The extent of Maciel's crimes was only beginning to come to light in the 1990s, when a former Legionnaire, Fernando Belinsky, wrote a letter to the Vatican detailing Maciel's abuse of minors. The letter was largely ignored, and it wasn't until 2006 that Maciel was finally disciplined by the Church. Pope Benedict XVI ordered him to a life of prayer and penance, effectively stripping him of his authority.