Former believers and people who have met Lee Man-hee said the image he showed in public is unlike the human behind the church door.

New Heavenly Priest Lee Man-hee, who claimed to be the savior, described himself as a simple man, urging others to shake off material interests. Believers believe that only he can understand the Bible and he will help them get to heaven when the end of the world comes.

But some former followers of New Tianjin said they saw a very different "face" of him: capricious and ostentatious.

In September 2018, Lee dressed in a white suit visited the Tan Thien Dia church in Daegu in a luxury Mercedes Maybach S600. Devotees in traditional Korean costumes stand in a long line and bow to greet them. The bodyguard followed his every step.

"It was like a king," said Hee-jin Koh, a former member of the Tan Thien Dia. She left the group in November 2019, after 4 years of sectarian activity.

In private meetings with followers, Lee often scolds them for not recruiting enough new members. He oversaw periodic tests of doctrinal knowledge. Those he accused of cheating were criticized in front of the collective. Their names, addresses, photos and phone numbers are projected on the big screen.

"I'll be tested," Lee said sharply.

Lee was born in 1931 to a poor family in Cheongdo, southeastern Korea, now a popular "pilgrimage" site for the New Heavenly believers. Senior sectarian members in Cheongdo explained that before Lee's birth, Lee's grandfather had foreshadowing: the sky was dark, and a divine light appeared on the pregnant daughter-in-law.

The sixth son of a family of 12, Lee did not receive a proper education when growing up in the countryside. "However, neither Father nor Jesus went to school," the Tan Thien Dia website wrote in 2012. The site was later removed.

Lee did not hesitate to sue those who doubted the orthodoxy of the New Heavenly Yard, a sect he founded in 1984. Tak Ji-won, who runs the counseling room for former heretics, said he had been Lee sued many times, because Tak commented that New Heaven is a heresy with false teachings.

When Lee and Tak first met in the mid-2000s, Lee described himself as a god. "I'm different from all of you. I'm immortal," Lee said.

But at Tan Thien Dia's public events, Lee showed a more noble side. Members were told that Lee lived a simple life and encouraged followers to dedicate worldly goods to the New Heavenly Yard. Former members said each person contributed $ 1,300 to build the new church. They are also required to buy a CD of Mr. Lee's lectures.

On March 2, Lee had an even more modest tone when speaking to reporters at the mansion located more than 60 km from Seoul. He knelt twice and bowed in apology. He wears a yellow tie from the luxury brand Hermès and a gold watch signed by former President Park Geun-hye (the watch was later thought to be a replica). "We did our best but couldn't stop the virus from spreading," Lee said.

On March 5, Tan Thien Dia donated more than US $ 10 million to the anti-epidemic funds, mostly for the city of Daegu. But at the meeting on March 6, the mayor of the city refused to accept the money. "What the New Heavenly Paradise should do is not provide money but actively cooperate with our nCoV spread prevention measures," said Mayor Kwon Young-jin.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon accused Lee of hinder the fight against Covid-19 by providing only a partial list of followers and branches to the authorities. Park said Lee needs to be prosecuted for "murder for deliberately neglecting responsibility". The sectarian spokesman, meanwhile, said the group was working with officials, and had provided information about about 310,000 members and 1,100 facilities.

In Daegu, officials have yet to find everyone on the list. Many believers refuse admission.

In addition to the legal challenges of Seoul City, the Daegu city government has also sued Tan Thien Dia for more details about local members. Civilian Coalition National Victims of Tianjin group filed a lawsuit on February 27, accusing the sect of giving false information to the government about secret religious facilities.

Prosecutors in Seoul are investigating the mayor's allegations. A civil group lawsuit has led a Suwon city prosecutor to open an investigation.

However, Sung Seung-hwan, a lawyer at the law firm Maeheon in South Korea, said that these legal challenges "are likely to go nowhere". "It is difficult to argue whether Tan Thien Dia has intentionally removed some members from the list," Sung said. Lee must have intentionally spread the virus in order to prosecute him for murder is reasonable, he added.

Lee is no stranger to the Korean legal system. Jin Yong-shik, a pastor who wrote books about sects, was sued by Tan Thien Dia for alleged defamation about 30 times. During a meeting in 2005, Lee tried to prove he was not a heretic leader and had a distinguished background.

Jin is not convinced. "He spoke unclearly and mumbled, but sometimes he suddenly scolded," Jin said.