Buddhist Nun Lawsuit Alleges Sexual Assault at Westminster Temple
A shocking Buddhist nun lawsuit filed in Orange County has accused the head of a Vietnamese-American temple in Westminster of repeated sexual assault and exploitation.
The unnamed woman, who is identified under an alias in court papers, claims she was brought from Vietnam in January 2024 under false promises, including a religious worker visa, a pathway to U.S. citizenship, and help to secure a green card for her nephew.
Once at the Dieu Ngu Buddhist Temple, she alleges the abbot, Venerable Xuan Ngoc Ho, also known as Thich Vien Huy, assaulted and raped her on three occasions, the most recent in March 2024.
According to the suit, the attacks sometimes occurred in the female dormitory, a space where men were banned, with the abbot allegedly entering while intoxicated.
Her account describes grueling working conditions. She says she was paid just $300 to $400 a month while working up to 15 hours daily, seven days a week, often in non-religious roles, from managing offices to cooking, cleaning, and gardening.
She alleges she was denied legally required breaks, given no proper wage records, and forced to live in a cramped, windowless room lacking basic amenities such as running water, heating or air conditioning.
Matters escalated, she claims, when she told the abbot she intended to report him. The lawsuit says she was expelled from the Westminster temple and sent to the Dieu Phap Buddhist Temple in San Gabriel, run by his brother, Venerable Tang Ho, also known as Thich Vien Ly.
“There, she alleges in the suit, she was falsely told her visa had been denied and that she had to leave the United States — a claim she later learned was untrue.”
The complaint says she was later expelled from both temples. Her immigration papers were allegedly withheld, and she and her family were intimidated into silence.
The lawsuit also names the International Buddhist Cultural Heritage Foundation, which the suit claims oversees both temples, along with 125 unnamed defendants accused of either participating in or enabling the alleged conduct.
Filed originally in June and amended on 12 August, the 20-count case lists charges including sexual battery, assault, false imprisonment, gender violence, human trafficking, harassment, retaliation under state labour and civil rights laws, wrongful termination, emotional distress, wage theft, and unfair business practices.
The nun is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, as well as unpaid wages and statutory penalties.
Neither abbot nor representatives from the temples or the foundation could be reached for comment at the time of publication.
