FBI Probe Continues as Ex‑Church Minister Who Confessed to Child Abuse Remains Free

FBI Probe Continues as Ex‑Church Minister Who Confessed to Child Abuse Remains Free

An ex‑minister of a secretive Christian group who publicly admitted to child sexual abuse during a BBC interview remains free more than two years later, despite ongoing investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and renewed allegations from other victims. The man, Robert Corfield, once served as a minister in a shadowy church commonly known as The Truth or the Two by Twos — a global network of itinerant ministers with no official headquarters or widely recognised name. In early 2024, Corfield told the BBC that he had sexually abused a boy named Michael Havet for six years starting in the 1980s when Havet was 12 years old, in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Corfield’s admission was part of a larger wave of revelations about abuse in the Two by Twos community. His name was among more than 1,100 reported to a hotline set up to document cases of sexual abuse within the church. About a month after the BBC’s initial investigation, the FBI launched a probe into allegations of child sexual abuse within the group. Although Corfield spoke to FBI agents in late 2024 or early 2025, saying he “responded with the truth,” he has not been contacted by authorities since that visit and remains at liberty in the U.S. state of Montana. When asked if he fears arrest, Corfield acknowledged that “there is that possibility.”

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Authorities, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), have also been involved. The RCMP confirmed it investigated historic sexual assaults that occurred in the 1980s and sent files to Crown prosecutors for assessment, while the Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice noted it does not comment on cases currently under investigation. A separate alleged victim, identified only as Edward, came forward in 2025 claiming he was sexually assaulted by Corfield in 1974 at age 11, well before Corfield’s abuse of Michael. Edward also described alleged grooming behaviours, adding to concerns about Corfield’s past conduct.

Corfield’s case is part of broader allegations of abuse in the Two by Twos community, which some survivors and investigators describe as insular and resistant to external scrutiny. Advocacy groups have reported hundreds of alleged historical abusers connected to the sect globally. In the United States, a former elder of the Two by Twos was sentenced to 120 years in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material, highlighting that criminal accountability is possible when prosecutions occur. Survivors and advocates have criticised the church leadership’s historical handling of abuse allegations, alleging that serious complaints were ignored or covered up. Former members say the group’s structure — with ministers often hosted in private homes and an emphasis on internal solutions — made it easier for abuse to go unreported for decades.

While investigators continue their work, Corfield’s freedom has drawn sharp criticism from survivors like Michael, who has expressed confusion and frustration at the slow pace of legal action. Advocates have urged authorities in both the United States and Canada to urgently pursue all leads, not only against individual perpetrators but also over potential institutional failures within the church. Support networks for survivors have also grown online and through advocacy organisations, offering counselling and community resources for victims of the alleged abuse. Despite these efforts, many survivors say justice remains elusive more than two years after the minister’s public confession.

FBI Probe Continues as Ex‑Church Minister Who Confessed to Child Abuse Remains Free