Cult News

CultNews has previously reported about the Apostolic Faith Church, often called a “cult,” in Jefferson, Ohio led by Charles Keyes, a man many see as an “evil” influence over his followers.

“Evil is the only word that comes to my mind,” declared a Virginia judge who subsequently ordered that four children be removed from their mother’s custody due to her involvement with the Keyes church.

Carolyn Clark the mother of 13, once loyal to Keyes, was the first of his flock to publicly repudiate him.

But her husband remained a fervent and devoted follower.

After losing custody of the couple’s eight minor children Ralph Clark beat his wife Carolyn to death.

He is now serving a life sentence in an Ohio prison.

More than 20 minor children have been removed from the church that Keyes rules over like a virtual dictator.

Accusations of “brainwashing,” exploitation and illegal child labor have been leveled against the man whose disciples have called him “Christ Charles.”

However, unlike Jesus who rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, Keyes prefers his pearl white Cadilac, with custom plates that read “Bishop K,” reflecting his self-proclaimed title of “Bishop Keyes.” 

And CultNews has learned that the “Bishop” has apparently just recently purchased a Mercedes, valued at more than $50,000.00. It seems that a Cadilac just wasn’t enough for this allegedly anointed “man of God.”

Keyes’ faithful followers have at times lost homes and cars rather than refuse the financial demands of their leader.

The notorious preacher took over Apostolic Faith Church after his father Oree Keyes, who legitimately held the title of Bishop within a small denomination of Pentecostal churches, became ill. But since that time the denomination that respected the father has thrown out his son.

Keyes’ church includes about 200 members, many of them minor children.

Some of those children have been subjected to brutal beatings by so-called “deliverance teams.”

A 7-year-old boy was held underwater in a bathtub and later left tied up alone in the church overnight supposedly to break him of bad behavior. The child was later removed by protective services.

Katie Lane, a caseworker for the Ashtabula County Children Services Board specifically assigned to handle cases concerning the Keyes church told a Virginia court during a custody hearing, “I don’t believe any children should be there.”

Increasingly unpopular in Ashtabula Keyes has apparently moved out of his long-time home and leased a condo at “Geneva on the Lake.”

Sources have told CultNews that as many as 15 people at times occupy the two-bedroom 1,500 square foot condominium.

Many women come in and out of Keyes rented residence and the cars of his disciples are parked nearby.

Witnesses have told CultNews that Keyes has been known to have multiple women sleep with him, while devoted female followers lay strewn around his bed on the floor through the night.

Is this what Keyes is up to at his new Lake Geneva digs?

Meanwhile his neighbors may wonder how a two-bedroom condo can physically and/or legally accommodate so many people?

Certainly this doesn’t seem to be “Christ-like” conduct for a supposed “man of God,” but rather reflects the continued bad behavior, which has generated more than a little bad press for the profligate preacher.

Note: Since this article appeared self-proclaimed “Bishop” Charles Keyes and his crew has moved out of their condominium rental. On May 11th Keyes followers loaded up a U-Haul and left for parts unknown. A few days earlier the black Mercedes, driven by the “bishop,” was gone. Apparently, Keyes had already departed before his faithful began packing. The Mercedes S-500 luxury sedan now has a personalized Ohio license plate that reads “1BISHOP.”