Cult News

Journalist Sarah Berman and podcaster Ashley Ray talk about the new three-part series about a TikTok dance cult.

In 2007, four members of a doomsday cult, Chantelle McDougall, her daugther Leela McDougall, Antonio Konstantin Popic and Gary Felton, disappeared from the small picturesque town of Nannup in WA’s southwest.

The ‘Dahn World’ group worship the deity Mago, regarded as the Goddess Of The Universe. Interestingly, one of HYBE’s girl groups, Gfriend, released a song titled ‘Mago’, serving as their last single before disbandment.

Maria worries she’s lost her daughter. Like thousands of other Australians, she’s been recruited into a group that promises meaning and belonging, but in fact turns members’ lives upside down.

None of them realized they were in a cult until it was too late. By the time it shattered in February of 1997, most of the group’s members had lost their individual identities and many of their worldly possessions.

"I’d be made to dance and undress in front of the camera. I learnt quickly that if I cried, I’d be taken off camera. I was then punished, but it was worth it to avoid being filmed."

Save The Children have stepped in to try and protect an estimated 1,500 children who are living among the cult on a remote island and said to be facing forced marriages and sexual abuse

BBC documentary about the "life coaching" cult.

The founder of OneTaste, Nicole Daedone, pleaded not guilty to allegations that she coerced, manipulated, and abused members in a forced labor scheme.

Kenyan government agencies should have been able to prevent the deaths by starvation of more than 200 members of a Christian cult, President William Ruto has said, adding that he takes responsibility…

What started in 1975 with the disappearance of 20 people from a small town in Oregon, ended in 1997 with the largest suicide on US soil and changed the face of modern new age religion forever.

Andrew Cohen was one of the most notorious gurus in recent history. His organization, EnlightenNext, collected millions of dollars from devotees. But soon stories emerged of psychological abuse, extortion and coercive control

Seduced follows India Oxenberg's abuse and her own culpability inside the NXIVM cult, an organization marketed as a self-help group.

The actor is accused of grooming young girls and women for sex as leader of a cult known as The Circle.

Accused Arizona polygamist cult leader Samuel Rappylee Bateman allegedly had 20 wives, many of whom were minors and possible included his own daughter, the FBI alleges.

The YamatoQ group has been waging a campaign against Covid-19 inoculations in Japan, claiming ‘vaccination is an act of murder’ and that the coronavirus doesn’t exist.

Secret spreadsheets, undercover tactics and ‘brainwashing’ are just some of the controversial methods used by the group in Aotearoa.

"It gave me the strength to face what happened to my mother and have a deeper understanding of the past too."

Concern grows over Church of Almighty God luring people in Catholic-majority East Nusa Tenggara province

A new ‘Insider’ exposé contains more shocking allegations against the actor, whose upcoming Warner Bros. film ‘The Flash’ is still scheduled for release.

Rick Ross has dedicated his career to rescuing people from cults. Here’s how he works

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary, a cult is a “religious group, often living together, whose beliefs are considered extreme

Shinzo Abe’s assassination has drawn scrutiny of the work of the controversial Unification Church

It was a little awkward in January 1899 when the Son of God died near Bridgwater, considering he was supposed to be immortal. Several soul brides…

AN apocalyptic cult leader who was jailed for the sex abuse of ‘virgin’ teens has given his chilling “final words” saying he is the “Son of God” and the world wi…

Amy Carlson’s remains were found blue from decomposing. Her Love Has Won cult followers had built a shrine for her decaying body with rotting eyes and wrapped her in lights

The church also operates a location in Tumwater, according to former members.

People of Praise is a self-described “charismatic Christian community” and encompasses a variety of churches.

The Daily Beast interviewed 25 former followers of Ohio-based Dwell, and they paint a disturbing picture of the church’s “spiritual teachings.”

The topic of cults is arising with more frequency, along with brainwashing, referring to one suite of techniques those institutions may use to attract and retain members.

Aravindan Balakrishnan, 81, called himself Comrade Bala and brainwashed the women, including his daughter Katy Morgan-Davies, into thinking he had godlike powers.

The family members, including an 8-year-old girl, died after cops showed up to their apartment in the picturesque Swiss city of Montreux on Lake Geneva.

Robert I. Shinn is the founder of 7M films and is also a pastor of Shekinah Church. The family of one of his biggest TikTok stars, Miranda Derrick, say he is running a cult and brainwashing youngsters.

Robin Murphy, convicted in an alleged cult murder, could be paroled. Rep. Alan Silvia wants her to stay in prison.

Diane Sawyer hosts “The Cult Next Door: The Mystery and Madness of Heaven’s Gate,” about the cult that had roots in Oregon and ended with a horrific mass suicide.

Twelve Tribes followers take pains to present an innocuous front to outsiders. They attract new members with a folksy peace-and-love, all-are-welcome message, but underneath that hollow promise of …

The mysterious deals could reshape downtown Clearwater.

The Twelve Tribes, a controversial religious group and alleged cult that has been engulfed in allegations of abuse, kidnapping and murder, is set to be the subject of a new docuseries.

A “meshulach” going door to door raising money in Crown Heights has possibly been identified by a community member as a prominent member of the Lev Tahor cult.

Andre Ruddock, who has been implicated in the murder of a woman during a deadly church ritual in St James last year, is to return to court on March 4 when details of his forensic psychiatric evaluation are reportedly to be disclosed to the court.

The Turkish televangelist Adnan Oktar has been sentenced to 1,075 years in prison for crimes including torture and the sexual abuse of some of his female followers

‘Cosmic Dawn’ isn’t your average sci-fi story that’s rooted in make-believe; this is based on director Jefferson Moneo’s lived experience.

Keith Scott says January 6, 2021, was “the greatest day” of his life.

Jennifer Zamparelli spoke with Faith Jones, a woman who survived membership of a cult named The Children of God. (turn off adblocker)

Nearly twenty-five years have passed and we’re all still perplexed by the matching Nike sneakers. Yet, the late 90s fashion is only one piece in the impossible puzzle which is the Heaven’s Gate cult.

The group are likely to have been inspired by asexual Japanese artist Mao Sugiyama who had his penis and testicles surgically removed in 2012 to serve it to guests.

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‎Society & Culture · 2018