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Portrait of Ma Anand Sheela

Photo: idem · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Born in India · Nationalities Indian, Swiss, American — religion / Rajneesh commune / bioterrorism / violence / immigration / wiretapping

Ma Anand Sheela

Religion, sects and spiritual movements

Documented profile covering 10 controversies, including “1981–1985: Near-absolute power over Rajneeshpuram during guru's period of public silence” and “1984: Share-a-Home programme — relocation of thousands of homeless people to influence county elections”.

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Profile No. 2095 · Updated on 12 October 2026

Portrait of Ma Anand Sheela

Photo: idem · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
10Documented controversies
9Sources
1Formal charge · all time1 followed by a conviction
2Convictions

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

01

1985–1999

1985–1999: Plot to kill prosecutor Charles Turner — US indictment followed by conviction in Switzerland

Conviction

US authorities indicted Sheela and several former disciples for allegedly planning to assassinate federal prosecutor Charles Turner, regarded as the main legal threat to the commune. Switzerland refused her extradition but agreed to try the case under its own law; in 1999, Sheela was found guilty of preparatory acts for murder and received a sentence covered by time already served.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    UPI ArchivesFormer guru followers charged with plot to kill prosecutorNews agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    UPI ArchivesSheela target of new investigationNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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Case · 7 documented stages

1986–1988: Substantial federal and state sentences, release after approximately 29 months and deportation

Conviction
02

22 July 1986–13 December 1988

1986–1988: Substantial federal and state sentences, release after approximately 29 months and deportation

Conviction

Sheela received, among other penalties, concurrent federal sentences of four and a half years and state sentences of up to twenty years in cases involving attempted murder, poisoning, arson, wiretapping and immigration. The agreements allowed sentences to run largely concurrently. She was released for good behaviour after approximately two and a half years and immediately deported to West Germany.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Accused

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Los Angeles Times / Associated PressEx-Aide to Indian Guru Pleads Guilty to ChargesNews agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Los Angeles TimesThe State : Bhagwan Aide Is DeportedPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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03

1985–1986

1985: Attempted murder of Rajneesh's doctor, Swami Devaraj

Conviction

Sheela's circle organised a poisoning attack against Swami Devaraj, Rajneesh's personal physician. Sheela was extradited from Germany and subsequently pleaded guilty to attempted murder under an agreement with the state of Oregon.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Los Angeles Times / Associated PressEx-Aide to Indian Guru Pleads Guilty to ChargesNews agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    The New YorkerRajneeshpuram—IIPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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04

1984–1986

1985–1986: Extensive covert wiretapping system at Rajneeshpuram

Conviction

Sheela admitted establishing a covert electronic surveillance system within the commune, targeting conversations in central buildings and around Rajneesh. The operation was discovered following the break between the guru and his former secretary.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Los Angeles Times / Associated PressEx-Aide to Indian Guru Pleads Guilty to ChargesNews agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    The Guardian‘Calling it a cult is degrading’: Wild Wild Country’s Ma Anand SheelaPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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05

1985–July 1986

1985–1986: Arson at Wasco County planning office

Conviction

Under her 1986 plea agreement, Sheela also acknowledged responsibility for setting fire to the Wasco County planning office, an incident connected with legal and administrative disputes over Rajneeshpuram.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    Los Angeles Times / Associated PressEx-Aide to Indian Guru Pleads Guilty to ChargesNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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07

1981–1985

1981–1985: Sham-marriage scheme to circumvent immigration rules

Conviction

Federal authorities described the Rajneesh case as one of the largest known sham-marriage schemes intended to keep foreign disciples in the United States. Sheela pleaded guilty to immigration conspiracy and agreed to surrender her permanent resident status.

Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    UPI ArchivesFive Rajneeshees plead guilty to immigration fraudNews agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    Los Angeles Times / Associated PressEx-Aide to Indian Guru Pleads Guilty to ChargesNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

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09

September–October 1984

1984: Salmonella bioterrorist attack — 751 people ill, responsibility acknowledged in plea agreement

Conviction

Sheela's circle deliberately contaminated salad bars at ten restaurants in The Dalles with Salmonella Typhimurium to reduce local voter turnout. The CDC documented 751 cases. Sheela subsequently pleaded guilty in proceedings connected with the attack.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    CDC Stacks / JAMAA Large Community Outbreak of Salmonellosis Caused by Intentional Contamination of Restaurant Salad BarsAcademic publicationVery high reliability
  2. [2]
    Los Angeles Times / Associated PressEx-Aide to Indian Guru Pleads Guilty to ChargesNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

10

1984

1984: Poisoning of two Wasco County officials

Conviction

Sheela pleaded guilty to state charges relating to the poisoning of two Wasco County officials with a toxic substance, against the backdrop of the confrontation between Rajneeshpuram and local authorities.

State of the evidence
Established by a court
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    Los Angeles Times / Associated PressEx-Aide to Indian Guru Pleads Guilty to ChargesNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

06

1981–September 1985

1981–1985: Near-absolute power over Rajneeshpuram during guru's period of public silence

No legal proceedings

As Rajneesh's personal secretary and principal spokesperson, Sheela controlled much of Rajneeshpuram's administration, security and political decisions for several years. Testimony and subsequent proceedings show a strong concentration of power within her inner circle.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 2

  1. [1]
    Los Angeles Times / Associated PressEx-Aide to Indian Guru Pleads Guilty to ChargesNews agencyHigh reliability
  2. [2]
    The Guardian‘Calling it a cult is degrading’: Wild Wild Country’s Ma Anand SheelaPressHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

08

été–November 1984

1984: Share-a-Home programme — relocation of thousands of homeless people to influence county elections

No legal proceedings

Under Sheela's leadership, Rajneeshpuram recruited thousands of homeless people from several US cities, offered them accommodation and transport to Oregon, and attempted to register them as voters ahead of Wasco County elections. Authorities introduced residency verification hearings, and the electoral strategy failed.

State of the evidence
Documented
Attribution
Directly implicated

Sources · 1

  1. [1]
    UPI ArchivesGuru followers no-show in electionNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 14 September 2026

Add to this entry

II. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

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