Cult leader known as ‘Nature Boy’ is among 21 arrested in Hawaii for breaking quarantine orders

A cult leader known as ‘Nature Boy’ who refers to himself as ‘God’ and ‘believes in nudism, polygamy, and refraining from bathing’ was among 21 people arrested in Hawaii this week for breaking quarantine orders when found on a beach playing with turtles.

Eligio Lee Bishop, the 38-year-old leader of the ‘Carbon Nation’ cult who was kicked out of Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua back in December after being branded a ‘threat to national security’, was arrested for violating emergency orders to quarantine for 14 days on arrival on the Big Island.

Police confirmed they had taken 21 people into custody in Puna – the largest group yet detained for flouting Governor David Ige’s rules put in place to slow the spread of coronavirus. 

Nine were arrested in Fern Forest on Wednesday and the other 12 including Bishop were arrested in Hawaiian Paradise Park on Thursday, according to county police Lt. Rio Amon-Wilkins.  

Cult leader Eligio Lee Bishop (center with cult members) known as ‘Nature Boy’ who refers to himself as ‘God’ and ‘believes in nudism, polygamy, and refraining from bathing’ was among 21 people arrested in Hawaii this week for breaking quarantine orders when found on a beach playing with turtles

CARBON NATION: WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE CULT? 

Eligio Lee Bishop, a former model, stripper, sex worker and barber who hails from New York, founded the cult in Honduras in 2016.

It was originally founded under the name Melanation and then later changed to Carbon Nation.

Bishop then moved to Costa Rica, but was kicked out in 2017 reportedly over migration issues.  

The cult believes in nudism, polygamy, refraining from bathing, veganism, defecating on trees, and reportedly does not allow some women to leave their homes.

Cult leader Bishop, known as ‘God’ or ‘Nature Boy’, requires all members to hand over all their money, credit cards, bank accounts, and pin numbers, in order to focus on worship.     

In 2017, the cult came under scrutiny when a woman from Newfoundland, Kayla Reid, joined the cult sparking fears for her safety and leading Bishop to confirm she was ‘just fine’ to the media. 

The group was kicked out of Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua back in December 2019 after being branded a ‘threat to national security’ but was then initially banned from boarding a flight to the US because of their body odor. 

Carbon Nation’s YouTube channel, has almost 85,000 subscribers, and features music videos and self-help videos of ‘Nature Boy’. 

Twenty of the group, all from out of state, were booked for violating the 14-day visitor quarantine while the other individual, 42-year-old Tylea Fuhrmann, was arrested for breaking an emergency order on vacation rentals after housing the group at her property.

The cult members arrived on the island on June 7 and 8, authorities said, and were arrested after locals reported seeing them playing with turtles at a beach. 

‘It’s my understanding that most of them flew in on June 7 or 8. I don’t have 100 percent confirmation on all of them,’ Amon-Wilkins said. 

‘We don’t have all the records from the proper authorities to document… mainland incoming passengers. We’re working on that.’ 

Amon-Wilkins added that all detainees were cooperating with law enforcement.  

‘Of the 20 individuals that we arrested for quarantine violations from out of state, every single one of them were 100% compliant, 100% understanding… did not give the police one ounce of resistance and thanked us for doing things the way we did,’ Amon-Wilkins said. 

None of the 21 have yet been charged. 

Bishop, who refers to himself as ‘The Messiah Demigod’ and ‘Master Chief’ on his Facebook account, confirmed that the other detainees were members of the cult.

‘They already detained eight of us. They going to be detaining the rest of us,’ Bishop said on social media, reported Hawaii News Now.  

‘We broke the law. This is what happens. You gatta stay in quarantine for 14 days. It is what it is. We broke the law. They’re doing their job.’    

Angela Keen, administrator for local group Hawaii Kapu Quarantine Breakers, said the group risked sparking an outbreak of the deadly virus on the island.

Hawaii has 692 confirmed cases and a death toll of 17 as of Friday. 

‘People are going hog wild when they arrive, they leave their hotel room. They are out and about they are interacting with people. That’s an opportunity for infection that we don’t want here,’ Keen said.  

Eligio Lee Bishop, the 38-year-old leader of the 'Carbon Nation' cult, was arrested for violating emergency orders to quarantine for 14 days on arrival on the Big Island this week

Eligio Lee Bishop, the 38-year-old leader of the ‘Carbon Nation’ cult, was arrested for violating emergency orders to quarantine for 14 days on arrival on the Big Island this week

‘Many of them have criminal records and are doing serious offenses. They are not respectful people,’ she added of Hawaii’s Carbon Nation visitors.  

The cult has been kicked out of several Central American countries on accusations ranging from endangering people’s welfare to sex crimes.

In December, Bishop and 17 cult members were deported back to the US by the Panama Migration Office after being branded a national security threat. 

However, the group was first banned from boarding a flight because of ‘overwhelmingly bad body odor’ in light of the fact the cult does not believe in bathing, The Costa Rica Star reported at the time. 

This is the largest group detained for flouting Governor David Ige's (pictured) virus rules

This is the largest group detained for flouting Governor David Ige’s (pictured) virus rules

Hawaii has 692 confirmed coronavirus cases and a death toll of 17 as of Friday

Hawaii has 692 confirmed coronavirus cases and a death toll of 17 as of Friday

The cult, set up by Bishop back in 2016, has drawn attention in recent years over claims it does not allow some female followers to leave the house, believes in nudism and polygamy, and requires all members to hand over all their money, credit cards, bank accounts, and pin numbers, in order to focus on worship.   

It also promotes eating a vegan diet, defecating at the base of trees and refers to Bishop, a former model, stripper, sex worker and barber, as ‘God’.  

In 2017, the cult came under closer scrutiny when a woman from Newfoundland, Kayla Reid, joined the group sparking fears for her safety.

Bishop told CBC News at the time that the woman could leave whenever she wanted.

‘I’ve made myself clear that nothing is going on with Kayla, nothing is wrong with Kayla. Kayla is just fine,’ he said.

Carbon Nation members including Bishop (above) were kicked out of Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua back in December after being branded a 'threat to national security'

Carbon Nation members including Bishop (above) were kicked out of Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua back in December after being branded a ‘threat to national security’

Bishop with one of his followers. Bishop refers to himself as 'The Messiah Demigod' and 'Master Chief' and leads the cult that believes in nudism, polygamy, defecating at the base of trees and requires all members to hand over all their money and credit cards

Bishop with one of his followers. Bishop refers to himself as ‘The Messiah Demigod’ and ‘Master Chief’ and leads the cult that believes in nudism, polygamy, defecating at the base of trees and requires all members to hand over all their money and credit cards

Carbon Nation’s YouTube channel, which has almost 85,000 subscribers, music videos and self-help videos of ‘Nature Boy’.

Titles include: ‘The Purpose of Life: Honoring God’s Creation’, ‘Technologies of the Body with Master Teacher Natureboy’, ‘Storytime with The Messiah: Overcoming My  Pride’ and ‘Polygamy is The Gateway to The Divine Feminine.’ 

Before founding Carbon Nation, Bishop had racked up a sizeable rap sheet including an arrest for forcible entry in Georgia in 2009 and theft and aggravated battery in 2011.

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