An East Flatbush man and self-proclaimed spiritual leader has been charged with raping two women after drugging them during religious ceremonies.
Nigel Kennedy was arraigned on Oct. 10 for allegedly abusing his position of religious authority to give his victims drinks that knocked them out, and then rape them at his apartment, according to the district attorney’s office.
“We allege that this defendant is a sexual predator who used his religious stature to lure women, then drugged and raped them,” said District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.
Kennedy allegedly brought a woman to his apartment on E. 52nd Street in East Flatbush for a religious ceremony on Aug. 30, 2016 at around 10 pm, according to the indictment. He then allegedly started chanting and poured a clear liquid that tasted like alcohol into the victim’s mouth and she lost consciousness, the indictment read.
When the woman came to, she felt a person on top of her, but wasn’t able to move and lost consciousness again, waking up at 5 am the next day naked on a bed, according to court filings.
Kennedy allegedly told her that he didn’t know how she got naked and then she left, feeling nauseated, dizzy, and vomiting for the rest of the day, according to the district attorney’s office.
The defendant allegedly used the same tactic to rape another woman on May 16, 2018, the indictment read.
The second victim accompanied Kennedy to his apartment on E. 32nd Street in East Flatbush for a spiritual reading at about 10:30 am, according to the authorities.
Kennedy allegedly blew smoke in her face and poured a substance that tasted like alcohol into her mouth. She then lost consciousness and, upon waking up, noticed her pants were off and the defendant was having sex with her, according to the indictment.
She tried to push him off but couldn’t, so she told him to stop, but Kennedy allegedly refused, telling her, “Relax, it’s part of the ritual,” and when he got off her she left, according to the district attorney’s office.
Both victims went to the hospital afterwards and sexual assault evidence was collected from them, including the same male DNA, which matched Kennedy’s, according to the district attorney’s office.
The second victim identified Kennedy and he was arrested on Sept. 7, 2018, after arriving at John F. Kennedy Airport from Trinidad.
He has been charged with first- and third-degree rape, first- and second-degree sexual abuse, and other related charges, according to the indictment, and faces up to 25 years in prison.
Kennedy is being held on $35,000 bail and was ordered to return to court on Dec. 11, 2018, according to the district attorney’s office.
The district attorney said his office will work to hold Kennedy to account and asked that any other possible victims of his come forward.
“We will now seek to hold him accountable for these despicable alleged acts, and I encourage anyone else who may have been victimized by him to call the DA’s Action Center at (718) 250–2340.”
