Cults

Nearly two decades after the Waco Siege, people are still wondering what transpired at the Branch Davidian compound. Though the government officially investigated and exonerated the FBI, some have found evidence of a massive cover-up. Did the government actually fire the first shot that led to 81 deaths? This episode is a crossover with Conspiracy Theories and originally aired October 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On February 28th, 1993, ATF agents raided a compound in Waco, Texas, belonging to a religious group known as the Branch Davidians. A 51-day standoff ensued, ending in a violent siege. Eighty-one people lost their lives, many of them children — but to this day, no one knows which side fired first. This episode is a crossover with Conspiracy Theories and originally aired October 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With more than 900 people dead, the Jonestown Massacre has sparked many theories over the past 40 years. Did the government have a hand in these deaths? Could the cult have been connected to the mysterious MK-Ultra program? And was Jim Jones murdered, or did he fake his own death? This episode originally aired on Conspiracy Theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the command of Jim Jones, more than 900 followers of The Peoples Temple drank a beverage laced with cyanide in an act that Jones labeled “revolutionary suicide.” But was this truly a mass suicide, or was it a mass murder? And why do some people think Jim Jones faked his own death? This episode originally aired on Conspiracy Theories.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the finale of our Serial Killers and Conspiracy Theories crossover: By 2011, the FBI was ready to reexamine the evidence. A theory emerged: What if the Mad Poisoner was actually the Unabomber? Ted Kaczynski had proven he was a revenge-seeking terrorist, and he had connections to Chicago. Perhaps he traded homemade bombs for poisoned pills. Or maybe the deadly concoctions came straight from the Johnson & Johnson facility itself. In the absence of clear answers, only theories remain… and rumors that someone is still out there, replacing Halloween treats with fatal tricks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you enjoyed part 1 last week, we’re back with part 2: If Roger Arnold wasn’t behind the murders, who was? Police turn their focus to a new suspect: a disgruntled accountant named James Lewis. But the more police dig into Lewis’s life, the more questions they have. The road ahead is paved with extortion, false identities, and revenge. This is a crossover special between Serial Killers and Conspiracy Theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listeners, we’re popping back into your feed this week to share a special crossover episode from Serial Killers and Conspiracy Theories. Forty years ago, cyanide-laced Tylenol capsules led to the deaths of seven people all around the Chicago area. America was gripped by paranoia and fear. Why was this happening? Who would be next? Police grasped for suspects who might be the so-called “Mad Poisoner.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Sun Myung Moon decides to step down as the public face of the Unification Church, the ensuing succession drama embroils his family in multiple scandals. Frozen out by his mother, Sean Moon decides to start a new organization — Rod of Iron Ministries. The mass wedding ceremonies continue, but new rituals have cropped up, too. This time centered on guns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The ‘70s see Reverend Moon’s star on the rise in the U.S. His missionaries have spread around the globe, his businesses are raising millions in capital, and his already vast reach is expanding. But the self-proclaimed “True Father” is about to face some of his fiercest backlash yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Branded a heretic in the towns where he preaches, Moon moves his small following to Seoul. There, his ranks begin to swell. Whatever slander and imprisonment he endures, Moon remains uncompromising in his vocation: find a new wife, raise the ideal family — and mobilize his holy mission out into the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In South Korea, a young religious convert thinks he’s destined to become the second Christ. His mission is to unite every Christian and kickstart God’s kingdom on Earth. What he creates along the way is a global empire and infamous political force. In this 4-part special, we examine the Unification Church, nicknamed “the Moonies” after their founder Sun Myung Moon, and explore the new religious cult led by Moon’s son.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the early ‘90s, local authorities had long suspected something was off about the small, religious Florida community. A harrowing incident of child abuse gave them the proof they needed to take a harder look at what was going on. The more they looked, the uglier it got. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fifty years ago, Anna Young got away with murder. But the guilt ate at her. She leaned hard into her Pentecostal faith before moving her family to Florida to start fresh. Her “House of Prayer for All People” was meant to be a place of refuge and salvation. It didn’t take long for things to turn sour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Once you’re in, there aren’t many ways to get out. At least, not alive. But that doesn’t mean people haven’t tried. When Alex Sanchez decided he was done with gang life, he retired, and poured his life into helping others do the same. But his path forward was threatened by everyone from a vigilante death squad in El Salvador to the LAPD and FBI. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By cult standards, they aren’t one. But MS-13 does share a common language with even the most insidious fringe groups. Bound by loyalty, ideology, and power, the members of MS-13 make up one of the most dangerous gangs to ever exist. And it all started on the streets of Los Angeles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By 2008, Daniel Perez had collected millions in life insurance payouts. Fake identities and fraud had kept him untouchable. But a tip to the FBI gave investigators the fuel they needed to take him down. And what they uncovered was so much darker than what they first suspected. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A man claiming to be a thousand-year-old angel moved his small commune from state to state, never staying too long. When money ran tight, the mysterious deaths of his followers — and their life insurance payouts — kept him going. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jim Baker might’ve attracted famous diners to his hugely popular restaurants. But “Father Yod” gathered disciples. And they were going to usher in a new age of Aquarius. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ancient aliens. Biblical messages. The final chapter in our new book details how Applewhite created an alternate reality for his followers, ending in tragedy. Listen to this clip from our Cults podcast episode on how his beliefs evolved. Then order the new CULTS book to examine his methods in full: parcast.com/cults Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Credonia Mwerinde leveraged the turmoil in 1980s Uganda to lead a movement that ended in death, destruction, and her own disappearance. Today’s clip outlines the political and spiritual context she arose from. Go deeper into her life as a cult leader with Parcast’s first book, available now! parcast.com/cults Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before he led the celebrity sex trafficking cult NXIVM, Keith Raniere had dreams of starting his own MLM. But first, he needed to seem like the right man to do it. Enjoy this clip from our Cults episode on how Raniere propped himself up as a genius. And dig deeper into his story in our new book, available right now — go to parcast.com/cults to learn more and order your copy!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The seventh chapter of Parcast’s new book features David Koresh, leader of the Branch Davidians. Enjoy this clip from our Cults podcast episode on his journey to Waco, Texas. You can find more information and order your copy of CULTS — this summer’s can’t-miss true crime read — on parcast.com/cults! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parcasters, the CULTS book is officially on sale NOW! You can order it online at all major bookstores, or go to parcast.com/cults to see what it’s all about. In the meantime, enjoy this clip from our classic Cults episode on the insidious manipulations of Roch Thériault, a Canadian cult leader who brutally murdered members of his own cult, the Ant Hill Kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Keep sweet” was the refrain of Warren Jeffs, the Prophet of a fundamentalist group that broke off from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. As practicing polygamists, FLDS already drew the attention of law enforcement. But it was the systematic sexual assault that made Jeffs a fugitive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What was going on within Jonestown leading up to the tragic mass suicide event that claimed over 900 lives? Revisit this clip from our episode on Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, then go deeper into Jones’s cruel methods of psychological conditioning in our new book. Preorder now at parcast.com/cults! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

His cult coordinated a deadly bioterrorism attack in America. But their beginnings are rooted in a spiritual ashram in India. Revisit a clip from our episode on Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, then go to parcast.com/cults to preorder Parcast’s first book — where you’ll find a compelling deep dive into this leader’s history and motivations, including details never covered on the podcast before.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Narcosatanists performed ritual murders under the eye of Adolfo Constanzo. Today’s classic Cults clip features some of the tales that burnished his mystical reputation. Listen here, then go to parcast.com/cults to preorder the CULTS book and dive even deeper into this black magic priest’s life and crimes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The very first episode of the Cults podcast features one of the most infamous cult leaders who ever lived. Now, Charles Manson is the sinister subject of the first chapter in Parcast’s NEW book. Revisit a clip from that classic episode, and check out parcast.com/cults to learn more about the must-read true crime book of the summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1980s, David Koresh was a man with a divine mission. He spent the decade ingratiating himself with a religious sect in Waco, Texas, using his charisma to prey on teenage girls in the community. The Branch Davidians gave Koresh their devotion. He delivered them to tragedy and infamy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1903 a traveling preacher put down roots in Benton Harbor, Michigan to prepare for the end times. Then he built a sprawling amusement park. A traveling baseball team came next. “King Ben” charmed locals with his hugely successful endeavors, until accusations from his followers sent him into hiding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Alabama, local Scottsboro man Glenn Summerford turned his back on a life of vice and became a regular church-goer who communed with God. A transcendent experience with a Copperhead snake in the ‘80s sparked a divine insight that grew into a movement… and later, a murder plot.  Parcasters, we have exciting news! Our first book hits bookshelves July 12th. Don’t miss this chilling summer read that takes you deep into the darkest sides of human nature. Learn more at www.parcast.com/cults! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They came to the edge of extinction in Tennessee, then had a revival in Island Pond, Vermont. The group led by Elbert Spriggs had roots in the Jesus Movement of the ‘70s, but in time, began to reflect the early Christian church of the first century. Critics fear the still-active group is brainwashing teenagers, abusing children, and exploiting the labor of its unpaid volunteers.  Countdown to the CULTS book release! Parcast’s first book hits shelves July 12th. It’s an unflinching exploration of shame, secrecy, power, exploitation, and destruction. Learn more at www.parcast.com/cults!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1945, the Agape Lodge welcomed a new resident, and Jack Parsons began his attempts to summon the goddess Babalon.  Parcasters, we have exciting news! Our first book hits bookshelves July 12th. Don’t miss this chilling summer read that takes you deep into the darkest sides of human nature. Learn more and grab your copy at www.parcast.com/cults! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A trailblazing rocket scientist led a double life as an Aleister Crowley acolyte, jumping headfirst into the OTO after reading one of the famed occultist’s books in 1939. Jack Parsons was always daring and unorthodox — how could he be part of Caltech’s “Suicide Squad” if not? — and his forays into magick were no less extreme. Parsons rearranged his life and marriage in accordance with Thelemic teachings, turning his Pasadena mansion into the hotspot of the American OTO.   Parcasters, we have exciting news! Our first book hits bookshelves July 12th and is based on this very show. If you love the Cults podcast, you won’t want to miss this chilling summer read. Grab your copy at www.parcast.com/cults! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He was called the King of Depravity, Wickedest Man in the World, and — by his own mother — The Beast. Aleister Crowley was a notorious occultist who rejected the religion of his childhood and devoted himself to a new kind of morality: “Do what thou wilt.” He joined the OTO in 1910, finding their beliefs — particularly around sex magick — aligned, but his initiation would prove to be a double-edged sword.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Denounced by local clergy, the Vatican, and even her own husband, Debra Geileskey was backed quickly into a corner. But Triple M was her empire. And she wasn’t going to lose everything without a fight.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the early 1990s a devout Catholic and former school principal starts claiming she’s a divine prophet with a special connection to the Virgin Mary. Within a decade, Debra Geileskey has hundreds of followers in Australia, a monopoly over the town of Helidon, and donations pouring in for her “New Jerusalem.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By 2015, Grace Road Church had planted itself in Fiji to prepare for the apocalypse. They start a corporation and several businesses, allegedly all part of the Reverend’s “master plan” for the island. For loyal members and newcomers alike, the road to Paradise is paved with intense sermons, “cleansing” beatings, and confiscated passports.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For much of her religious career, Okjoo Shin espoused mainstream Christian beliefs and stayed out of the spotlight – until she discovered a new way to interpret the Bible. Her followers grew to believe she was a divine figure who would be important in the end-times... so no one spoke up when her teachings became violent.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nitrous Mafia have been a fixture at Grateful Dead shows and other jam band concerts since the ‘90s. They deal nitrous oxide to fans who want a taste of euphoria, but critics claim the cutthroat racket is taking shows’ atmospheres from mellow… to menacing. This is the final episode in the special two-part series from Conspiracy Theories. Follow for new conspiracies every week! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1960s a counterculture revolution was upending traditional norms of life, and the Grateful Dead were providing the soundtrack… and the drugs. Of course, this put them right in the crosshairs of the FBI. But while the feds had a file on the band, did they also have a deal together? Some say the disastrous Altamont Music Festival has all the markings of sabotage… Enjoy this special two-part series from Conspiracy Theories, a Spotify Original from Parcast!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When teenage girls in the Order started getting pregnant in the early 2000s, Kamm claimed the babies were miraculously conceived from his “holy seed.” It was a lie, but by then, he had cemented control over every part of his followers’ lives. Now, he was selling them on his next vision: to lead the world after the apocalypse as the Father of All Nations.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In Australia, an Easter Sunday vision set William Karr on a God-given path to start a family and fight the anti-Christ. Two decades later, in the 1980s, he had the beginnings of a religious movement, the attention of the Catholic Church, and a secret seventeen-year-old wife.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the days count down to Hale-Bopp’s arrival, 39 people prepare for ascension. They’d abandoned their old lives, embraced a new ideology, weathered the death of a beloved leader… and finally, made themselves worthy of the Next Level. Now, the comet was coming. And with it, the spaceship that would ferry them onward. In March of 1997, they left everything behind.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The group’s belief system had never been infallible. There had been adjustments along the way; revisions meant to keep the wheels turning whenever prophecies didn’t manifest. But then, in 1985, Bonnie Lu Nettles died. And her passing threw Heaven’s Gate’s whole world askew.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1976 was a turning point for Heaven’s Gate. The spaceship that was promised had not arrived. Members were defecting. Nettles and Applewhite gathered their truest believers in Wyoming and made it clear: Things were going to be different from here on out. Much different.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Bonnie Lu Nettles and Marshall Applewhite meet in Houston in 1972, it’s not for the first time — at least, not according to their birth charts. They’ve known each other in a past life. And in this lifetime, they have a joint mission. They set out, amid a wave of social and political upheaval, to find it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1986, Alice Lakawena formed the Holy Spirit Mobile Force. Their goals were utopian and their tactics were nonviolent. But going up against rival armies in Uganda with hardly any weapons eventually led to mass casualties — and Alice was all too ready to blame them on her soldiers’ lack of belief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On February 26, 1980, three former members of Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple were shot and killed in their California home. Many believed it was an act of revenge by their former cult, but police suspected somebody else. From Today in True Crime, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1985, when Alice Auma was 29 years old, her life changed forever. The spirit Lakwena told her that she had to lead her followers to a new Uganda that was free from corruption. But in order to do that, she would need to create a holy army and take the country by force. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ghost of Easterville  In the fall of 2011, a 17-year-old model struck up an online relationship with NBA player Chris “Birdman” Andersen. But someone else was pulling the strings of their ill-fated romance. From Crimes of Passion, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Jenelle Potter's crush, Billy Payne, started dating another woman, she used Facebook to spread rumors about the couple. But when a CIA agent contacted her parents, informing them that Payne was a threat to Jenelle's life, they took matters into their own hands. From Crimes of Passion, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An online love triangle between 18-year-old Tommy, 17-year-old Jessi, and 22-year-old Brian turned tragic when their romantic fantasy world collided with their harsh realities. From Crimes of Passion, a Spotify Original from Parcast.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Scott Caruthers’ community of “Next World Alien Lovers” in Maryland believed their leader when he told them he was an alien sent to save them from the apocalypse. But despite his insistence that he was a savior, Caruthers manifested doom at every turn — from a failed business plan that cost some investors everything, to a failed murder plot that put him and his followers behind bars.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In October 1869, a Baptist physician is visited by an angel during one of his alchemical experiments. She tells him a prophecy that changes his life, endowing him with an obsession for utopia and immortality. Cyrus “Koresh” Teed sets out to find followers, and though it takes decades, his movement finds its footing in Chicago. But where Koreshanity thrives, controversy follows.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The young co-founder of a church grew into a business tycoon who courted controversy until his death in 2014. Yoo Byung-eun built an empire on the backs of his devoted followers, who traded their money and labor for salvation. In 1987, a group associated with the church took part in a mass suicide. Nearly thirty years later, more than 300 people died in a ferry disaster that many believe Yoo Byung-eun was responsible for. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A religious group in Japan is led by a man who claims he is an interdimensional god named El Cantare, peddles spiritual vaccines online, and was once targeted for murder by a rival cult leader.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By 2004, James King and Barbara Loran were well-versed in violating ethical boundaries. But that year, the church leader and his mistress crossed a new line when they groomed and seduced the 17-year-old daughter of two congregants.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1990s Washington, James King held dozens of devoted followers in his thrall. He used emotional “processing” sessions to prey on women, while his mistress — a chiropractor who wanted to cultivate “Godlife” — became his number one recruiter.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As we look ahead to the new year, we want to take one last chance to say thank you for the year that was — and present our "Best of 2021"! Please enjoy this episode from our fan-favorite podcast, Solved Murders. In August 1969, actress Sharon Tate was living the Hollywood dream. Until it turned into the bloodiest kind of Hollywood nightmare.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On Christmas Eve nearly seventy years ago, Dorothy Martin and the Seekers stood outside in Chicago and sang carols. They were waiting for a spacecraft that would shepherd them away from Earth — and the impending apocalypse. On this Cults Christmas Special, join us for a look into a doomsday cult awaiting deliverance, and the psychological breakthrough that arose from studying them.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Manson Family’s infamous murder spree may have been partially inspired by The Beatles’ song “Helter Skelter” but it was The Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson who opened doors in Hollywood for their charismatic cult leader. From our friends at Sinister Societies, hear how Charles Manson almost became the next great pop hit of the ‘60s.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a decade of abuse at the hands of Colin Batley, a young woman made a desperate escape. Early one morning, with her baby in her arms, she ran out of the cul-de-sac that Batley and his church called home and never came back. Now, out from under his grasp, she could bring Batley down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1980s London, Colin Batley started a church based on the occult teachings of Aleister Crowley. Batley soon moved his congregation into a quiet cul-de-sac 200 miles away — where, behind the façade of suburbia, he and his followers sexually assaulted children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We end our three-part special in Japan, where a yoga teacher named Shoko Asahara preached a violent, apocalyptic dogma. In 1995 his cult, Aum Shinrikyo, used chemical weapons in targeted attacks in Tokyo to speed up the apocalypse.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vanessa is joined by Lanie Hobbs from Crimes of Passion, a Spotify Original from Parcast, as they investigate the life of Michael Roach — Princeton grad, certified Geshe, and so-called king of Diamond Mountain, his spiritual retreat in Arizona. Together with his mentee and then-wife, Christie McNally, Roach lured hundreds of people to the desert with tantric yoga and karmic seeds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do quests for enlightenment get so sinister? Today, we’re looking at three stories of yoga gurus and guides who were loved — then loathed — for their practices. We start in Romania, charting the rise of the deeply polarizing Gregorian Bivolaru. The alleged mystic is heralded by many as a great teacher and victim of persecution. But authorities say he used his teachings to manipulate, exploit, and traffic women and girls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When a psychic who’s been experimenting with ketamine goes missing in 1979, her brother suspects she’s been kidnapped by a cult. Today’s episode on Marcia Moore is from Unsolved Murders, a true crime podcast and Spotify Original from Parcast. Follow Unsolved Murders for new episodes every Tuesday! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Millions of followers. A powerful political ally. And his very own Garden of Eden. Televangelist Apollo Quiboloy spent decades turning his small congregation into a multinational religious empire. Along the way, he’s faced alarming accusations of brainwashing, human trafficking, and murder.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After predicting a nuclear war, Hawkins offered salvation to his increasingly isolated followers. But cracks began to appear in his kingdom. By 2008, officials charged him for bigamy and child labor violations. A year later, three former members gave T.V. interviews to reveal just how bad things really were. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1980s, a prophecy about two brothers and an ad in The National Enquirer drew hundreds of people into the House of Yahweh — a church in Abilene, Texas helmed by a deeply unsavory and swindling man named Bill Hawkins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nearly two decades after the Waco Siege, people are still wondering what transpired at the Branch Davidian compound. Though the government officially investigated and exonerated the FBI, some have found evidence of a massive cover-up. Did the government actually fire the first shot that led to 81 deaths? If you enjoy this crossover episode, follow Conspiracy Theories, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On February 28th, 1993, ATF agents raided a compound in Waco, Texas, belonging to a religious group known as the Branch Davidians. A 51-day standoff ensued, ending in a violent siege. Eighty-one people lost their lives, many of them children — but to this day, no one knows which side fired first.  If you enjoy this crossover episode, follow Conspiracy Theories, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the 1990s, Rama Behera was living lavishly in his compound in Shawano, Wisconsin, while his followers traveled from far and wide to hear his divine message. To expand his reach, he began buying property in town. Little did locals know, it was the opening shot in a conflict that would escalate for decades before reaching a dramatic breaking point. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Rama Behera came to the U.S. from India to attend college in the 1970s, his life changed forever when he claimed Jesus Christ contacted him. He dropped out to become a missionary, and settled on a compound in Wisconsin. Behera’s connection to the divine cemented — and so did his grip on the growing number of followers who came to him for guidance.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alistah Laishkochav was a New Zealand man who thought he was a messiah. To the world, the former police officer maintained a big happy family with his nine wives. But beneath the surface, his family lived in a house filled with fear and abuse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Judy Z built a business empire by channeling Ramtha and his Atlantean wisdom. She converted her home into a headquarters and held gatherings for thousands of followers from all over the world. By the 2000s, she began using her influence and cash flow to step into politics — gaining favor until 2016, when she started catering to QAnon believers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Judy Z spent her early life in poverty before making a living as a cable salesperson in the early 1980s. Then everything changed. While standing in her Washington home, Judy saw a giant being appear before her eyes. He came from Atlantis… and promised divine wisdom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the mid-2000s, Toni Ellsberry claimed to hear the voice of God, and ruled over her followers in a small Baltimore apartment. But when a toddler there died of starvation, One Mind Ministries began to crumble from within.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Fleeing to Austin, Texas in the early ‘90s was supposed to be a clean break for “The Teacher” and his followers. For a while, it was. But after an explosive accusation threatened to destroy Buddhafield for good, Andreas — as he now called himself — fled again, this time to an island paradise where he was free to do whatever he wanted.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jaime Gomez came to the U.S. from Venezuela in the 1960s looking for stardom, but when careers in dance and film didn’t materialize, he shifted focus. Feeling a deep connection to eastern philosophy, he started leading meditation classes and founded a group called the Buddhafield. Before long, he was claiming he had divine information about the secrets of the universe… and controlling the lives of over 100 people.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Gourasana passed away, his wife Kalindi took over Miracle of Love and propelled the group to new heights. She held increasingly demanding seminars that broke down attendees until they joined the fold. As time wore on, Kalindi’s enthusiasm and exploits brought many of her followers to the brink, and she showed no signs of slowing down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By 1987, David Swanson and his wife Carol Seidman had been on a decades-long journey to find enlightenment. Their prayers seemed answered when a divine presence launched itself into David’s body. Donning new identities, the pair spread their “wisdom” around San Diego — preaching material abandonment as they amassed a fortune.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Church of Wells cemented its place in the small Texas town by being uncompromising and radical. But when a runaway in her 20s named Catherine Grove joined the group, a new level of scrutiny followed. Clashes with local residents escalated in 2014. Still, the congregation remains… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Baylor University students Sean Morris and Ryan Ringnald met in the mid 2000s, they both felt the world around them was spiritually empty. They leaned into a strict, uncompromising version of Christianity, joined by fellow literalist Jacob Gardner. The trio eventually formed a small congregation that settled in a small town. But for residents of Wells, Texas, the move was more like an invasion… and their lives would never be the same. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the 1980s, The Work was a real estate empire worth millions. But Julius didn’t concern himself much with the business. Instead, he focused on preaching armageddon and engaging in “special work” with his young female followers. Several lawsuits, a disastrous TV interview, and a brutal murder marked the beginning of the end.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While stationed in the South Pacific with the Navy during World War II, Julius Schacknow had a divine vision. Armed with the knowledge of his supposed destiny, he established a devoted following in New England in the 1970s.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Adventist movement spread across the United States, and as the date of Miller’s predicted apocalypse approached, his followers prepared to leave the world behind. With the fervor came scorn and smear campaigns.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The origins of the 19th-century preacher who founded Millerism, revived belief in Jesus’ imminent return, and landed himself at the center of a historic religious crisis in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the late 1990s, the Providence movement had expanded its reach internationally. But when word got out about Jeong Myeong-seok abusing his “spiritual brides,” he fled. The prophet was exposed as a predator — but that didn’t stop the group from growing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After cutting his teeth in the rapidly growing unification movement in South Korea in the 1970s, Jung Myung-seok began having grander ambitions — as the new messiah of a religious movement.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1960s, Faizrakhman Sattarov experienced a holy vision when sparks shot down from a trolley car in Russia. Having been raised a devout Muslim, Sattarov went against his upbringing by calling himself a prophet. His message attracted hundreds who eventually settled in a secluded underground compound in the city of Kazan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the late ‘80s, Stanton had fully embraced military metaphors in the Bible, mobilizing his Jesus Army to wage war against sin and save British souls. Their recruiting tactics earned them the nickname “kidnap cult.” But it wasn’t until four years after Stanton’s death that the true extent of the Fellowship’s wicked ways were revealed.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

During WWII, while serving in the British Royal Navy, Noel Stanton had an encounter with an evangelist that changed his life. He started on a path toward Christian devotion that became increasingly divergent — featuring charismatic worship, communal living, and holy visions of expanding his radical message across the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After amassing wealth and influence as a spiritual advisor in the 1980s, Adolfo Constanzo set his sights on the lucrative drug trade in Matamoros. To claim a piece for himself, he needed more power. And for that, he turned to one thing: human sacrifice.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Schooled in the darkest corners of his family’s Afro-Carribean religion, Adolfo Constanzo decided to make his fortune using magic granted through animal sacrifices. In Mexico City, he grew his power and esteem — but he wanted something more. He wanted revenge.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For over a decade, a self-described rabbi ran a seminary in an orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem. From the outside, nothing seemed different about Aharon Ramati’s religious school for young women. But Ramati demanded complete devotion — and he was willing to break families apart to get it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Increased government scrutiny in the early 2000s didn’t stop Hermes Far Eastern Shining from growing into a small business empire. Attrill used his local influence to shield the organization, even as stories of manipulation, exploitation, and abuse began to spread.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A fast-growing cult in Australia absorbed hundreds of people into its fold in the late 1990s. Gerald Attrill promoted himself as an alchemist and the spiritual kin of Jesus Christ, attracting devoted followers with expensive products that claimed to purify energies.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Deep in the heart of the Black Woods on the border between Switzerland and Germany, an eccentric spiritual medium named Uriella set up a commune for her growing community of fanatical followers. She claimed to receive messages from Jesus Christ and grew into a media sensation. But she also warned about the coming apocalypse, and told her followers that their only salvation would come from space. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1990s, Ronald Weinland began issuing doomsday prophecies from his online pulpit. Despite being indicted for tax evasion, Weinland, now in his 70s, is still sermonizing to — and collecting tithes from — his followers on YouTube, where his videos have amassed hundreds of thousands of views.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Ben Klassen died by suicide in 1993, Matthew Hale picked up his mantle as leader of the sputtering Church of the Creator. Hale was a young college student from Illinois, whose own plans to enact a racial holy war erupted in violence in 1999.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a short but controversial run in politics, Ben Klassen founded the Church of the Creator in 1973. The avowed white supremacist used this new venture to spout racist rhetoric, foster hate amongst his followers, and attempt what he never could in office: igniting a racial holy war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From creating costly “healing instruments” to engaging in group sex activities, the Gentle Wind Project claimed to address traumas through spiritual energy work in the 1980s and ‘90s. When former members spoke out about the cult’s abuse, it disbanded, only to reemerge in 2007. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Known as “Babu” to locals, former pastor Ambilikile Mwasapile gained international attention after claiming in 2010 that he had found a cure for cancer, diabetes and AIDS. His alleged medical breakthrough was inspired by divine dreams — but it cost potentially thousands of people their lives.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Around 2007, a new miracle healer stepped on stage in Brazil, claiming to cure cancer, heart disease, and HIV. Followers flocked from all over the world… But the healer wasn't a traditional preacher, or even a flashy snake oil salesman. She was a 3-year-old girl named Alani Santos. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ukrainian psychotherapist Anatoly Kashpirovsky led hypnotic TV healing sessions in the late 1980s and ‘90s, drawing millions of viewers across Eastern Europe. He laid low after a series of controversies — but made his comeback in 2009, and is still allegedly healing the masses on his hit YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Described as “hypnotic” and “disarming,” George Feigley used his silver tongue to convince countless people that he was a scholar and religious figurehead. In 1976, he was charged with statutory rape and imprisoned — but it was far from the end of his cultish offenses.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1959, George King traveled to Los Angeles to complete his interstellar mission. He spent decades cultivating faithful followers as he traveled to astral planes, channeled alien entities, and battled against galactic beings beyond comprehension.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When an angel appeared before him in a dark forest, George King knew his life would be special. That mystical meeting was just the start: Over the years, King began communicating with beings from other planets, all while building a devoted following. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1980s, rigorous training and illegal weapons turned Ellison’s once peaceful commune into a murderous militia. As they carried out acts of terrorism and plotted attacks on the government, their actions did not go unnoticed — or unanswered.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Expelled by Lincoln Bible College in 1962 for being too radical, James Ellison spent the next decade preaching about God’s judgment and establishing a commune in Arkansas, where he transformed his followers into a heavily armed white supremacist terror organization. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1947, a 31-year-old sign painter experienced a supernatural event that left him convinced he was the newly anointed savior of the world. Allen Michael spent the following decades creating a political party, compiling a gospel, and doing the will of the all-powerful “Galactic Logos.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When her doomsday prophecies failed to materialize in the early aughts, Yuko Chino faded from the headlines. But after two unsettling deaths and another apocalyptic prediction, she announced one last out-of-this-world plan to her followers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a young woman in 1960s Japan, Hidemi Masuyama took nightly walks in the nude, talking to entities only she could see. Later, she changed her name and hatched a religious sect that obsessed over electromagnetic waves and extraterrestrials.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For decades, family members and sleuths have tried to determine what really happened the night of the fire. As of yet, they have been unsuccessful. But the clues remain, the questions linger, and the case unofficially stays open…  This episode is presented by Unexplained Mysteries, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more of history’s greatest puzzles, follow Unexplained Mysteries free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the aftermath of the fire, a startling number of tips, twists, and witnesses came forward regarding the fate of the Sodder children. Their father, George, followed the clues for decades, driven by a suspicion of the “official” story and a belief that the blaze was no accident. This episode is presented by Unexplained Mysteries, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more of history’s greatest puzzles, follow Unexplained Mysteries free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Early Christmas day in 1945, Jennie Sodder woke up to her house on fire. The blaze consumed her home, and five of her young children. Or did it? Strange events, prescient remarks, and a lack of human remains hinted at more nefarious — though no less tragic — outcomes.  This episode is presented by Unexplained Mysteries, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more of history’s greatest puzzles, follow Unexplained Mysteries free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late 1980s he claimed to be the final savior of the world, but behind Hogen Fukunaga’s grandiose claim was a shrewd businessman who scammed millions from loyal followers. His method? Detailed foot readings that cost hundreds of dollars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He’s not your typical cult leader: Lord RayEl doesn’t have a large church, or host large gatherings. Instead, he’s built a following solely online — where a virtual congregation likes, subscribes, and tithes to the convicted felon they believe is the second coming of Christ.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After starving his infant son in 1999, Jacques Robidoux and his followers went to drastic lengths to bury the evidence. But a whistleblower made sure the group answered to the law, avenging more than one life in the process.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shunning mainstream religion, school systems, and science, this small Massachusetts sect withdrew from secular society in the ‘70s. Its increasingly bizarre directives to members led to defections and, eventually, death. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Conspiracy Theories on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Deep in the heart of the redwood forests is a 2,700-acre plot of land that’s home to an exclusive gentleman’s fraternity. Since its founding in 1872, the club has been accused of paganism and human sacrifice. What's really happening in the depths of Bohemian Grove? And why don't they want the world to know? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re bringing you a special two-part episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Conspiracy Theories on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Deep in the heart of the redwood forests is a 2,700-acre plot of land that’s home to an exclusive gentleman’s fraternity. Since its founding in 1872, the club has been accused of paganism and human sacrifice. What's really happening in the depths of Bohemian Grove? And why don't they want the world to know? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Branded religious deviants by local leaders and the Malaysian government, Ayah Pin and his followers argued for their freedoms in Syariah Court. But in 2005, armed intruders destroyed the Sky Kingdom compound, and drove the self-proclaimed god into exile. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the mid 1990s, a strange compound sat hidden amongst the hills of northern Malaysia — a wonderland complete with themed buildings and a giant teapot. Its creator claimed to be the reincarnation of major religious figures, tasked with unifying the world and bringing heaven to earth.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the years since the Satanic Panic, it's become obvious that the crimes people were accused of never really happened. But while none of the nightmarish stories of ritual abuse in Satan’s name were true, it doesn’t mean there weren’t real victims…  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Emboldened by power- and money-hungry conmen, Evangelical doomsdayers set the stage for an epic showdown of biblical proportions. The fight for the souls of every last American was beginning, they claimed, and Satan was coming to drag us all to hell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Adolfo Costanzo and the Narcosatanists to the gruesome Chicago Rippers, these horrific groups showed that fears of murderous devil-worshipping cults weren't entirely unfounded. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1980s, “Satanic Panic” was a mass hysteria that consumed communities and ruined lives—all over things that never even happened. In this new five-part series, we’re examining the origins of the panic, tracing back through the decades to see how the fear of Satan’s influence in society swept across North America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1980s, “Satanic Panic” was a mass hysteria that consumed communities and ruined lives—all over things that never even happened. In this new five-part series, we’re examining the origins of the panic, tracing back through the decades to see how the fear of Satan’s influence in society swept across North America.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late 1960s, a listless young man craving significance began claiming he could see and hear messages from the Virgin Mary. With charismatic displays of ecstasy, Clemente Domínguez Gómez developed a following and declared himself the next pope, then set about making life agony for his devotees.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the height of his power in 1983, John-Roger Hinkins hosted a star-studded awards show for his “movement.” But behind his glitzy veneer was a dark secret. He was coming unhinged… and within five years, his image was destroyed.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After waking up from a nine-day coma in 1963, Roger Hinkins claimed his body was housing a spiritual personality named John. John-Roger went on to found one of the largest spiritual movements of the 1970s and '80s. But behind closed doors, Hinkins preyed on young members of his staff and claimed if they didn't comply, a dark spirit would corrupt them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1990s Everett, Washington, a charismatic man named Chris Turgeon started a small group Bible study with a few of his friends. In only a few years, he had turned the group into a cult that followed his every command… even when he ordered them to commit murder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1972, self-appointed bishop Douglas Metcalf had his followers build a new heaven on earth in New Zealand. He called it Camp David… But while the group found peace behind the gates to their compound, they prepared for battle with the outside world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the early 1980s, Satanist Robin Gecht and his three followers terrorized the women of Chicago. They attacked, maimed, and tortured at least five victims in an attempt to summon a demon known as "The Dark One." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the early 1980s, contractor Robin Gecht recruited three of his employees to join a violent cult. Using a mixture of intimidation and coercion, Gecht led his followers on a murderous rampage that shocked the city of Chicago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Whitewind Swan Fisher founded Friends Landing in 1985, it was marketed as a safe space for spiritual healing. Instead, it was her personal lion's den where she took advantage of the very people she promised to help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1985, Monte Kim Miller was an anti-cult activist, speaking at churches to warn against brainwashing and manipulation—until he began using the same tactics he preached against to extort, coerce, and compel his own followers into radical behavior.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2017, news of Keith Raniere’s predatory sorority finally hit the airwaves. After disavowing any connection to the group, the 57-year-old cult leader read the writing on the wall and fled to Mexico. But authorities weren't going to allow him to avoid consequences that easily... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By 2006, 46-year-old Keith Raniere had made NXIVM alluring enough to attract billionaire heiresses and Hollywood actresses. But as women began defecting, he feared he was losing control—and in a bid to reassert dominance, created a predatory group known as DOS.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1999, after the collapse of Consumers Buyline, 39-year-old Keith embarked on a new business venture. But while the product he was selling changed, his approach remained the same. And soon, he began to prey upon the very students he had promised to help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After acing an IQ test in 1988, 28-year-old Keith Raniere was able to brand himself “The Smartest Man in the World.” The moniker allowed him to seduce unappreciated businesswoman Toni Natalie, who would go on to help Keith grow the first of his predatory companies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Founded in New Zealand in the late ‘60s, Gloriavale was supposed to be a sin-free utopia. But its leader, Neville Cooper, instead crafted a hellish prison rife with immorality. He imposed rigid rules and strict gender norms—and had a penchant for violently abusing his followers.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2004, Swedish Pastor Helge Fossmo used “spiritual shunning” to alienate and manipulate the congregation at his Pentecostal church. He convinced them to do whatever he asked, eventually coercing his mistress Sara into committing a string of wicked crimes.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the mid-’90s, Pastor Helge Fossmo was hand-selected by the so-called “bride of Christ” to help lead a Swedish Pentecostal church. As he gained more authority, Fossmo's power went to his head, and he began doing whatever he wanted to get his way… eventually resorting to murder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the mid 1950s, Bruno Gröning was famous. Thousands flocked to the "Miracle Doctor" hoping that he would heal them with the power of his faith. However, just five years later, Bruno's mythos was already beginning to break down and he was beleaguered by scandals from all quarters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1949, faith healer Bruno Gröning was thrust into the limelight after German newspapers reported he had cured a young boy of muscular dystrophy. However, with fame came increased scrutiny from the legal authorities... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the 1980s began, Terri Hoffman and her followers seemed to be flying high. But after several people associated with Terri suffered mysterious deaths, her organization faced accusations of brainwashing, theft, and murder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1970s, Terri Hoffman went from high school drop-out to leading New Age mystic. Her Dallas-based organization, the Conscious Development of Body, Mind, and Soul, targeted affluent residents…and their wallets. But as her influence grew, so did suspicions about her shady practices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In June of 1888, John Alexander Dowie moved his family to the United States to found the holy city of Zion. He envisioned the Illinois town as a paradise, but soon his immense wealth clouded his judgment, and Dowie came crashing down to Earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

His drive for independence eventually led him to create a spiritual movement all of his own in the late 1800s. After founding the Divine Healing Association, John Alexander Dowie went from a discontented minister to a leading figure in Australia’s faith healer movement. But money and success would eventually be his downfall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Founded by Charles “Chuck” Anderson in the Wisconsin Dells in 1992, Endeavor Academy was a religious group claiming to be able to lead its students to enlightenment. But as Endeavor’s public profile grew, so did the controversy surrounding it—with allegations of abuse that some claim drove multiple members to suicide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Founded by software guru Frederick Lenz in 1981, the Rama Cult operated in the Los Angeles and Tri State areas until 1998. Lenz referred to himself as "Rama," and claimed to be able to lead his acolytes to wealth and enlightenment—but has been accused of psychologically manipulating those who trusted him most. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Founded by Gary Douglas in the 1990s, “Access Consciousness” went from a mystical meditation clinic to an international media empire. This movement attracted tens of thousands of followers a year, and eventually earned Gary an estimated net worth of $1.5 million dollars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are thrilled to bring you a brand new episode of Cults today and for the foreseeable future. We thank you for your patience during this unprecedented time. Operating in France from 2001 to 2004, members of the New Lighthouse Movement believed that after the apocalypse, humanity would ascend to heaven with the help of Aliens. This ascension could only be possible with the help of their founder, Arnaud Mussy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He built the Dera Sacha Sauda by exploiting the people who trusted him most. Though news of Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s abuse first reached Indian authorities in 2002, his political connections kept him safe from arrest. But over the years, his violent fanaticism continued to escalate—until he couldn't hide anymore.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1990, Gurmeet Ram Rahim became the leader of Dera Sacha Sauda movement. Originally, the group promoted charity and taught meditation practices, but under Gurmeet, its activities became significantly darker. Eventually, Gurmeet had over 60 million followers, who he exploited for his every desire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you enjoy the stories told in Cults, check out this episode from our series Female Criminals: In 1911, Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard took her cruel alternative medicine practices to a new level by opening her infamous sanitarium in Washington—which locals would dub "Starvation Heights.” There, Linda continued her abuse and fraud by financially exploiting and starving wealthy British heiresses, Dora and Claire Williamson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you enjoy the stories told in Cults, check out this episode from our series Female Criminals: She was a turn-of-the-20th century medical practitioner who preached starvation as a method of curing disease. But it was Dr. Linda Burfield Hazzard’s childhood exposure to fad remedies that shaped her interest in alternative medicine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

According to leader Pyotr Kuznetsov, the world would end in May 2008, so in November 2007 he proposed his group move to an underground cave and wait out the apocalypse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Based on his belief that religious institutions had been sullied by modern practices, this apocalyptic cult aimed to cleanse themselves by abandoning their families and possessions, and living as a roving group of dumpster-divers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late 60s, Charles Manson preached that the end of the world would come about due to an apocalyptic race war, which he dubbed "Helter Skelter." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do UFOs, Abraham Lincoln, and God making his television debut have in common? They’re all strangely linked to the Chen Tao cult, and the imminent nuclear apocalypse prophesied by leader Hon-Ming Chen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He gave numerous dates for the apocalypse, but none resulted in the end of the world. But it did result in the eventual formation of the Seventh-day Adventist movement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He said that life on earth would end on May 21st, 2011. When it didn’t, he amended his date to October 21st, 2011. It didn’t end then either. Meet Harold Camping, a Christian radio evangelist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As society approached the year 2000, there was worry about a Y2K bug that might cripple technology. But there was also fear that cults with doomsday prophecies would do whatever it took to fulfill them.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we’re looking at the Sullivan Institute founded by Saul B. Newton and his wife, Dr. Jane Pearce in 1957. It was designed to be an alternative to the traditional nuclear family—part therapy center, part polyamorous commune. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Franz Edmund Creffield was the leader of the Brides of Christ church. Often referred to as the Holy Rollers, members were known to roll on the floor pleading, for God’s forgiveness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Along with his brother Yaaqob, Yisrayl Hawkins founded the House of Yahweh in 1980. They produced their own version of the bible and made numerous predictions that did not come true. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The three main points in Ryuho Okawa’s teachings are love, enlightenment, and the creation of utopia. But Happy Science is also a political party and they have some strong views about neighboring countries that shape their worldview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eastern Lightning preached that Jesus Christ had been reborn and walked the Earth. Founder Zhao Weishan said the woman he was in a relationship with, Yang Xiangbin, was there to save their souls before the world ended. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dorothy Martin claimed to receive communications from outer space, warning of disastrous loss of life in 1955. Her wild prophecies attracted Dr. Charles Laughead and a small group of followers known as the "Seekers." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He frightened his followers around the world into believing that the Rapture was coming—an apocalypse which would end humanity on October, 28th, 1992. But after that date came and passed, many members of the Dami Mission were left in a different kind of devastating state. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He was known to his followers as “Moses.” His actual name was Roch Theriault, and he led one of the most infamous cults in Canadian history: The Ant Hill Kids. Theriault fooled many into thinking he was nice—but beneath his affable persona lurked a sadistic monster with horrific plans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Although it went through many name changes over the years, one thing remained the same for David Berg’s apocalyptic Christian cult, “The Children of God”... End Times were inevitable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He was born as Chizuo Matsumoto, and later known as Shoko Asahara—leader of the Japanese Buddhism-inspired cult, Aum Shinrikyo. Asahara and his followers didn’t just foretell the end of days, but rather took it upon themselves to wipe humankind off the face of the earth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

His authoritarian, new-age religious organization was called the Fountain of the World. Leader Krishna Venta built a community cooperative and told his followers that the Apocalypse was coming. But only his chosen followers would survive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Credonia Mwerinde told her followers that the world would end in the year 2000. When it didn’t, the followers had questions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1981, 50-year-old Valentina De Andrade convinced her neighbors that God was non-existent. Then she told them that Jesus was an extraterrestrial who would be arriving soon in an alien craft to save them from the end of days. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1989, Wayne Bent formed the Lord Our Righteousness Church. He convinced his followers that the end of the world was coming. And by 2007, the members of his church were prepared to die. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

They alleged that a close encounter with an undiscovered 10th planet would lead to catastrophic natural disasters and the destruction of humankind. Today’s episode features self-proclaimed prophet Yuko Chino and her Pana-Wave religious cult. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the fall of 2008, pastor Ronald Weinland announced that the final seventh seal referenced in the Book of Revelation had been opened, signaling the start of a countdown to end times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

She founded the Church Universal and Triumphant and encouraged her followers to dig fallout shelters to prepare for nuclear war in the late-1980s. Discover the peculiar beliefs—and visions—of Elizabeth Clare Prophet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1984, Luc Jouret founded the Order of the Solar Temple with Joseph Di Mambro. A decade later, the two men would convince their followers that it was necessary to ascend to a higher spiritual plane to avoid the apocalypse. The plan...suicide by fire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Founded by Jim Jones in 1955, The Peoples Temple culminated in the deaths of 913 people—one of the biggest mass murder-suicides in history.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

She says she developed a sixth sense after traumatic brain injury. This led Erika Bertschinger to change her name to Uriella and start Fiat Lux, a UFO cult that believed the end of the world was coming...in 1998. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You might remember the 51-day standoff with authorities in 1993, but there’s plenty of details you might not remember about David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He required his members to cut all ties with outside influences. And then in 1997, he convinced them to do the unthinkable in order to enter a higher existence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Due to the unfortunate spread of COVID-19, Parcast has decided to halt recording for the time-being. This is a precautionary measure taken to ensure the safety of our hosts and staff. In the meantime, we're excited to share one of our classic episodes that we know you'll enjoy! Founded in 1967, thousands of followers of the Nuwaubian Nation believed themselves to be descendants of aliens, waiting to be beamed up before the apocalypse. Dwight York’s control was so strong, many people still support him now, despite 100+ years remaining on his prison sentence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a sophomore in high school, Rod Ferrell bonded with a group of goth outcasts through their shared love of a roleplaying game called Vampire: The Masquerade. But Rod’s vampiric obsessions were more than some teenage fantasy, and in November of 1996, he proved that there was more to his thirst for blood than just fun and games. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

She drew both criticism and adulation after announcing that she would be giving birth to the “child of god” in 1864. As it turned out, Joanna Southcott’s prophecies would become the stuff of legend, and outlive her by more than a century. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Self-proclaimed Christian prophet Joanna Southcott led an ordinary life in England as a domestic servant for years. But at the age of 42 in 1792, that all changed, when she heard the voice of God. What He told her would shock the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1995, Hon-Ming Chen founded a UFO cult in Taiwan. His followers clung to him because they believed he could save them from an imminent nuclear apocalypse. Instead, he led them on a wild goose chase that involved searching for an Abraham Lincoln look-alike in Canada, interpreting clouds, and waiting for God to make his nationally televised debut. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the last Sunday of every month, Parcast Rewind replays a classic episode of Cults that you might have missed!  Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh felt discomfort with his own mortality from a young age. Over time, his spiritual studies and beliefs about capitalism and sexuality led Rajneesh to become a charismatic cult leader. This charisma attracted Ma Anand Sheela, the woman who rose from a 20-year-old devotee to a powerful leader in the cult that launched a deadly bioterrorism attack on over 750 Americans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He consolidated his power over an offshoot of the white supremacist group, Posse Comitatus. Rooted in an extremely racist theology called “Christian Identity,” Michael Wayne Ryan then used the organization to justify the torture and violence he inflicted on his followers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the early 1980s, Michael Wayne Ryan went from a frustrated, directionless slacker to the leader of a violent cult composed of down-on-their-luck farmers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Under the backdrop of the Great Depression, Guy and Edna Ballard successfully milked over a million people out of their valuables, life insurance, and savings. They would be taken to court for fraud—but their teachings and movement would live on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 2011, Teal Swan began making YouTube videos claiming she was an extrasensory alien tasked with healing the world of its miseries. Her followers hoped that by taking her counsel, they could attract happiness into their lives. Instead, they were drawn into a belief system that preached that death was delicious, and suicide: the ultimate reset button. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the last Sunday of every month, Parcast Rewind replays a classic episode of Cults that you might have missed!  Accused of imprisoning and brainwashing children, Anne Hamilton Byrne convinced her almost 500 followers that she was the female reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1920s, the House of David baseball team was taking the nation by storm with their entertaining style of play. However, there was more to the group than just their athletic abilities. They were members of a cult led by a man named Benjamin Purnell, and he was harboring some very dark secrets. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Benjamin Purnell arrived in Benton Harbor, Michigan in 1913, claiming to be the seventh and final messenger of God. He planned to build a compound for his followers to wait for the end of the world, but he had an enigmatic past, where he learned to abuse the power he was given. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sherry Shriner believed Satan disguised himself as Jesus and subsequently tricked the world into praising him. So she became the virtual leader of an online Reptilian ET Cult that believed demonic, alien reptiles were sent by Satan to take over the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here’s one of our listeners’ most requested episodes of 2019: When the cult moved to Hawaii, James Baker never expected his penniless followers to find him. But once it became clear that they were willing to follow to the bitter end, he began planning a dramatic exit of epic proportions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Here’s one of our listeners’ most requested episodes of 2019: When James Baker started his health food restaurant on the Sunset Strip in the 1970s, he had no intention of creating a spiritual commune. But opportunity knocked, and soon, he was the leader of a yoga-based cult in Hollywood Hills that launched Baker to wealth and fame. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late 1940s, the eccentric Krishna Venta founded the Fountain of the World and claimed to be the embodiment of Christ. However, he had an apocalyptic warning. The world was going to end in 1965, and only his chosen followers would survive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As a wandering lecturer who opened up a religious compound in the San Fernando Valley in 1949, Krishna Venta claimed to be from a mythical valley in India. He preached about love and knowing oneself, but was hiding a secret past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When former Nazi serviceman Paul Schäfer fled Germany in 1961, he founded a rural community called Colonia Dignidad in Southern Chile. But the community’s bucolic appearance hid a culture of torture, murder, and pedophilia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1990s and 2000s, Rabbi Shlomo Helbrans and the Lev Tahor preyed on impressionable youths. The ultra-orthodox Jewish community was known to use brainwashing tactics on its followers, and would be accused of heinous crimes such as kidnappings and child abuse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Charming, electric, and persuasive are just some of the ways people described Rabbi Shlomo Helbrans. As the leader of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in the 1990s and 2000s, he was known for brainwashing his followers, leading them to commit shocking crimes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While the church became notorious for its aggressive recruiting practices through the 80s and 90s, it also experienced incredible growth—eventually reaching Los Angeles. However, Kip McKean’s hubris—and sins—would eventually lead to his downfall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before his church became one of the fastest growing—and most controversial—religious organizations in the United States, Kip McKean developed strict beliefs as a Bible literalist in 1960s Florida. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Witness the growing pains Wicca went through as it transitioned from a small secret society to a global religion, and explore the fallout from Gerald Gardner’s decision to speak publicly about their practices in 1954. Learn about Wicca’s evolution over the years—and whether it simply adapted to a changing world, or sold out everything that made it special. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

September 1939: Occultist Gerald Gardner makes contact with what he believes to be a remnant of the long rumored "Witch-Cult." His experience with The New Forest Coven would reshape his understanding of paganism, and inspire him to chart a new course for his life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After he was publicly humiliated when his memoirs were exposed as a hoax, Castaneda retreated into seclusion. But he brought with him a few dozen committed followers, who were sexual slaves and unquestioning adherents. Although he predicted that he was immortal, Castaneda's fatal cancer diagnosis rocked his followers to the bone: resulting in even more untimely deaths. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1960, anthropology student Carlos Castaneda followed a Native American Yaqui guide into the desert. There, he received a divine revelation about the subjective nature of reality - a revelation Castaneda could only share by exerting extreme levels of control over every student he encountered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Members of the Fall River Satanic cult were suspects in the murder of a young woman in 1979, but detectives couldn't find anyone who was willing to testify against them. Then, as the investigation continued, another body was found. The leaders of the Cult, Carl Drew and Robin Murphy, were escalating their violence and disturbing rituals at a shocking pace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1979, biker and pimp Carl Drew joined sex worker Robin Murphy to create a Satanic cult in Fall River Massachusetts. Though some claimed the weekly meetings were harmless, the cult was soon implicated in the murder of a young woman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 1970s, Ervil Lebaron broke with his brother’s church to form his own polygamous fundamentalist sect known as the Lambs of God. By reinstating the religious doctrine of Blood Atonement, Ervil compelled his followers to murder dozens of his opponents and family members in his name. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1971, Ervil LeBaron received a revelation from God: he had inherited the mantle of Joseph Smith, and was destined to rule over God’s Kingdom on earth. There was just one problem: Ervil’s older brother Joel just had the same revelation about himself.  Parcasters - Which UFO sighting kicked off the alien craze? It wasn’t Roswell! Subscribe to Extraterrestrial today to learn about the close encounter that started it all, the Mount Rainier flying saucer sighting. Search for Extraterrestrial on Spotify to listen now! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From within the confines of the Vacaville prison medical center, Donald DeFreeze started recruiting young, idealistic Berkeley radicals for his leftist political cult. The US needed to change. And radical change, DeFreeze knew, demanded radical action. He was willing to do whatever it took to wake Americans up to the revolution, whether that meant murder, theft, or the kidnapping of a newspaper heiress.  Sponsors! Modsy - Go to Modsy.com, start a design project, and use code CULTS to get 20% off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Donald DeFreeze was a gun-obsessed drifter throughout the 1960s. But he didn't use his guns — he had nothing to fight for. At least, not until he was radicalized and began to build a coalition to execute his plans.  Sponsors! Billie - Go to MyBillie.com/CULTS for 10% off your razor. Embrace Pet Insurance - Get your FREE quote at EmbracePetInsurance.com/ CULTS.  Native - For 20% off your first purchase, visit NativeDeodorant.com and use promo code CULTS during checkout! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the early 1980s, Hulon Mitchell, Jr.'s Nation of Yahweh became a fixture in Miami's black community. However, while Hulon used his influence to reduce crime rates, he was committing atrocious abuses on his own followers. Parcasters - On today's episode of Mythology, we take on the legendary Odyssey, bringing the incredible journey to life! Subscribe to MYTHOLOGY today to hear the most notable stories in human history as you never have before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the moment Hulon Mitchell, Jr. was born in 1935, he was raised to think he was special.  But growing up in segregated Oklahoma, he realized that black men and women lacked the same opportunities as their white counterparts. He decided he was the black messiah, destined to lead his people to paradise -- by any means possible. Sponsors! Zola - Go to Zola.com/CULTS to build your free wedding website and get $50 toward your registry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Just before the Summer of Love, 22-year-old John Griggs discovered LSD and had an epiphany – he would serve as the Hippie Messiah and guide the world to psychedelic revolution. John set out to the beaches of Southern California where he founded a psychedelic cult and international drug ring, while blazing the trail for the recreational use of psychedelics at the height of the hippie era. Parcasters - Don’t miss all of our special Summer of ‘69 episodes by subscribing to Parcast Presents: Summer of ‘69, on Spotify, or anywhere you listen to podcasts! Sponsors! Billie - Go to MyBillie.com/CULTS for 10% off your razor! Embrace Pet Insurance - Get your FREE quote at EmbracePetInsurance.com/CULTS right now! Modsy - This month ONLY, start a design project at Modsy.com and use code CULTS to get 20% OFF! Quip - Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS right now, you get your first refill pack for FREE with a quip electric toothbrush! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The more Marcus Wesson retreated from society, the more extreme his behavior became. He led his family of 16 children deep into the woods, claiming it was for their own protection. But away from prying eyes, Marcus Wesson preyed on his children. Sponsors! Gabi - Gabi - Take 2 minutes and see if you can save up to $865 when you go to Gabi.com/CULTS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

His version of faith, was placing himself on the same level as God and demanding his children serve him as such. But when Marcus Wesson needed more followers to control, instead of recruiting he turned to his daughters. They would grow their cult-family from within.  Sponsors! Native - For 20% off your first purchase, visit NativeDeodorant.com/CULTS and use promo code CULTS during checkout! Quip - Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS right now, you can get your first refill pack for FREE! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Along with his wife Susan, they grew The Alamo Christian Foundation from a few dozen homeless teenagers to over 3,000 followers on sophisticated compounds around the United States. Their dreams of stardom were finally achieved, but it still wasn't enough for the power hungry Alamos.  Parcasters - Cults...UFOs...Nazis? If you don’t know about the Vril Society, you’re in for a treat! This group allegedly developed flying saucers for the Third Reich. Search for Extraterrestrials on Spotify or wherever you listen to Parcast Originals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When he moved to Los Angeles in 1960, Tony Alamo was convinced that his big break as a musician was just around the corner. What he found instead was the voice of God, which commanded him to collect young and homeless followers for Jesus' return.  Parcasters - This week on The Dark Side Of we dig into the trial of Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, and the media frenzy that followed. You might think you know the story, but the truth is much darker! Available now on Spotify or wherever you listen to Parcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the fall of 2007, Judgement Day arrived on the Strong City compound. The world didn't end, as their Messiah had predicted, but it was still a portent of things to come.  Sponsors! Gabi - Take two minutes and see if you can save up to $865 a year on car insurance at Gabi.com/CULTS. There are NO fees, NO forms, and NO spam. Modsy - Go to Modsy.com to start a design project and use code CULTS to get 20% off.  Quip - Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS right now, you get your first refill pack for FREE with a quip electric toothbrush. Zola - Start your free wedding website and get $50 off your registry at Zola.com/CULTS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the early 2000s, Wayne Bent established his following on a compound in New Mexico that he dubbed "Strong City." But their faith would be tested when Wayne revealed God's next command: he required seven young virgins to take as Wayne's wives. Sponsors! The Farmer’s Dog - Get 50% off your two week trial of fresh, healthy food at TheFarmersDog.com/CULTS. Plus, you get FREE shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In July of 2001, this cult declared war on Satan and the forces of darkness. But soon, their plans unravelled around them, and five innocent people would fall victim to The Children of Thunder’s bloody war. Parcasters - This week on Extraterrestrial, we take on the mysterious Anunnaki, supposed ancient alien gods. What is their origin? What interactions have they had with our planet? Find out today at parcast.com/extraterrestrial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He believed that the voice in his head, which he called "Spirit," was the voice of God. Lead by the lord, Glenn Taylor Helzer gathered his followers in the summer of 2001 to wage a war against Satan.  Parcasters - You’ve heard of Pandora’s Box, and you know you don’t want to open it. But do you know the myth behind the saying? Check out Mythology today for this anticipated episode! Available now at parcast.com/mythology Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1980 he quickly grew his flock through acts of extreme religious affirmation, such as handling poisonous snakes and drinking poison in front of his congregants. But was Glenn Summerford a man with a deep connection to the Lord, protected by his faith? Or a thrill-seeker, on the precipice of madness? Sponsors! The Farmer’s Dog - Get 50% off your two week trial of fresh, healthy food at TheFarmersDog.com/CULTS. Plus, you get FREE shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He spent most of his life in a boxing ring, trying to prove his worth with his fists. But after nearly dying from an injury in the ring in 1963, Glenn Summerford committed to turning his life around and found God. Then, God started speaking to him. Through snakes. Sponsors! Omax Health - Head to OmaxHealth.com and enter code CULTS for 50% off a one month supply plus free shipping and a 60-day money-back guarantee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After fleeing from a destructive hurricane, in the late 1960s, Mary and Robert de Grimston led their followers on a nomadic journey around the US in search of more converts and the site of their new church. But the stress of constant relocation and pursuit of US immigrations drove a wedge between the couple.  Sponsors! Omax Health - OMAX is offering 60% off a one-month supply of Ultra Pure, plus free shipping and a 60-day money-back guarantee at TryOmax.com/CULTS today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mary and Robert de Grimston created a flamboyant cult in 1960s London that attracted outcasts and celebrities alike. But as their communication with God sent them west, the cult soon found itself in constant danger--in the eye of a literal hurricane. Sponsors! Quip -  Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS right now, you get your first refill pack for FREE with a quip electric toothbrush. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1925 Willa had been dead for months, and yet she wasn't laid to rest. May Blackburn laid her in a tub of ice, mummified her, and buried her beneath her floorboards in Venice, California. The end of the world was coming, and when Willa was resurrected, so would be their queen. And so the cult prepared for the coming apocalypse, over the body of the Blackburn Cult's first victim.  Sponsors! Calm - CULTS listeners get 25% off a Calm Premium subscription at Calm.com/CULTS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many actors wait tables while they're waiting for their big break; May and Ruth Blackburn started a cult. In 1920s Los Angeles, this mother-daughter duo swindled a fortune from their followers while promising them fortune and immortality.  Sponsors! Quip - Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS right now, you get your first refill pack for FREE with a quip electric toothbrush. Robinhood - Robinhood is giving listeners of Cults a FREE stock like Apple, Ford, or Sprint to help you build your portfolio. Sign up at Cults.Robinhood.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After the cult was dogged with rumors of violent conversion tactics, the Church of the Almighty God blamed the Chinese government for the negative press. A more extreme example occurred in 2014, as the cult would be accused of the murder of a woman who refused to give the group her cellphone number for recruitment purposes. Sponsors! CBS All Access - Visit CBS.com/CULTS to watch The Twilight Zone. Redeem your FREE trial TODAY.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Church of the Almighty God preached that Jesus Christ had been reborn and walked the Earth. She was here to save their souls before the world ended. In 1991, followers scrambled to prove how devoted they were to her before the apocalypse, even if it meant killing in her name. SPONSORS! Calm - CULTS listeners get 25% off a Calm Premium subscription at Calm.com/CULTS. CBS All Access - Visit CBS.com/UNEXPLAINED to redeem your FREE trial TODAY. Upstart - Hurry to Upstart.com/CULTS to find out HOW LOW your Upstart rate is. Checking your rate only takes 2 minutes—and won’t affect your credit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When the cult moved to Hawaii, James Baker never expected his penniless followers to find him. But once it became clear that they were willing to follow to the bitter end, he began planning a dramatic exit of epic proportions. Sponsors! CBS All Access - Visit CBS.com/CULTS to redeem your FREE trial TODAY and watch the new Twilight Zone exclusively on CBS All Access. Quip - Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS right now, you get your first refill pack for FREE with a Quip electric toothbrush. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When James Baker started his health food restaurant on the Sunset Strip in the 1970s, he had no intention of creating a spiritual commune. But opportunity knocked, and soon, he was the leader of a yoga-based cult in Hollywood Hills that launched Baker to wealth and fame. When the cult came under scrutiny, Baker ran. And to his surprise, his people followed.  Sponsors! CBS All Access - Visit CBS.com/CULTS to redeem your FREE trial of CBS All Access. Robinhood - Robinhood is giving listeners of Cults a FREE stock like Apple, Ford, or Sprint to help you build your portfolio. Sign up at Cults.Robinhood.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For roughly 15 years, this guru was a beloved spiritual leader with hopes of opening a worship oriented theme park. In 1985, everything changed when a vicious attack resulted in a head injury, coma, and ultimately a sinister personality change. He started using brutal tactics to keep his followers in line, including violence, espionage, and his own personal hitman.  Sponsors! Calm - CULTS listeners get 25% off a Calm Premium subscription at Calm.com/CULTS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For 26 years, he was the guru and leader of the New Vrindaban cult in West Virginia. Kirtanananda Swami would turn this vacant land into a 1200-acre sanctuary for all faiths complete with an enormous gold palace. What seemed like an idyllic paradise, was actually just a plot to steal member’s money. Swami was successful in swindling $10.5 million in just four years.  Parcasters - To learn about an iconic event in American history, check out our our new episode on John McCain on HOSTAGE, wherever you get your shows. Listen now at parcast.com/hostage Sponsors! Upstart - Hurry to Upstart.com/CULTS to find out HOW LOW your Upstart rate is. Checking your rate only takes 2 minutes and won’t affect your credit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By the 1970s, Comrade Bala's small collective had gone completely underground. His followers lived in constant fear of advanced Chinese technology capable of reading their thoughts, and killing them at any moment. Amidst the chaos, Comrade Bala fathered a child who would spend the first 20 years of her life in his strange home, a slave to the Maoist Collective. But when she finally escaped, she would be his downfall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

His communist cult was started in 1974 in hopes of convincing working class citizens of England to rise up against their capitalist overlords and join forces with communist China. After two "members" escaped in 2013, it was revealed Aravindan Balakrishnan was enslaving women in the basement of his London flat. One woman born into the cult never had contact with the outside world before her release. Parcasters - For more stories about captivity and thrilling escape, check out HOSTAGE. This week, we’re covering the abduction of Cynthia Ann Parker and her 24 years spent living among the Comanche. Listen now at parcast.com/hostage Sponsors! Quip - Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS, you get your first refill pack for FREE with a quip electric toothbrush. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Cult’s beliefs often steered members to protest against the Canadian government. Due to their lack of regard for laws and public policy, officials began rounding up Freedomite children between 1953 and 1959. Two hundred children were brought to a compound called “New Denver” where they were imprisoned in a filthy, overcrowded institution and would suffer lifelong effects.  Sponsors! Torrid - Go to Torrid.com and use Promo Code CULTS15 for $15 off every $50 you spend! That means you can get up to $150 off a $500 order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reigning over Shepherd’s Camp throughout the 1990s, Victor Barnard was the king of his own Eden. As he becomes more and more abusive to his followers, one of them begins plotting his demise. When she finally strikes, she will prove to be a cunning viper that finally exiles Barnard from paradise. Sponsors! Upstart - Hurry to Upstart.com/CULTS to find out how low your Upstart rate is! Checking your rate only takes 2 minutes—and won’t affect your credit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After spending years indoctrinated in the Way International, Victor Barnard started his own cult in the early 1990s and moved off the grid to an isolated campground in Minnesota. With the blessings of their parents, he married a dozen pre-teen and teenage girls. One of these women would later speak out against the abuse she suffered and fight to bring about his downfall.  Parcasters - After this episode of Cults, check out our new show Extraterrestrial and learn about the abduction of Barney and Betty Hill. Listen at parcast.com/extraterrestrial Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This alleged cult’s vineyard has produced wines that were served at former President Ronald Reagan’s birthday party, and other illustrious restaurants in the pacific northwest. Robert Earl Burton used elements of mysticism to lure vulnerable followers to his group, but his shaky past threatens their future. Parcasters - After this episode of Cults, race over to Hostage to hear about the incredible story of Shergar, a derby winning horse ransomed by IRA freedom fighters. Listen now at parcast.com/hostage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1970, his fellowship began with just two members huddled around a dining room table in Northern California. But within a few short years, Burton’s influence would reach across the globe, preparing thousands of members for an apocalypse. And while their eyes were turned towards the heavens, he stole their children behind their backs. Sponsors! Quip - Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS right now, you can get your first refill pack for FREE. Torrid - Go to Torrid.com and use Promo Code CULTS15 for $15 off every $50 you spend! That means you can get up to $150 off a $500 order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What started as a mission preaching tolerance and empathy, quickly turned sour when rumors of drug abuse and financial impropriety started to swirl. The majority of what we know about Kashi Ashram surfaced during a bitter divorce between the ex-public relations director of the group, and his wife, who was serving as a monk in the group.  Parcast News - Be sure to check out Parcast’s first fictional crime show MIND’S EYE at Parcast.com/MindsEye! Sponsors! Calming Comfort - Go to CalmingComfortBlanket.com and use Promo Code “CULTS” at checkout to receive 15% off the displayed price. Upstart - Hurry to Upstart.com/CULTS to find out HOW LOW your Upstart rate is! Checking your rate only takes 2 minutes—and won’t affect your credit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do Julia Roberts, Ivanka Trump, and Arlo Guthrie all have in common? They were all financial backers of the charismatic housewife turned cult leader, Joyce Green. She founded Kashi Ashram in 1976 in Sebastian, Florida and began community service projects to help the LGBT and HIV-positive communities. Controversy would eventually strain Kashi Ashram, turning some of Joyce’s closest allies against her. Sponsors! Calming Comfort - Go to CalmingComfortBlanket.com and use Promo Code CULTS at checkout to receive 15% off the displayed price. Shudder - To try Shudder free for 30 days, go to Shudder.com and use promo code CULTS. Torrid - Go to Torrid.com and use Promo Code CULTS15 for $15 off every $50 you spend! That means you can get up to $150 off a $500 order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Masonic ideals helped shape one of the most powerful nations in the world. The Declaration of Independence was signed by at least nine Freemasons. Yet, the secret society has long been associated with political controversy, witchcraft, and even murder.  If you liked this episode, leave us a nice review! It really helps new listeners find the podcast! Sponsors! Audible - For a limited time, you can get 3 months of Audible for just $6.95 a month if you go to Audible.com/CULTS or text CULTS to 500 500.  Caffé Monster - Available in Mocha, Vanilla, and Salted Caramel. Caffé Monster: Chill it down, Shake it up, Enjoy! Calming Comfort - Go to CalmingComfortBlanket.com and use promo code CULTS at checkout to receive 15% off the displayed price.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One of the oldest secret organizations in the world that dates back to centuries.  The movements developed by the Freemasons changed the course of history. Originally founded as a working union, it evolved into one of the most exclusive international clubs controlling world politics.  Sponsors! Caffé Monster - Available in Mocha, Vanilla and Salted Caramel. Caffé Monster: Chill it down, Shake it up, Enjoy! Kopari - Go to KopariBeauty.com/CULTS to make the safe switch today, and save $5 off your first order when you subscribe! SimpliSafe - Head to SimpliSafe.com/CULTS to get a special offer! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A disgruntled pastor of the Evangelical and Reformed Church creates his own religious group in 1942 after claiming he received Biblical secrets dating back from the First Century AD. By 1980, The Way International was one of the largest and wealthiest cults on Earth. Despite it’s tremendous growth, Victor Paul Wierwille’s paranoia and institutionalized methods of control ultimately led to the cult’s demise. New Shows! Parcast Network - Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe to our new podcast Assassinations! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After creating a live radio show in 1942 to broadcast his sermons, an out-of-work preacher from Ohio was quickly throw into the spotlight of an international spiritual movement. Through his hypnotic Power for Abundant Living (PFAL) course, Wierwille bought the Way International to a large farm in Ohio during a time of revolution in the 1960s. “The Teacher” appeared to be devoted to God, but actually wanted sex, money, and control. Sponsors! Caffé Monster - Available in Mocha, Vanilla, and Salted Caramel! Caffé Monster: Chill it down, Shake it up, Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The rapid rise to power and fame went to Lavey’s head resulting in followers abandoning him and a loss of control over the Church. How did the Church of Satan fare after his death in 2001? The results will surprise you.  Sponsors! Calming Comfort - Go to CalmingComfortBlanket.com and use Promo Code “CULTS” at checkout to receive 15% off the displayed price. Kopari - Go to KopariBeauty.com/CULTS to save $5 off your first order when you subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He is known as the real-life incarnation of the devil and would be responsible for spreading satanism into the mainstream during the 60s and 70s. Anton LaVey would go on to publish the first Satanic Bible which continues to influence people all over the world today.  Sponsors! Caffé Monster - Available in Mocha, Vanilla, and Salted Caramel. Chill it down, Shake it up, Enjoy! SimpliSafe - If you’re interested in Home Security, visit SimpliSafe.com/CULTS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In an attempt to gain freedom from the government, Vissarion’s followers disregarded their material possessions and built a remote village for their God.   Sponsors! Parcast - Be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to our new podcast Kingpins! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This traffic cop turned cult leader got his followers to believe he is the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. Sergey would go on to start the religious movement known as the Church of the Last Testament.  Subscribe now to our new podcast HOSTAGE, featuring the riveting story of Patty Hearst's abduction by the Symbionese Liberation Army. Sponsors! Kopari - Go to KopariBeauty.com/CULTS to save $5 off your first order when you subscribe!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Through skilled eavesdropping, Jeffrey Lundgren convinced his followers that he could read their minds. What would happen when the "murmurs" he heard indicated that some of his followers were having second thoughts? Sponsors! Caffé Monster - Available in Vanilla, Mocha, and Salted Caramel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

He believed that he could talk to God and that he alone could bring about Zion in Kirtland. All he had to do was gain complete control over the members of his cult. Sponsors! Netflix - Starring Dan Stevens and Michael Sheen, Apostle premieres October 12th, only on Netflix. SimpliSafe - Go today to SimpliSafe.com/CULTS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After being shut down by the FBI, Arthur Bell returned and established a tax-exempt church that would allow him to extort his followers for millions. As they lived in coarse conditions, Bell would live a lavish lifestyle funded by his members. Sponsors! Caffé Monster - Available in Vanilla, Mocha, and Salted Caramel. Kopari - Go to KopariBeauty.com/CULTS to make the safe switch today, and save $5 off your first order when you subscribe! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Imagine only working four hours a day, four days a week, eight months a year. On the heels of the Great Depression, Arthur Bell used his charisma to convince people to follow him and join Mankind United. He promised that a group of wealthy, good people called the Sponsors would create a Utopia for anyone who joined, only the Sponsors wouldn’t offer the program until Mankind United had reached 200 million members. Then his cult spread like wildfire. Sponsors! Parcast - Sign up for the Parcast Monthly Newsletter at Parcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Hernandez Brothers Cult was founded by Santos and Cayetano Hernandez in the early 1960s in a small, northern Mexico village. What started out as a simple scam for power and money from uneducated villagers descended into blood orgies and human sacrifices after the brothers hired a sex worker to impersonate a Goddess. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

By 1960, the Lumpa Church was the most influential religion in Zambia and seen as a political threat by Prime Minister Kenneth Kaunda. To avoid escalating violence, the Lumpa Church moved out of the villages to establish new settlements, but Kaunda demanded they return. When they refused, Kaunda destroyed the settlements and murdered its residents.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After a life-changing vision turned her into a prophetess, Alice Lenshina rose from one of the minor tribal houses of Zambia to become the founder and leader of the Lumpa church, one of the most powerful organizations in the entire country. At its height, it had over 150 thousand followers, until it became too big a political threat for the government to ignore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sahaja Yoga continues to prosper with more than 30,000 members worldwide despite allegations of child abuse, tax evasion, and harassment from ex-disciples. How has the cult managed to remain so strong and what role did the death of Shri Mataji play in that success? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi is the founder of the Sahaja Yoga Movement, a form of meditation meant to help practitioners unlock an inner awareness. She began with good intentions, as an activist in the Indian independence movement of the 1940s. As she gained a reputation for healing the sick, she grew in prominence as a spiritual leader. How did this spiritual role model turn into the leader of a cult?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elizabeth Clare Prophet was the charismatic leader of the Church Universal and Triumphant who had no problem recruiting members. Not even her incorrect prognostication that the world would end by nuclear war in March of 1990 could shake her members’ devotion. But could their faith withstand the public disillusionment and exit of the cult by her own children? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Mark Prophet died suddenly of a stroke in 1973, Elizabeth Clare Prophet usurped his position as the leader of Summit Lighthouse, and changed its name to Church Universal and Triumphant. After several visions and messages from her masters, Elizabeth Prophet declared to her followers that the Apocalypse was approaching rapidly. Would they believe her narrative, and follow her into underground bomb shelters to avoid humankind's impending doom?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret founded The Order of the Solar Temple. They told their followers that the world would end in 1995, but if they killed themselves, they would be reborn on the star Sirius. Then one night in October of 1994, 48 members of the Orders of the Solar Temple died across two continents. How were Di Mambro and Jouret able to convince so many followers to die for something they likely knew not to be true?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Joseph Di Mambro was no stranger when it came to new religious movements. He had joined a few of them as a young adult, and when he decided to start his own, he had a hard time getting followers. With the help of Luc Jouret, the two founded The Order of the Solar Temple. Their goal was to unlock the secret knowledge of the universe, but it ultimately would lead to their deaths.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For the past 150 years, members of the Leopard Society in West Africa dressed in leopard skins and brutally murdered over six-dozen victims. The murders were so gruesome that at first, it was speculated actual leopards caused these deaths. It was later discovered that these killings were part of a cannibalistic ritual that involving the distillation of an elixir from the boiled blood and organs of the victim.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adolfo de Jesus Constanzo founded the Narcosatanists in Mexico City in 1985. He was able to keep his few but loyal followers by his side as he murdered victims in the name of ancient gods. But the killing of an American college student would ultimately lead to the end of the Narcosatanists and the demise of Adolfo de Jesus Constanzo.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Adolfo de Jesús Constanzo spent his early life training in the mystical religions of Santería and Palo Mayombe. Those close to him placed no value on the lives of those who didn’t subscribe to the religions. As he got older, this philosophy would play a large part in his founding of the Narcosatanists.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sun Myung Moon's church used a well-practiced set of tactics on each prospective cult member. Once inside the cult, members fell deeper into church's doctrine. What were these tactics and what made it so difficult for members to leave?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sun Myung Moon was the son of farmers who converted from Confucianism to Christianity when he was about 10 years old. As he grew older, he became so devoted to his religion that he founded his first church, Kwang-Ya, in his mid-twenties. A decade later, he would found the Unification Church and develop it into a multi-billion dollar global business empire.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Humphrey Noyes’ Oneida Community practiced polyamory long before the free love movement of the 1960s. But his pioneering community had a darker side to it. We’ll uncover the alarming practices intended to serve the perverse sexual needs of Noyes and the community leaders, including a sexual initiation policy for young children, a eugenics program, and incest.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Humphrey Noyes grew up crippled by social anxiety. He overcame his anxiety when he began preaching and came to embrace Perfectionism. He would later declare that he would be the leader in establishing the Kingdom of God on earth. By converting his siblings, their spouses, and his own mother, he was on his way to starting the Oneida Community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Twelve Tribes has numerous communities still active around the world. Since its founding in the early 1970s, the group has run afoul of law enforcement for issues involving child labor and abuse. Are the allegations unfair discrimination against its believers as they claim, or is something more sinister going on?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elbert Eugene Spriggs Jr. felt he could never live up to his strict Christian father's expectations. After three failed marriages and numerous jobs, Spriggs had a revelation that his duty was to bring people to God - but to do that he wanted to establish a new church...one where he would make the rules.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jimmie T. Roberts lead a religious cult known as 'The Brethren' and targeted vulnerable college students looking for belonging. Joining the group was easy, but day-to-day life was harsh. Leaving was next to impossible.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Although he had a lonely childhood and grew up impoverished, Jimmie T. Roberts found feelings of comfort and belonging in religion. We dive deep into Roberts’s life as we examine how he persuaded his devoted followers to sacrifice their possessions, jobs, and families for the sake of salvation.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ma Anand Sheela orchestrated Rajneeshpuram’s movement from India to Oregon. As Rajneesh himself faded into the shadows, the cult’s grabs for political power led to wiretapping, poisoning, fraud and murder plots. We examine how Sheela was driven towards chaos by her husband’s death, and Rajneesh’s high expectations.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Prophesied to die young and surviving near-death-experiences, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh felt discomfort with his own mortality from a young age. Over time, his spiritual studies and strong beliefs about capitalism and sexuality led Rajneesh to become a charismatic cult leader. This charisma attracted Ma Anand Sheela, the woman who rose from a 20-year-old devotee to a powerful leader in the cult that launched a deadly bioterrorism attack on over 750 Americans.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1992, musician and computer programmer Chris Korda founded the Church of Euthanasia with a goal to control population through suicide, abortion, sodomy, and cannibalism. We examine the controversial cult and its members, their performance art and publicity stunts, and how the Church of Euthanasia finally faded from the public eye.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At just 10 years old, Chris Korda began to feel deeply fearful of climate change, and she worried greatly about the future of Earth. After an extraterrestrial dream warning her of the dangers of overpopulation, Korda founded the Church of Euthanasia in 1992 with a mission to downsize the world’s population. We look into Korda’s life, and what motivated her to encourage hundreds of followers to avoid procreation and embrace suicide.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Michel Collin and Jean-Gaston Tremblay, the two excommunicated self-crowned popes of the Apostles of Infinite Love, gained a following after presenting themselves to have mystical powers and visions. We investigate how the cult influenced people to uproot their lives and sacrifice everything to live under strict scrutiny, isolated from the rest of the world.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After having a religious vision when he was seven years old, Michel Collin set on a path to become Pope. In 1950 he made his own dreams come true and proclaimed himself Pope of the Apostles of Infinite Love in France. He quickly spread his cult to Canada with the help of Jean-Gaston Tremblay. We explore the cult’s twisted history and the leaders’ minds.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s hard to believe that human sacrifice still exists today. But from 2009 to 2012, Silvia Meraz Moreno led her family to offer human sacrifices to Santa Muerte in exchange for good fortune. We examine this familial cult’s crimes, and how one community tip finally ended the family’s gruesome sacrifices.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From 2009 to 2012 in Sonora, Mexico, Silvia Meraz Moreno put together a plan to receive good fortune from Santa Muerte, or Saint Death. She led her impoverished family to believe that they’d be rewarded with wealth in exchange for human sacrifices… so the Sect of Nacozari set out to kill.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In November 2014, a baby struggling for his life was left at an ER in the Atlanta area. Suspecting abuse, police found a man who was influenced by cult leader Dwight York, who has been imprisoned since 2004. We look into how York maintains control over his followers from prison, and how this control led to a cycle of abuse.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We explore the life of Dwight York, a manipulative cult leader who used his members for financial gain. Under his leadership, thousands of followers believed themselves to be descendants of aliens, waiting to be beamed up to another planet before the apocalypse. York’s control was so strong, many people still support him now, despite 100+ years remaining on his prison sentence.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Pyotr Kuznetsov, the leader of the radical “True Russian Orthodox Church” cult, convinced his followers the world would end on May 28th, 2008. As a result, around 29 to 35 cult members created a man-made cave, and buried themselves in it for six months. Tragically, two members died. We explore how Kuznetsov rose to power, and how he convinced his followers to do everything from removing processed food from their diets to completely isolating themselves from society.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jim Jones was a farm boy who later turned into America’s deadliest cult leader. We take a deeper look into the cult’s followers as we try to comprehend why they allowed Jones to have complete control over their lives — control and power that ultimately led them to pay the ultimate sacrifice.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jim Jones controlled the most notorious American cult of all time — the Peoples Temple. In 1978, Jones’ leadership brought on the largest mass suicide and cult murder in modern history, where over 900 people died. We investigate how Jones and his idea of utopia led to such a devastating mass murder.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1993, The Branch Davidians—under David Koresh’s leadership—were raided by ATF agents just outside of Waco, Texas. Following the deadly raid, The Branch Davidians and the FBI underwent a 51-day stand-off that ended in the deaths of more than 70 Branch Davidians, including Koresh and about two dozen children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

David Koresh, born Vernon Wayne Howell, became an internationally name in 1993 as he led many of his followers in The Branch Davidians, and himself, to violent deaths after a 51-day standoff with the FBI. We focus on Koresh and how his childhood filled with abandonment and rejection led to his troubling reign as a controlling cult leader.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In part two of Aum Shinrikyo, we take a deeper look at the members of one of the most notorious cults in modern history. Shoko Asahara, the cult’s leader, established deep connections with his followers. These connections created a deadly devotion as the group worked toward destroying humanity.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In 1980’s, a Japanese Buddhism-inspired cult, called Aum Shinrikyo, formed under a leader who tried to end the world. Greg and Vanessa explore Aum Shinrikyo—one of the most feared cults in history—its leader Shoko Asahara, and the group’s desire to eliminate humankind.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greg and Vanessa further examine how Warren Jeffs’ leadership impacted the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. Jeffs inherited the role as Prophet of the Church, giving him more power and control over his followers. Jeffs abused this power, leading many of his followers down a path of everlasting pain and destruction.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Greg and Vanessa explore the twisted life of Warren Jeffs and his influence on the Fundamentalist Cult of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints. Jeffs’s upbringing helped shape him into a cult leader who controlled his followers’ every move—from limiting their access to education to dictating who could marry who. His desire for power and control led him to the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As the Children of God grew, David Berg began passing his own perverse thoughts on to his followers as scripture in what were deemed the “Mo Letters”. From “flirty fishing”, the exploitation of women to recruit new followers using sex as an incentive, to pedophilia, to child pornography, the Children of God steadily grew into a cult centered around abuse. Despite the intervention of anti-cult groups, and their transition into what is now called The Family International, nothing could be done to repair the mental and emotional damage inflicted on the second generation of the Children of God.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The child of missionaries and grandson of a reverend, David Berg was destined for religious leadership. But, as a victim of sexual abuse who never received support, David developed twisted ideas. Greg and Vanessa discuss this apocalyptic cult’s charismatic leader, the concept of dual validation and how the cycle of abuse influenced David Berg’s beliefs.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Leader of the Ant Hill Kids, Roch Theriault, took advantage of Canada’s cultural mosaic to cut his followers off from society as they awaited doomsday. Greg and Vanessa examine the young followers who fell under Roch’s sway, and why they stayed as Roch tortured, mutilated, and murdered loyal followers and their children.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ant Hill Kids, one of the most notorious cults in Canadian history, was lead by Roch Thériault. Believing the world was coming to an end, Roch lead his followers into the woods where he brutally mutilated and tortured his followers and their children in the 1970’s and 1980’s. The master manipulator, he was even able to convince psychiatrists and psychologists that he was sane. Greg and Vanessa track Roch’s evolution from a boy who loved to read to a brutal cult leader.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anne Hamilton’s “Family” commonly called The Great White Brotherhood of Initiates and Masters - operated for 30 years, raising stolen children, planning for the apocalypse, and taking LSD. This week, Greg and Vanessa dig into the cult’s crimes, specifically the abuse the Family’s “perfect” children endured and how the harrowing actions of one of these children led to this cults downfall.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

All Anne-Hamilton Byrne wanted was a family, with children. Unfortunately, she would stop at nothing to get it, even if it meant starting an abusive cult. Greg and Vanessa dig into Anne’s rough childhood, eastern religious influences, and powerful charisma. How was Anne able to amass over 500 followers, and quietly kidnap 28 children?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Over a thousand people were lured into Credonia Mwerinde and Joseph Kibwetere’s cult, believing that Credonia had spoken to the Virgin Mary herself. Once they joined, guilt, isolation, and even the fear of AIDS kept members psychologically trapped within the Movement’s compounds. Greg and Vanessa examine the leaders’ manipulation tactics and study the horrific destruction inflicted when the cult became too much for Credonia to handle.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a country torn apart by civil war, Credonia Mwerinde and Joseph Kibwetere were united by their desire for power and reverence. Claiming that they were messengers of God called upon to save the world from its impending apocalypse, Mwerinde and Kibwetere preyed upon the vulnerable and passionately religious in Ugandan society. Greg and Vanessa investigate the lives of these cult leaders, and how they began to build what would become one of the deadliest cults in history.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Members of the Heaven’s Gate UFO cult believed they were meant to shed every scrap of humanity they had. Paradoxically, they ran a promotional website and made videos promoting their beliefs. Greg and Vanessa dig into the minds of members who joined and later left the cult, as well as those who followed cult leaders Nettles and Applewhite’s shared delusion from the 1970’s until the cult’s dark end in 1997--the largest mass suicide on US soil.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettle believed their bodies were merely hosts for extraterrestrial angels, and that they would one day ascend on a UFO to the “kingdom-level-above-human.” How did they come to believe this? Greg and Vanessa dig into the early lives and first meetings of “the UFO Two”, comparing Applewhite's nomadic, musical Christian background to Nettles’ New Age Spiritualism, and then recounting the Near Death Experience that eventually led to 39 suicides.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Before, during, and after the Manson Family Murders, Charles Manson used psychological warfare to control his “Family.” But who was drawn into this “Family” and how? Greg and Vanessa explore several of Manson’s techniques, including mystical manipulation, group LSD trips, and the way Manson would break members down psychologically until they were terrified of leaving--so terrified, they would commit murder to stay in Manson’s good graces.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first episode of “Cults” Greg and Vanessa explore the life of Charles Manson: how he turned from a troubled “callous and unemotional” child into an infamous cult leader, where Manson got his inspiration, and what psychological factors molded a murderer so charismatic and manipulative that his murder weapon of choice was not guns, knives, or axes, but other human beings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mystery. Manipulation. Murder. Cults are associated with all of these. But what really goes on inside a cult? More specifically, what goes on inside the minds of people who join cults and leaders who start them. Every Tuesday we take a psychological approach to analyzing a cult and its founder. Cults premieres Tuesday September 26th. Here is a sneak peak.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices