My father was a cult leader paedophile with nine wives & 64 kids – I didn’t even know who my mum was until I was five

A TV star revealed how her dad was a cult leader paedophile with nine wives and 64 children – and she didn't know who her mum was until she was five.

Keira Maguire, 35, who starred on Australian TV show The Bachelor, was born into a polyamorous cult with her dad Alistah Laishkochav at the helm.

Keira distanced herself from the convicted paedophile and former cop, who founded the bizarre cult known as The Seaside Sect in the 1970s.

He set up the cult in Australia's Byron Bay and settled with nine wives, who all reportedly slept in one large bedroom, and 64 children.

Born in Auckland in New Zealand, vile Laishkochav changed his name from Ian Lowe when he moved to Australia in 1969.

He reportedly boasted in an interview in 1992: "King Solomon had so many wives.

Read more world news

Russia ‘has now lost 30,000 soldiers’ in Putin’s disastrous Ukraine war

How bodybuilder, 23, died after breaking own NECK after trying to do backflip

"I'm not that greedy, surely. He had 70 wives and 500 concubines. When it comes to women. I'm selfish.

"I don't think I am more special than any other man and I believe any man can do what I do and satisfy four to five women a night."

When asked if he would take more, he said: "You never know."

Footage from 1992 showed Laishkochav, who is said to have believed he was Jesus Christ, singing and playing the guitar surrounded by his wives.

Most read in News

One of his former wives reportedly said the "one unbreakable rule in the household was loyalty to Alistah".

And one of Laishkochav's wives was Keira's mother Michelle.

Footage taken in 1992 showed Michelle defending her decision to live as part of the weird cult – but in the end, she left when Keira was five.

Keira told Daily Mail Australia: "Alistah Laishkochav is not relevant to who I am nor does he define me."

She also praised her mum and grandma for raising her in "a loving, caring and compassionate household" in Brisbane.

Keira said: "I had a wonderful childhood and I am extremely grateful to both my mother and grandmother for the upbringing which they provided me and my siblings.

"Although I have since met and reunited with my family, I have never had a relationship with Alistah Laishkochav."

Laishkochav married his first wife in a Mormon Church when he was 25, where he was introduced to the concept of polygamy.

He was reportedly described by his harem of wives as "the controller".

Keira spoke about her experience of the cult when she appeared on the Australian version of I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here in 2017.

'NOT NORMAL'

She told fellow campmate Lisa Curry: "I don’t know if you know my story, but my mum was in a cult.

"My dad was the leader of it. There was like 63 children… you’ve got to remember there were nine wives.

“I didn’t know who my real mum was until I was like, six. I didn’t even know what a mum was.

“I just knew that I wasn’t normal and I really didn’t like that."

Laishkochav was jailed in 2000 at the age of 71 after he was found guilty of 20 child sex offences and one charge of reckless injury.

It was reported his four victims were aged between seven and 11 at the time of the offending.

During the trial, one of the young victims reportedly told the court that Laishkochav molested her "every other day".

The cult had disbanded in 1993 after the horrific offences came to light and he was charged.

Laishkochav died in prison in April 2012.

In an interview with The Project in 2016, Keira said she feared she would be judged if she told anyone about her family history.

She said: "Even in relationships with guys, I never opened up about it because I didn't want them to judge me because I'm not normal.

"I didn't know who my mum was until I was five. It sounds strange, but it just is what it is.

Read More on The Sun

I rushed son to A&E after finding ‘hole’ in mouth & then realised huge blunder

People call me too sexy when I wear low tops – I can’t help having big boobs

"I didn't even have birthdays. I think I had my first birthday when I was seven.

"For other people, it might be really sad. But it's not, because it's my story."

Source: Read Full Article