left him."
That and several other details about the case of Bishop, who has allegedly led more than a dozen followers in the "Carbon Nation" cult as well as spread his influence with a robust social media following in the tens of thousands, are revealed in police reports released to 11Alive on Wednesday.
According to the reports, the woman told police that "she had joined a sex cult in which her boyfriend is the leader" and that "she did live together with Mr. Bishop and he has posted sexually explicit videos of her and him without her consent on Twitter."
She said he had posted four videos "without her consent and wants to press charges."
Bishop, she added, had directed "other women/girlfriends to hit her, which led her to escape."
That contact with police, on March 30, led to an investigation that resulted in Bishop's arrest on April 14.
According to DeKalb County Jail records, Bishop faces five charges: rape, false imprisonment, and three counts of "prohibition on nude or sexually explicit electronic transmissions" — under Georgia law, it's a violation of sending nude or explicit communications of someone "without the consent of the depicted person."
Other women who have left the cult, including one woman who said she was his wife, have said they've been subjected to sexual coercion and abuse.
Bishop's cult reportedly began as one centered around sexual and naturalist themes, though social media accounts indicate more recently it has reoriented around Bishop's own messianic self-image and Black liberation messaging.
Posts are heavy on the number 3 and ancient Egyptian iconography, with Bishop referred to as "Th3 3God" in the accounts. His videos and sermons portray him as a God-like figure, and he said in one message after his arrest: "They want to crucify me, they want me dead, there's hate that surrounds me, you can feel it, just like any other prophet — only me, I'm the return of the Christ."
When he was arrested at an upscale cul-de-sac outside Decatur, SWAT team members converged on the home and broke down a door and first encountered several of his followers, including a child.
There were 14 other people in the house when Bishop was arrested on April 14.
A DeKalb County Police Department incident report describes the SWAT effort to get into the home:
Upon arrival, the S.W.A.T. team exited the Sprinter Van parked in the driveway of the location and moved around to side 2 of the residence. Announcements were made using the PA system from a DeKalb County police unit with emergency lights activated. As verbal announcements were being made for suspects to exit from the front door of the location members of the S.W.A.T. team moved around to side 3 of the location through a backyard gate (which was unlocked). The S.W.A.T. members set up on the side 3 door and knocked on the rear door for suspects to exit the location, while also giving verbal announcements.
Multiple subjects could be seen moving around inside the target location as verbal announcements were made however they refused to come to the door. They advised to breach the side 3 door and the door was breached open (causing damage to both the door and frame) and members of the S.W.A.T. team moved into the residence.
Several adults (males and females) were lying down by the door, the suspect was given commands to crawl outside towards members of the S.W.A.T. Team where he was placed in custody without incident. The remaining adult males were detained and also escorted outside.
At that point, the members were taken to DeKalb's Criminal Investigation Division "to be interviewed and to give them the opportunity to leave the residence if they so desired."
It's not clear if any chose to leave the cult after meeting with police, though several have continued to support Bishop in public.