Jerusalem ( CNN ) -- An Israeli man accused of having 21 wives and fathering 49 children was charged Sunday in a Tel Aviv court with multiple counts of sexual assault , rape , sodomy and enslavement . Goel Ratzon , 60 , was arrested last month . Authorities charge that he lived in a compound with the 21 wives , having convinced them that he was omnipotent . All the wives tattooed Ratzon 's name and picture on their arms and the children 's names are all derivatives of his name , according to the court papers . Ratzon married his first wife in 1972 , added a second wife in the early 1980s , and from 1991 added another 19 wives , according to the indictment . He persuaded the women that he had the power to heal and curse , through which he gained `` complete control of their lives , desires , thoughts , emotions and actions , '' the court papers say . Ratzon spoke in court for first time last week , saying he was innocent , that everything was done with consent , and that any women who wished to leave could do so , Israeli media reported . The indictment charges that the defendant `` captured the women in a 'pseudo-family ' structure that revolved around the worship of his image , making the birth of his children a supreme goal that the women must aspire to , and all this was to glorify him while serving and fulfilling all his needs . '' Ratzon demanded that his wives and children completely obey all of his orders and has stringent rules and had a penalty system if they disobeyed him , the indictment alleges . He also `` abused his wives by trampling their self-worth and cut them off from any outside social contact including their families , and by this enslaved them to him and his desires , '' the court papers say . The indictment includes allegations of rape and sodomy of two of his daughters , sexual assault of another daughter , and rape , assault and sodomy of four other girls . Beyond the mental and physical control Ratzon had over his wives , he effectively controlled all of their finances , the indictment says . The women deposited major chunks of their social security payments and salaries into the family 's account , paid for all of his living expenses and bought him all his property and anything he demanded , authorities charge . Ratzon 's cult has been known to the authorities for about 10 years , they said , but it was only about six months ago they succeeded in convincing one of the women to file a complaint . That brought about his arrest last month . CNN 's Shira Medding contributed to this report .
Goel Ratzon , 60 accused of living with 21 wives . Ratzon allegedly controlled women in a cult-like structure . Indictment says authorities knew of his cult for 10 years .