A few examples of male guru abuse:

• Bikram Choudhury (Bikram Yoga)
Indian‑born yoga guru whose hot‑yoga empire became deeply embedded in U.S. wellness culture, with hundreds of studios worldwide headquartered out of the U.S.

Multiple women accused him of sexual assault and rape; several civil lawsuits were filed, and a Los Angeles jury in 2016 awarded his former legal advisor nearly $7 million in a harassment and wrongful termination case related to her allegations about his misconduct.

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• Yogi Bhajan (3HO / Kundalini Yoga)
Sikh‑styled spiritual teacher who built the 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) and Kundalini Yoga community, with a large American base and influence in wellness, yoga, and New Age circles.

After his death, a 2020 independent investigation commissioned by his own organization found multiple credible allegations that he sexually abused female students, used his role as guru to control and manipulate followers, and perpetrated spiritual abuse over decades.

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• Swami Chetanananda (J. Michael Shoemaker, The Movement Center)
Oregon‑based “spiritual guru” who led The Movement Center, a yoga and meditation community in Portland that drew American seekers for tantric and contemplative practices.
Multiple women have publicly accused him of sexual assault, strangulation, and psychological abuse; a 2024 civil lawsuit describes a pattern of grooming, trafficking‑like dynamics, and repeated physical violence against devotees living in his community.

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• Prakashanand Saraswati (Barsana Dham / Radha Madhav Dham)
Hindu guru who founded Barsana Dham (later Radha Madhav Dham) near Austin, Texas, one of the largest Hindu temples in the U.S. and a spiritual hub for many Indian‑American and Western devotees.

In 2011 he was convicted in Texas of multiple counts of indecency with a child for repeatedly molesting young female followers; he then fled before sentencing and became a fugitive, while some devotees continued to support him as a holy man.

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• James Arthur Ray (self‑help “Law of Attraction” guru)
High‑profile American self‑help and “spiritual warrior” teacher who rose to prominence through The Secret and large‑scale personal‑development seminars blending New Thought, Native‑influenced ritual, and high‑pressure coaching.

In 2011 he was convicted of negligent homicide after three participants died and others were hospitalized following an overcrowded, overheated “sweat lodge” ceremony he led in Arizona, with critics framing the event as an example of lethal spiritual abuse and coercive control over participants’ boundaries.

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• David E. Taylor (Kingdom of God Global Church / Joshua Media Ministries)

Self‑described Christian “Apostle” and prophetic miracle‑worker who ran Joshua Media Ministries International and Kingdom of God Global Church from U.S. hubs in Michigan and other states, cultivating a personality‑cult following.

A 2025 federal indictment alleges he and a top lieutenant used physical, psychological, and spiritual abuse to coerce followers into unpaid labor, control their housing and movement, and extract tens of millions of dollars in donations while threatening them with divine punishment.

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• Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche (Shambhala International)
Head of Shambhala International, one of the largest Buddhist organizations in the West, with a major American presence and reputation as a progressive contemplative community.

In 2018, reports compiled by the Buddhist Project Sunshine and subsequent investigations described multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, abuse of power, and creating a culture where women felt pressured and unsafe; he stepped aside from his leadership role amid the scandal.

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• Swami Satchidananda (Yogaville / Integral Yoga)
Indian‑born yoga and interfaith guru whose Yogaville community in Virginia and Integral Yoga centers became influential in American yoga and New Age culture.

Though many allegations date back decades, a recent lawsuit against his organizations asserts that he sexually abused female disciples and that leaders knew of serious misconduct allegations (including a 1972 exposé) but failed to protect students or fully disclose the risks.

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• Khenpo Choga Rinpoche (Dzogchen Retreat Center, Oregon)
Tibetan Buddhist teacher who led the Dzogchen Retreat Center in Veneta, Oregon, drawing Western students for long retreats and intensive guru‑devotion practice.

A 2023 civil lawsuit by a former student describes alleged rape, grooming, financial pressure, and a quasi‑dictatorial culture centered on him as a godlike figure; while he has not been criminally charged, ex‑students interviewed by local media depict a pattern of psychological and sexual abuse dynamics.

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• John Friend (Anusara Yoga)

Founder of Anusara Yoga, a major U.S.-based yoga brand that blended tantric philosophy with a devotional “kula” community and had hundreds of affiliated teachers and studios.

In 2012 he stepped down after revelations of sexual relationships with students and teachers, accusations of creating a secret sexual coven, and concerns about financial mismanagement, prompting many senior teachers to leave.

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• Amrit Desai (Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health)
Indian‑born guru who founded Kripalu in Massachusetts, one of the most influential American yoga and retreat centers.

In the 1990s (with consequences reverberating into the 2000s), it emerged that he had engaged in sexual relationships with female disciples despite a public vow of celibacy, leading to his removal and a deep crisis within the community about guru authority and abuse.

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• Rodney Yee (celebrity yoga teacher)

Well‑known American yoga teacher with bestselling videos and workshops across the U.S., often treated as a spiritual authority by students.

In 2002 several students accused him of long‑term sexual relationships begun in teacher–student contexts; he was sued for breach of contract by the yoga center where he taught, which alleged a pattern of exploitative affairs with students.

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• Robert Morris (Gateway Church, Texas megachurch pastor)
Founding pastor of Gateway Church, a massive evangelical megachurch in Texas with a strong charismatic / prophetic culture and millions of sermon downloads, giving him guru‑like influence over followers.

In 2025 he pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse for repeatedly molesting a young relative decades earlier, after years of rumors and institutional mishandling; critics argue the church’s hero‑worship culture and lack of transparency enabled the harm.

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• David E. Taylor (Joshua Media Ministries / Kingdom of God Global Church)

Self‑proclaimed “Apostle” and miracle‑working prophet leading a personality‑driven ministry based in the U.S., with highly sensational claims of face‑to‑face encounters with Jesus and heavy emphasis on obedience to him as God’s chosen vessel.

A 2025 federal case alleges he and a co‑leader used physical and psychological abuse, isolation, and threats of divine retribution to coerce followers into unpaid labor and surrendering their assets, framing exploitation as spiritual sacrifice.

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• Noah Levine – Popular American Buddhist/punk meditation teacher (Dharma Punx, Against the Stream) accused by multiple women of sexual assault and misconduct; his organization suspended him, and an LAPD investigation was opened, though no charges were filed.

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• Eido Shimano Roshi – Influential Zen teacher in the U.S. whose pattern of sexual exploitation of students, sometimes forceful or coercive, was documented over decades in the “Shimano Archive,” prompting major scandal and institutional response in American Zen circles.

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• Sansue Bee Vang – Northern California Hmong cult leader who used his religious authority to molest young girls and rape women in his group; in 2026 a jury found him guilty on multiple counts of child molestation and rape, and he faces life in prison.

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• K. Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga Yoga) – Founder of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, whose global influence on modern yoga has been enormous. Multiple students and journalists have documented decades of sexualized “adjustments” and assaults in class; photos and testimonies describe him groping and pressing his pelvis into women under the cover of teaching, and critics argue this was enabled by a devotional culture that framed him as a benevolent father figure beyond reproach.

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Kausthub Desikachar (Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram / Viniyoga) – Grandson of T. Krishnamacharya and a senior teacher in his lineage. Around 2012, multiple students accused him of psychological manipulation and sexual exploitation in teacher trainings and therapeutic settings; the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram suspended him after an internal inquiry into misconduct.

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• Swami Vivekananda Saraswati (Narcis Tarcău, Agama Yoga) – Romanian founder of Agama Yoga in Thailand, whose school attracted many Western seekers. In 2018, at least 14 women publicly accused him of sexual assault and rape, describing systematic grooming, coercive “tantric” framing of sex, and a high‑control community culture; he reportedly left Thailand as the scandal escalated.​

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• Asaram Bapu (Hindu guru with global ashrams) – Indian godman with hundreds of ashrams worldwide and a substantial international following. In 2018, he received a life sentence from an Indian court for raping a teenage girl at his ashram; other women have also brought sexual assault complaints against him, making him a prominent example of a devotional guru convicted of serious sexual violence.​

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• Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh (Dera Sacha Sauda) – Glamorous Indian “baba” with millions of followers and a quasi‑cultic devotional culture. He was convicted of rape in 2017 and later of involvement in murder and forced castration of followers, with courts and investigators describing a pattern of exploitation enabled by his absolute spiritual authority.​

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• Gregorian Bivolaru (MISA yoga movement) – Romanian founder of the Movement for Spiritual Integration in Absolute (MISA), which spread yoga and tantra teachings across Europe. He has faced repeated allegations and criminal proceedings related to sexual exploitation of followers; he was convicted in absentia in Romania for sexual acts with a minor and later arrested in France on similar charges.​

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• Swami Rama (Himalayan Institute, Pennsylvania) – Charismatic Himalayan yoga/meditation teacher who led an influential U.S. institute. Decades of reports described him using his position to coerce female disciples into sexual relations; in 1994, civil suits were filed against him and the institute, and sworn testimony indicated that leaders had received repeated reports of sexual misconduct and harassment but failed to act adequately.​

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• Sogyal Rinpoche (Rigpa) – Tibetan lama and author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying with a large Western network of centers. Long‑standing allegations by students describe beatings, sexual coercion, and lavish misuse of donations; in 2017 an internal letter from senior students and later an independent investigation detailed patterns of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, prompting his resignation from Rigpa leadership.​​

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• Joshu Sasaki Roshi (Rinzai-ji Zen, U.S.) – Japanese Zen master who taught in the U.S. for decades and was regarded as highly realized. After his death, internal documents and testimonies showed a long history of sexual exploitation of female students, including non‑consensual touching and coercive “private interviews,” with senior leaders acknowledging serious harm and institutional failure to protect practitioners.​​

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• Other modern Buddhist figures in abuse discussions – Some overviews of “unethical Buddhist teachers” repeatedly mention a cluster of names (including teachers like Sogyal, Sakyong Mipham, Eido Shimano, and Noah Levine) as emblematic of systemic issues of secrecy, misogyny, and idealization in Western Buddhist communities.​​

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• General clergy–guru misconduct pattern – Analyses of clergy sexual abuse emphasize that spiritual leaders in many Christian contexts function de facto as gurus: wielding extraordinary trust, claiming divine authority, and blurring pastoral care with personal gratification. Case studies (such as Swami Rama in a yoga context, but also many Christian pastors and priests) show how high‑control relational dynamics, secrecy, and victim‑blaming enable long‑term abuse across traditions.​

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• Eco‑spiritual / syncretic cult leaders (e.g., Eligio “Natureboy” Bishop, Carbon Nation) – While not a conventional “guru” in a traditional religion, Bishop styled himself as an enlightened guide in an eco‑spiritual, New Age‑inflected community. Former members and court testimony describe him as a master manipulator using spiritual language to justify sexual assault, control over members’ bodies and movements, and other abuses; he was convicted on multiple charges and sentenced to life in prison.

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For each of those gurus who are caught and reported, there are many others who "get away" with their abuse.

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Many gurus in India and the US abusively denigrate, demonize and preach renunciation of the beautiful qualities that make us human, like our bodies, our desires, our personal stories, our rich pasts, our egos, our intimate relationships as a potential source of spiritual growth—to name only a few.

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PS: Scholarly work and observers agree that male gurus vastly outnumber female gurus in India.

One detailed study focuses on 70 female gurus precisely because they are exceptional within a field that is otherwise dominated by male figures.

Scholars repeatedly describe Hindu and broader Indian religious culture as androcentric, with most visible guru roles historically occupied by men, and women’s leadership framed as unusual.

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Patriarchal patterns mean men disproportionately occupy roles that allow unilateral spiritual authority, boundary‑setting, and access to devotees, which concentrates the opportunity structure for abuse on the male side, even in communities where most participants are women.