Cults

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