A Richland County mosque leader has been arrested after multiple women accused him of sexual assault, according to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department.
Investigators said the case began June 30 when a woman reported she had been sexually assaulted over a period of several years. As the investigation progressed, four additional women came forward with similar allegations involving 55-year-old Louai Elkhatib.
According to deputies, Elkhatib used his position as an imam at a Richland County mosque affiliated with the Mission Hope Foundation, as well as his role as an administrator at the foundation’s school, to exert authority over the victims. Investigators say the women were members of the mosque and employees of the school, and that Elkhatib allegedly used his influence over them during the assaults…