A new investigation by On The Case reveals how a reporter from The Crime Desk infiltrated Opus Dei, the secretive Catholic organisation accused of subjecting young women to unpaid labour and abuse. The latest episode, released on Thursday, details the undercover operation led by journalist Jordana Seal.
Opus Dei: A history of controversy
Founded in Madrid in 1928 by Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá, who was later canonised as a saint, Opus Dei presents itself as an institution helping ordinary people find holiness in daily life. The group gained notoriety through The Da Vinci Code, which portrayed it as a shadowy order engaged in extreme rituals. However, real-world allegations against Opus Dei are far more serious.
In September 2024, Argentine prosecutors formally accused senior figures within the organisation of human trafficking and labour exploitation. They claim girls as young as 12, from poor rural families, were recruited under false pretences of receiving an education, only to be forced into years of unpaid domestic work.
Undercover investigation into Opus Dei abuse claims
To uncover how the group operates in the UK, Seal adopted the persona of a lonely graduate new to London, gaining access to one of Opus Dei’s residences. During her investigation, she interviewed former members, including women who allege they were pressured into decades of unpaid labour and painful rituals, such as self-flagellation and wearing a cilice—a spiked chain worn against the skin.
Opus Dei has categorically denied all allegations of abuse, stating that the women in question freely chose a religious vocation and were paid in accordance with the law. The organisation also faces broader accusations, as Seal told On The Case: “Opus Dei have faced allegations of sexual assault, slavery, the abuse of women and children: abuses of power all across the globe.”
