Dozens of children in Bucharest, Romania say they were beaten, sexually abused, and trafficked for years — under the care of an American missionary pastor tied to one of California’s most prominent churches.

Now two of those survivors have come forward in U.S. federal court, filing lawsuits that accuse former Harvest Christian Fellowship pastor Paul Havsgaard of running what they describe as a “torture chamber” shelter, funded and supported by Harvest and its senior pastor, Greg Laurie.

The allegations are horrifying:

Children forced to kneel on walnut shells and tied to radiators
Sexual abuse in showers, bedrooms, and public spaces
Older boys “pimped out” for sex work and forced to share earnings
Donors, visitors, and church supporters raising concerns that were ignored
 

And according to the lawsuit, church leaders kept sending money — $17,000 a month — directly to Havsgaard’s personal bank account. He even brought some of the children back to the U.S. to raise funds.

This isn’t just about one predator. It’s about a church system that allegedly ignored red flags, failed to supervise its missionary, and is now trying to distance itself from the harm.

We call on the U.S. Department of Justice, California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and the Romanian Ministry of Justice to:

Open a full joint investigation into Paul Havsgaard’s activities and the church’s financial support
Interview survivors who are still coming forward
Audit the funding and oversight of international religious missions linked to U.S. churches
 

No one is above the law — not pastors, not megachurches, and not those who fund abuse overseas and walk away when survivors speak up.

The survivors have spoken. Now we need answers.

Sign this petition to demand a full investigation into Paul Havsgaard, Harvest Christian Fellowship, and the abuse allegations in Bucharest.