A Daily Mail reporter, Jordana Seal, infiltrated Opus Dei by posing as a student new to London to investigate allegations of abuse within the secretive Catholic sect. The findings and the story behind her undercover work are featured on the latest episode of the "On The Case" podcast.
Opus Dei, founded in Madrid in 1928 by Spanish priest Josemaría Escrivá, has faced serious accusations, including sexual assault, slavery, and the abuse of women and children. Seal told the podcast that the organization is alleged to have powerful members in the U.S. and the U.K. who are part of large organizations capable of controlling young women.
In September 2024, prosecutors in Argentina formally accused senior Opus Dei figures of human trafficking and labor exploitation. The accusations detailed how girls from impoverished rural families, some as young as 12, were allegedly recruited with false promises of education but instead were subjected to years of unpaid domestic work.
Opus Dei has denied these allegations, stating that the women freely chose a religious vocation and were compensated in accordance with the law. While acknowledging the popular depiction of the group in fiction, such as "The Da Vinci Code," the report emphasizes that real-world allegations against the organization have spanned decades and continents.
Seal's investigation involved interviewing former members who claim they were pressured into decades of unpaid labor and endured painful rituals, including self-whipping and wearing a cilice, a spiked chain worn against the skin. The reporter shared her journey, from discovering Opus Dei on a Reddit forum to touring its residences undercover.
The "On The Case" podcast features interviews with award-winning crime reporters discussing their most significant investigations. New episodes are released every Thursday.