Sex, drugs, and undocumented migrants: How the Ashram Shambala cult made all Russians in Argentina look suspicious

Argentina is embroiled in a scandal involving the Russian cult Ashram Shambala. The group’s founder and leader, Konstantin Rudnev, previously served 11 years in prison, and several Russian nationals affiliated with his movement are currently under investigation for human trafficking, forced labor, and the distribution of illegal narcotics. As a result, Russians in Argentina now face growing mistrust: landlords are refusing to rent them apartments, car rental companies are turning them away, and border checks have become more invasive. In Buenos Aires, police and immigration authorities have launched raids on Russian-owned businesses. One family, whose case was heard by an Argentine court on May 2, spent three days in detention simply because they were on the same flight as cult members.