- The father of the Dutch family found living in a secret room in a farmhouse for nine years has been arrested, police have said.
- The 67-year-old, referred to as Gerrit-Jan van D., belonged to the controversial Rev Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church and was trying to "create a cult of his own", according to Dutch media.
- The South Korean church, which is known for its mass wedding ceremonies, issued a statement confirming that van D. was "briefly a member" but left in 1987.
- Dutch police have said they arrested the father on suspicion of "depriving people of their liberty, harming the health of others and money laundering."
- It is alleged that he has been longtime friends with the tenant of the farmhouse, Josef B., who is also under arrest.
- Authorities have said that they "are dealing with an exceptional situation in this case."
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The father of a Dutch family that was found living in a secret room in a farmhouse for nearly a decade was arrested on Thursday night, according to police. Dutch media have also reported that the 67-year-old man once belonged to the disputed Rev Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church and was "trying to create a cult of his own."
The controversial church, which was founded in South Korea in 1954, issued a statement confirming that the man was "briefly a member of the movement in the mid-1980s", but was "known to have mental health issues" and left in 1987.
It added that it was "deeply alarmed to hear the family being held in inhumane conditions on a farmhouse in the Netherlands." The controversial church, which is known to throw mass wedding ceremonies, has been called "a cult" by critics.
The father of the Dutch family, who has been referred to as Gerrit-Jan van D., was arrested on suspicion of "depriving people of their liberty, harming the health of others and money laundering", according to police spokeswoman Evelien Aangeenbrug.
The Algemeen Dagblad, a Dutch newspaper, also said that a large amount of cash was found during the search of the farm, which is based in the small town of Ruinerwold.
Investigators allegedly discovered evidence that led them to believe that Gerrit-Jan van D. and the tenant of the farm who has also been arrested, Josef B., had a common cause and held the children there against their will.
The police spokeswoman said: "We have reason to believe the people did not stay on the premises out of free will. The situation requires a careful approach whereby attention and care is given to the young adults found."
She added: "We are investigating whether following a certain belief in life or faith has led to the living situation in which the people were found."
An arrest warrant had already been issued against Josef B, the tenant of the farm, who is originally from Austria. According to a former neighbor, Josef B. and Gerrit-Jan van D. had been friends for more than 15 years. A local TV station, RTV Drenthe, also said the two had met at the church and that they both owned a toy shop in the nearby village of Zwartsluis.
The shop, which had been closed since 2010, was also searched by the police on Wednesday evening.
According to the police, Josef B. only rented the farm in Ruinerwold and carried out regular repairs, but did not live there. He is said to have kept a goat and several geese on the farm. He paid his rent regularly, according to the landlord.
Read more: I grew up in a cult — and there is nothing more intoxicating than knowing you have the 'Truth'
The story of the family that was hidden on the farm only came to light when the oldest of the siblings, a 25-year-old man, appeared in the village pub on Sunday evening and told the innkeeper he had escaped.
The bar owner then alerted the police, who consequently found five young people aged 18 and 25 and their father in a hidden room behind a cupboard.
"We are dealing with an exceptional situation in this case. These people may have lived with each other in the home since 2010, apart from society," police have said.
According to BILD, Gerrit-Jan van D. and Josef B. are now being held in the same prison, about 28 miles from Ruinerwold, while the young adults are being kept in an undisclosed location, and allegedly cared for by therapists and psychologists.