Gregorian Bivolaru, a 72-year-old Romanian, is spiritual guide to thousands of students at yoga schools affiliated to Atman – the International Federation of Yoga and Meditation.
In England, the guru’s followers run a registered charity called Tara Yoga Centre, which has working studios in London, Oxford and Plymouth.
The Oxford branch is in Cowley Road.
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The Bad Guru (Image: Contributed) The Tara Yoga Centre is an affiliate of the Atman federation, a UK-registered umbrella organisation which has affiliates in 29 countries.
Atman promotes the teachings of Bivolaru, a convicted sex offender who was charged in France in November 2023 with human trafficking, organised kidnapping, rape, and the French criminal offence of organised abuse of weakness by a sect.
He is also wanted in Finland on aggravated human trafficking charges.
A new investigative podcast series for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds will be broadcast on December 9 in connection with this.
A university tutor from Oxfordshire, who the BBC names as Miranda, was involved in the movement.
She told the podcast: “I wanted to believe that whatever they were doing, even if it seemed gross to me, and inappropriate and hyper-sexualised, was for some spiritual reason that I couldn’t yet understand.
“The only thing I can do now is to speak about this and to put my reputation and everything else on the line. But I want truth and justice and for people to not be hurt, for things to be different in the future.”
Podcast presenter Cat McShane said: “Yoga is the spiritual practice millions swear by – there is an expectation that it’s supposed to be good for you, so you let your guard down. The women I met are intelligent women, who quite unremarkably joined a yoga class.
“But what happened to them is anything but unremarkable. Over the last four years, I’ve heard some deeply worrying accounts of coercion and sexual exploitation for profit, after they became involved with one of the affiliates of the Atman federation. It is important that these stories are heard.”
Tara Yoga Centre and the Atman federation both told the BBC that they unequivocally condemn all forms of abuse.
Both said they have been advised not to comment further due to legal proceedings. The Atman federation told the BBC it operates entirely autonomously of all its member schools.
BBC Studios approached Gregorian Bivolaru through his lawyer for comment but did not receive a response.
Misa, a yoga organisation associated with Mr Bivolaru, strongly defended him, stating that he has been the victim of political persecution and false allegations and that his teachings are followed by more than 40,000 people around the world.