Israeli court convicts polygamist cult leader who kept harem of women who bore dozens of kids

JERUSALEM – An Israeli court has convicted a polygamist cult leader on several accounts of sex crimes against the harem of women he maintained.

Goel Ratzon was convicted of rape, incest and other offenses Monday.

The case shocked Israelis when details of the cult emerged in 2010. Ratzon kept at least 21 "wives" whom were kept in a state of near total obedience.

Some of the women tattooed his name on their bodies along with images of the short 64-year-old with long white hair and beard. The dozens of children they bore him were named after variations of his first name Goel, or "savior" in Hebrew.

He was acquitted of an enslavement charge, sparking outrage in the court by one of the women.

A sentencing date was not immediately set.