A popular Taoist priest in Chongqing who has a following that includes business leaders and showbiz celebrities is being investigated by local authorities after he was accused of raping a college student and having affairs with several female disciples.

Li Yi, renowned for his expensive health programs, has 30,000 followers, including Ma Yun, president of Alibaba.com and pop singer Faye Wong, the Southern Weekend reported earlier.

A former follower of Li reported to the Chongqing National Committee for Religious Affairs Saturday that Li had committed several crimes.

Speaking to the Global Times on condition of anonymity, she said a college student had been raped by Li around 2004. The former follower said the incident had been reported to the local police, but Li spent 7,000 yuan ($1,030) to successfully settle the matter.

"The rumor about the rape has been circulating around the temple for a long time. It is an open secret. Li's disciple has confirmed this scandal with me," she said.

The former follower had been employed as a teaching assistant by Shaolong temple, where Li taught, in 2006, but left four months later because she was only asked to sell moon cakes for the temple.

"As a common practice for his disciples, they are required to introduce their relatives or friends to become followers," she said.

The religious affairs committee said they will look into the case.

The Time Weekly reported that Li organized health and philosophy training courses. One of the courses cost as much as 39,800 yuan ($5,858).

Chang Yun (alias), who went to Li for help in 2009 after being diagnosed with renal sclerosis, was asked to spend 1.7 million yuan ($250,217) to build a hotel for the temple, which he was told was the first step of his treatment. Chang's illness deteriorated while being treated by Li.

However, an earlier report by the Southern Weekend painted a different picture of Li. Yang Jinlin, a host on Phoenix TV who had participated in one of Li's programs, told the magazine that he was impressed by the Taoist priest.

The Southern Metropolis Daily quoted an employee of the temple as saying Saturday that the rape allegation is groundless.

Zhou Qing'an, a journalism and communication expert at Tsinghua University, said it was a current trend to use religious practices to reduce work stress.