Far from having nothing more than a mail-order theological diploma and operating a cult, Jae-Kap Joe Song holds a four-year Bachelor of Divinity degree from Chong-Shin College and Theological Seminary in Flushing, N.Y., his lawyer confirmed in a phone interview Tuesday.

Toronto lawyer Christopher Preobrazenski is defending Mr. Song – who owns or co-owns an Orangeville convenience store — on a charge of inappropriately touching a female parishioner of the area church of which he was pastor.

He said the complaint was filed a month after the alleged offence, and then only after several parishioners of Mr. Song’s church – but not Mr. Song – had been charged with such as administering drugs for sex, threatening death, forcible confinement, assault and gang sexual assault.

According to a Toronto Star report last week, Mr. Song on Feb. 21 had accused “eight or nine” male parishioners of gang sex. According to a Toronto Sun report, at least six of those men have since been charged, including a 33-year-old from Orangeville. However, there is a ban on publication of the names of the accused persons, their alleged victims and even the name of the church.

Mr. Preobrazenski said accusations levelled by lawyer Jacqueline An against Mr. Song were unfair and unfounded, and came unfairly after he had made an effort to get answers to allegations of sexual misconduct inside the church he founded, rather than to sweep them under the rug.

He said Mr. Song is deeply concerned about the “pain” that has been brought upon the church, the congregation and “most of all the victims.”

Mr. Preobranzenski emphasizes that there were never any complaints filed against Mr. Song until after the parishioners – including two females – were charged. Despite the sexual nature of the charge against Mr. Song, the lawyer said he was released on his own recognizance with a promise to appear. As well, Mr. Song is free to travel to Orangeville, he said.

Mr. Preobrazenski confirmed that he had shown the Toronto Star a transcript of Mr. Song’s four years of studies at the Chong-Shin College and Theological Seminary in Flushing, N.Y., which stated that Song began his religious studies there in March 1994 and graduated in May 1998 with a bachelor of divinity degree.