A Kerikeri man has admitted 55 charges of historical child sexual abuse committed while he was a member of a secretive sect known as the Two by Twos.
William Stephen Easton, known as Bill Easton, was remanded in custody when he appeared in the Kaikohe District Court on Tuesday.
He will be sentenced in December.
The 79-year-old former real estate agent did not seek bail or continued suppression, which means he can now be named.
His offending spanned four decades and took place around the country, involving six victims who were boys at the time. The youngest was 8-years-old.
Easton's brief appearance before Judge John McDonald this morning was his first because he had previously been too unwell to attend court.
His lawyer, Doug Blaikie, said he was prepared to take part in restorative justice, if that was what the victims wanted.
Easton was a minister of the Two by Twos, also known as The Truth, an underground Christian sect, from 1966 until he was removed from the group's leadership in 1976.
However, insiders have told RNZ that Easton remained part of the group, attending meetings in members' homes, until last year.
He was also listed until recently as a real estate agent on the Harcourts Bay of Islands website.
Its director, Scott Cousins, said Easton was no longer with the company.
"Bill Easton advised us of the historic charges against him, which occurred prior to his association with our company. He immediately left our organisation. We were shocked and appalled by these charges and this remains the case," he said.
Cousins said the company would not make any further comment while the matter was being handled by the courts.
Easton was arrested as part of an investigation into accusations of sex offending by members of the Two by Twos.
The group is being investigated by the FBI.
Police initially charged him with 17 indecent assault and sexual violation offences that occurred between 1964 and 1981, involving four victims.
A further 38 charges were laid this month relating to two more victims.
The Two by Twos have about 2500 members and 60 ministers in New Zealand.
It is not registered as a charity and had no official name or church buildings.
A hallmark of the group is that its itinerant ministers travel in pairs and stay in members' homes.
Gloriavale Leavers' Support Trust manager Liz Gregory said it had many markers of a cult, operating underground with no name or buildings, and with many subtle rules that resulted in coercive control.
Earlier this year, the sect's overseer Wayne Dean confirmed police here were investigating at least one former minister for historical abuse, and the group was aware of 14 cases of allegations against members.
One said the fact his offending continued for decades across the country, while remaining a member, was a huge concern.
"I hope that it starts to wake some people up about how bad some of these people have been and how [their offending has] been covered up to the extreme."
The member said Easton had been raised in the sect and understood his family were wealthy contributors.
Records showed he started as a minister in 1966, aged 23, and continued until 1976, when it was understood he was removed from ministry in New Zealand but was still able to attend meetings in people's homes.
The member said in the 1970s, Easton was also banned from attending the Pukekohe Convention for life, but the reason was kept secret.
"For him to be removed from the work was pretty big back then."
The member said it must have been bad, given how the deferential the group was to families with wealth and influence.
Group leaders would "turn a blind eye on certain things depending on who you are and how much money you have".
Easton had two late siblings, who were also ministers and had defended him against allegations.
"It's probably why he got away with what he did for as long as he did and even long after he left the ministry."
The earliest charges against Easton relate to offending in Whanganui in 1964.
The next charge related to another victim and occurred in Dannevirke in 1976, after he had been banned from ministry.
The charges showed he also preyed on young boys in Timaru in 1972, in Dannevirke from 1976-81, and Kerikeri from 1980-1990.
The insider hoped the court proceedings would start to bring closure for those victims.
"I think that might actually be very healing for them to hear that he admits what he's done ... that it starts to bring them some healing."
Meanwhile, Dean has stepped down from his overseer role.
In a message shared with sect ministers that was sent to RNZ by numerous sources, he said: "The burden and weight of responsibility has become too heavy for me. I thought I could manage, but it has built up to such a degree that I feel I need a break for a while to see if I can recover. I do not know how long this might be."
The message said two men, Tim Hamilton and Dalton McGuiness, would take on the role in Dean's absence, and would "be working together for your good".
Hamilton confirmed Easton was a minister in the sect for a decade from 1966 but said he could not provide further information.
"We are unable to make any comments while the case is before the courts."
"I do wish to reiterate that our heartfelt message to all survivors/victims is one of support and encouragement.
"We recognise they have experienced pain and suffering through no fault of their own. We acknowledge the courage of those who have shared their experience, and are mindful also of those whose voices are still silent, unable to speak of the trauma endured."
