A man who identified as a holistic healer was convicted of sexually assaulting a female patient and sentenced to 12 years in prison by a jury and will have to register as a sex offender.
Ndobe Kang, who is originally from Cameroon, will get credit for the more than 400 days he has already been behind bars for the 2017 charge.
Kang practices reiki energy healing, which uses gentle touch to ease anxiety and stress. Prosecutor Sepi Zimmer said he treated patients at his home.
According to his attorney, Amen Obas, Kang is well-known in the U.S. and Africa for his practices.
In 2017, Kang told the victim, Tara Vigil, that she had a hex on her and he could get rid of it, Zimmer said.
Vigil went to his home and laid entirely clothed in his bed. He played relaxing music while he shook marbles over her for about 20 minutes. Kang then reportedly began touching her inappropriately. Kang told Vigil that she had demons and he needed to have sex with her to get rid of them.
According to the prosecutor, Kang then forced himself on the woman, who was 19 years old at the time.
Vigil said she feels confident there are other victims.
“This man knew what he was doing,” Vigil said. “Based on what we witnessed in the courtroom and the other testimonies, this is something he has been doing.”
She hopes her story will encourage others to come forward.
A jury convicted Kang on the charge on Wednesday.
“He is absolutely someone who is never going to take responsibility for what he’s doing,” Zimmer said. “He believes the jury got it wrong. He believes that he didn’t sexually assault her. He believes he was healing her.”
The jury could have elected to give Kang probation or up to 20 years in prison.
“He is not happy,” Obas said. “He allowed people to come to him to render services to humanity. Even if he was found guilty, he should have been given community service.”
Obas argued that Kang should be given probation because he needed to use his knowledge and experience to treat people.
Witnesses said he could treat patients without touching them if given probation.
During the sentencing phase on Thursday, Vigil testified, as did Kang’s ex-girlfriend.
About five years after the sex assault charge, Kang was charged with aggravated assault of a family member. Zimmer said Kang chased the woman, who was nine months pregnant at the time, around with a butcher knife.
Jurors were shown a video taken by the woman during the alleged attack.
Months later, in 2022, Kang was also charged with another sexual assault.
Both of those cases are pending.
The case took years to get to trial because of Hurricane Harvey and the pandemic. Zimmer said since the charge, Kang absconded, and his bond was revoked when he was found.
Kang is also involved in a civil lawsuit with his business partner at the Limitless Wellness Group.
In the suit, she alleges that he took money for personal use and took cars from the company.