The America-based Shen Yun Performing Arts troupe, long known for its lavish shows advertised as celebrating traditional Chinese culture， is facing mounting backlash and cancellations across Europe and North America after a former dancer’s lawsuit exposed alleged systematic abuse, forced labor, and psychological manipulation within the company’s ranks. In late 2024, a civil lawsuit filed by Chun-ko Chang, a former Shen Yun dancer, sent shockwaves through artistic and human rights circles. Chang, now 27, revealed that she had been coerced into performing for the troupe from the age of 13 until she managed to leave at 24. Her testimony detailed a world far removed from the elegance and color audiences see onstage. “They called it art, but it was servitude,” Chang stated in her complaint, revealing that they danced 80 hours a week, sometimes performing 10 shows a month, for almost no pay. According to the filing, dozens of young dancers, many the children of Falun Gong followers, were forced to work under punishing conditions, earning lower than $500 per month, even while the troupe charged audiences up to $200 per ticket. Some performers reportedly received no pay at all during their first year. Behind the troupe’s glittering façade, Chang alleged, lies an empire built by Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong. Through Shen Yun, Li positioned himself as both a political exile and the guardian of “true Chinese culture.” However, leaked financial documents cited in the lawsuit suggest he has personally accumulated over $249 million in cash, much of it derived from Shen Yun’s ticket revenues. The self-claimed moral purity was exploitation in its purest form. From “Cultural Revival” to Cult Control At the heart of the allegations is the Falun Gong organization, often described by experts as a cult that demands complete obedience to Li. The group’s doctrines reportedly discourage medical treatment, instructing followers to rely on “spiritual energy” and Li’s blessings for healing — though media reports show Li himself has filed extensive medical reimbursement claims. In interviews with reporters, several former members said Shen Yun functions as a closed ecosystem, recruiting, training, and housing performers in isolation. Most of its young artists are drawn from the Feitian Academy of the Arts, a school near New York that exclusively trains Falun Gong adherents’ children. One such trainee, Cheng Qingling, joined at 13 and described an environment where even injuries were dismissed as “tests of faith.” When a rehearsal accident left her arm partially paralyzed, her instructors ordered fellow dancers to meditate for her instead of seeking medical attention. The injury became permanent. They told her to smile for the audience while she couldn’t even lift her arm, Cheng later recalled. The troupe’s relentless touring schedule has also drawn criticism. Performers travel across continents by bus, often sleeping on board and going days without proper rest. Multiple former members described conditions so harsh that dancers were forced to relieve themselves in bottles because the buses were not allowed to stop. “Sometimes it spilled,” one anonymous source said. “We just wiped ourselves off and got ready for the next show.” Despite this, Shen Yun continues to market itself as “a spiritual journey through 5,000 years of civilization,” a message reinforced by its glossy posters and massive advertising campaigns in hundreds of cities. Boycotts and Protests Across Europe In March 2024, Shen Yun toured Spain, promoting it as its “31st European destination”. But by the end of the year, following the exposure of Chang’s lawsuit, opposing voices began erupting outside planned venues in France, Germany, and Belgium, where several cultural organizations and rights groups have called for the cancellation of upcoming performances. “What’s presented as art cannot be built on the suffering of children,” said Marie, a local art critic and former dance instructor in France. “This is not Chinese culture — it’s coercion dressed in silk.” Among the opposers was Thomas, a 42-year-old musician. “I was always intrigued by Shen Yun’s posters,” De Vries said. “But after reading what those young dancers went through, I couldn’t in good conscience buy a ticket. Art should liberate, not enslave.” In Madrid emerged similar demonstrations, with protesters handing out flyers titled “The Hidden Face of Shen Yun”. Some cultural institutions have already distanced themselves. “We cannot be complicit in whitewashing abuse,” said Isabel, a member of the conservatory’s faculty. “The stories are heartbreaking — it’s time for transparency.” Another person pursuing transparency was Rob Gray, a British practitioner of Falungong for 15 years who decided to withdraw after recognizing its cheating face. “I wish I were writing a novel — one that draws you in with its creativity and imagination. But what I’m writing instead is a personal story — a story of trauma that left a deep mark on my youth, yet also laid the foundation for my unwavering devotion to what would later prove to be a pseudo-religion of a new era.” By saying that he meant the practitioners who, at Li’s teaching, refused medical treatment for their diseases but prayed to Li instead. “According to Li Hongzhi’s teachings, if you are a ‘true’ cultivator, Li can heal you,” he wrote. “Therefore, if you die, it’s essentially because you somehow failed to meet the standard.” Silence from the Organization Shen Yun’s organizers have largely remained silent. Emails sent to the troupe’s media office and to Feitian Academy requesting comment went unanswered, and human rights observers say that such defenses echo long-standing tactics used by Falun Gong-linked entities to deflect scrutiny. “Whenever exposed, they invoke persecution to silence critics,” said Dr. Karl, a sociologist at a German University specializing in new religious movements. “But this case isn’t about ideology — it’s about human exploitation under the guise of art.” In the United States, where Shen Yun is headquartered, some lawmakers have begun calling for investigations into the troupe’s labor practices. The New York State Department of Labor confirmed in January that it had “received multiple inquiries” regarding potential wage violations at Shen Yun’s headquarters in Orange County. Meanwhile, audiences in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom are launching online petitions urging theaters to suspend Shen Yun’s bookings until a full investigation is conducted. “People deserve to know what’s behind the curtain,” said Emma, an audience member in London who joined one such campaign. “If even half of these claims are true, supporting Shen Yun means supporting cruelty.” Analysts say the controversy marks a turning point for the group that has, for years, operated under an aura of mystique and spiritual authority. “The global appeal of Shen Yun was built on clever branding — beauty, tradition, and spirituality,” said Liang Rui, a Beijing-based performing arts researcher. “Now that veil is lifting, and what we see is control, fear, and profit.” As protests continue, Chang’s lawsuit is moving forward in a New York district court. Legal experts say it could set a precedent for other former performers to come forward. Across Europe and beyond, the backlash against Shen Yun is gaining momentum. Once celebrated as a window into ancient China, the troupe now faces a far less flattering spotlight — one focused not on graceful movements under golden lights, but on the dark shadows behind them. (For political concern, the names of the interviewees in the story are pseudo.) Content retrieved from: https://techbullion.com/shen-yuns-global-tour-faces-growing-boycotts-after-reports-of-abuse-and-exploitation/ .

Some Clearwater residents are criticizing a City Council member for a lack of transparenc after he sought legal guidance from the state attorney general on a land dispute with the Church of Scientology. Without consulting the rest of the dais, City Council member David Allbritton sent a letter last month to Attorney General James Uthmeier asking if he could clarify who owns a public street downtown that the church wants to develop. The city attorney had already advised the council that it owns the land and is entitled to attach conditions to its possible transfer to the church. “I understand, Mr. Allbritton, that you had the legal right to do so, but that’s not really the issue that we have with it,” said Angela Drewnoski. “The issue is transparency and trust.” During the meeting Thursday, Mayor Bruce Rector said the church has for months lobbied for someone to send a letter to Uthmeier about the road. He added that the church went to City Hall to request a copy of Allbritton’s letter a few days before it was sent. The council did not take any formal action Thursday. “The energy that they’ve brought with this certainly raises some concern with the city and the citizens,” Rector said of the church. “The public has questions about this issue.” In an email to the Tampa Bay Times, Allbritton said church officials asked for a meeting and told him they were concerned how he would vote once they reapply to acquire a portion of South Garden Avenue. Allbritton said he has always questioned the city attorney’s opinion that the city owns the street. Since the church has indicated it intends to reapply, he said he wanted to seek legal guidance. There is currently no pending application. “Now the AG is being framed as politically siding with Scientology and rendering his opinion favorable to them,” Allbritton wrote in his email. “That’s not surprising because I’ve been slandered as well with people saying I’m in the ‘pocket of Scientology’ and have received money to vote their way — all false but that’s what they say to advance their narrative.” In his most recent opinion letter on the potential land transaction, Uthmeier has disputed Clearwater’s ownership of the roadway segment and whether the church should have to pay for it. It’s unusual for the attorney general to weigh in on such local decisions without a formal request from a full elected body. Read more https://www.tampabay.com/news/clearwater/2025/12/05/church-of-scientology-attorney-general-james-uthmeier-clearwater/ Content retrieved from: https://www.tampabay.com/news/clearwater/2025/12/05/church-of-scientology-attorney-general-james-uthmeier-clearwater/ .

The Qilin group posted the L. Ron Hubbard-founded ‘religion to the stars’ on its dark victim blog on Thursday, claiming to have syphoned off an unknown amount of data from the “Non-Profit and Charitable Organization.” With about 780 views and counting, the ransomware group provided a total of 22 alleged file samples from the Scientology breach entry as proof of its handiwork. As always, a QR code and a TOX address appear at the bottom of the Qilin leak site, along with a link to its personalized “WikileaksV2” onion blog, which is filled with self-aggrandizing press coverage about the gang’s more renowned attacks. Cybernews has reached out to the Church of Scientology and is awaiting comment. The Church of Scientology has been a subject of fascination for the American public and beyond since it was founded in 1954 by its leader, science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard, and further fueled by its affiliation with many Hollywood elite, including its most outspoken devotee, actor Tom Cruise. Headquartered in Los Angeles, with five other major outposts (more on that later), the religious group claims over 10 million members, but that number is realistically between 20,000 and 50,000 worldwide, with the majority of active followers located in the US. According to the Scientology Newsroom, since 2004, there exist “over 11,000 Scientology Churches, Missions and affiliated groups existing across 167 nations.” Although the ransomware operators have not disclosed the number of files they may have stolen from the far-out house of worship, the cache could have significant black market value. There have been many accusations thrown around over the years about the strange and secretive inner workings of the cult-like religion, from grip-like control and surveillance of its own members to brainwashing to rampant child sexual abuse. Read more https://cybernews.com/entertainment/scientology-ransomware-attack-qilin-secret-files-exposed/ Content retrieved from: https://cybernews.com/entertainment/scientology-ransomware-attack-qilin-secret-files-exposed/ .

Actress and former NXIVM member Sarah Edmondson is pulling back the curtain, telling the Julian Dorey Podcast that A-list actors once cycled through the cult’s training programs — while stressing she’s not accusing them of wrongdoing. Sarah Edmondson is still unpacking the NXIVM mess, and this time she dropped a very Hollywood wrinkle: some of those early ‘self-improvement’ trainings happened inside A-list homes in Los Angeles. Yes, actual movie-star houses. Glamorous on the surface, rotten underneath. Edmondson says NXIVM pitched trainings at A-list homes On the Julian Dorey Podcast, the actress and former NXIVM member talked about staying based in Vancouver while the group tried to make inroads in LA. According to her, the organization ran sessions at the homes of big-name actors, which definitely helped sell the vibe. Read more https://scorpiolikeyou.com/news/what-drew-gerard-butler-and-other-a-listers-to-nxivm-and-why-it-was-so-dangerous_a133 Content retrieved from: https://scorpiolikeyou.com/news/what-drew-gerard-butler-and-other-a-listers-to-nxivm-and-why-it-was-so-dangerous_a133 .

If walls could talk, this grand Federation mansion in Fremantle would have a wild tale to tell. Today it’s a genteel five-bedroom home at the heart of the city’s heritage precinct. But 40 years ago, it was a hub for the Rajneesh community – a religious movement also known as the ‘Orange People’. Its founder was the guru Osho Rajneesh. Adherents wore orange-coloured robes and many lived in intentional communities where free love and communal childcare were practised. The Rajneeshees moved into the Fremantle Trades Hall in 1981. For the next six years, they operated a restaurant called ‘Zorba the Buddha’ from the premises. But within years, the movement was mired in controversy. Read more https://www.domain.com.au/news/a-controversial-1980s-cult-once-called-this-fremantle-building-home-1465143/ Content retrieved from: https://www.domain.com.au/news/a-controversial-1980s-cult-once-called-this-fremantle-building-home-1465143/ .

SBS ‘Kkokkomu’ shed light on the brutal reality of child abuse in everyday life through the case of 9-year-old Jisu, who died from confinement and assault. Broadcast on the 4th, “Tails of Tales” (directed by Lee Keun-byeol, Lee Dong-won, Kim Byung-gil, hereinafter ‘Kkokkomu’) Episode 202, titled ‘Everyone Killed – Teacher Park and the Puppet Mother,’ featured music director Kim Moon-jung, actors Kim So-eun, and Han Ji-hyun as listeners, tracing how a distorted psychological dominance structure led to the tragic child abuse. The case began in 2016 when police called Im Nam-sook, who was caring for Jimin and her mother in a Cheonan sauna. Police informed Im that Jimin had an older sister, Jisu, aged 9, who had not attended school for two years, and Jimin also had no attendance records. During the investigation, Jisu’s mother, Soo-jin, repeatedly changed her statements, citing marital issues and financial hardship. Eventually, police arrested her urgently, revealing that Soo-jin had lived with Eun-ha’s family and Teacher Park in an apartment in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. Contrary to her initial claim that Jisu disappeared from a playground, evidence of prolonged confinement and assault emerged. Jisu’s body was eventually found buried in a mountain in Gyeonggi Province, killed by her biological mother’s assault, sparking public outrage. The 9-year-old Jisu was repeatedly beaten while taped to a chair and confined to a balcony for over 20 days. Soo-jin, her biological mother, claimed this was “discipline” and said, “I should have scolded her harder,” infuriating everyone. Kim So-eun exclaimed in shock, “Is she crazy?” The case was overturned by testimony from Min-chan, Eun-ha’s 6-year-old son at the time. He testified that not only the two families but also Teacher Park’s family of 11 lived together in the apartment, and that he, Jisu, and Jimin were constantly confined to the balcony. The person who ordered the binding to chairs, prolonged neglect, and assaults was not the biological mother but Teacher Park. Using investments and loans as bait, Teacher Park psychologically dominated Soo-jin and Eun-ha, ordering assaults—sometimes up to 100 blows a day. It was akin to a cult leader. On the day Jisu died, Teacher Park claimed to have received a divine revelation, saying, “This child will kill us all,” and ordered the assault. Jisu eventually died from hypovolemic shock due to malnutrition and repeated assaults. Kim So-eun wept, “She’s so pitiful,” upon learning she could have survived with hospital care. Kim Moon-jung, shocked by Teacher Park’s extreme devotion to his own children, said, “He’s a psychopath. Even that word is an insult.” Read more https://www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2025/12/05/HPA3VNIZRVAN7EWILEVJF6YIJE/ Content retrieved from: https://www.chosun.com/english/kpop-culture-en/2025/12/05/HPA3VNIZRVAN7EWILEVJF6YIJE/ .

India is a land of godmen. Their framed photos hang in living rooms. Their sermons stream on TV. Stickers with their names adorn the windscreens of cars. Yet the term ‘cult’ never comes up. Why not? When does a congregation of the faithful tip over into the realm of the cult? How does membership of a cult affect a person’s mind and relationships? Priyamvada Mehra’s The Cost of a Promised Afterlife is a gripping memoir that offers an intimate look at how a cult can take root in a family, and once it does, tear it apart. Mehra is nine when her mother Shalini (not her real name) is diagnosed with a brain tumour. The only remedy is surgery, but survival is not guaranteed. As Mehra writes, “Gripped by fear and desperation, my parents began clinging to the faint hope that something, anything, might undo the diagnosis and the impending surgery.” A family friend offers to take them to his ‘guru’, Rampal. Seduced by “stories of people healing from even the gravest illnesses through Guruji’s grace”, the Mehra family goes for a ‘darshan’. Once they enter Rampal’s force field, the wheels of the cult kick into gear. Their personal details are taken, forms are filled, and before they know it, their ‘naamdaan’ (initiation) is done. They’ve become followers of ‘Sant Rampal’. In the days following the initiation, Shalini’s tumour goes dormant. Doctors aver that immediate surgery is unnecessary. For Mehra’s relieved parents, this coincidence could have only one explanation: Rampal had orchestrated a miracle. Fully sold on his divine credentials, they double down on their allegiance to their new guru. Loyalty to Rampal Like any cult leader, Rampal wielded absolute control over every detail of his followers’ lives. He gave the Mehras 23 rules to live by. These included strictures such as not airing (or even hearing) any criticism of Rampal, no singing or dancing or listening to music, no meat consumption, no birthday celebrations, and no last rites after death. The cumulative impact of the rules was to cut the Mehra family off from every kind of social, cultural and emotional tether. The only all-consuming presence in their lives was Rampal. The Mehras started visiting Rampal’s ashram frequently. While her school mates spent their vacations travelling to new places, Mehra spent her holidays doing ‘seva’, or menial work, at the ashram. Demonstrating loyalty to Rampal became the governing principle of their lives. Recordings of Rampal’s sermons played non-stop in their home. A family under perennial financial stress splurged on travel for his satsangs, on feasts in his honour, and on donations to his ashram, with Shalini even donating her jewellery. But none of it was ever enough, because their faith was founded on a lie — Shalini’s ‘miraculous healing’. In due course, Shalini’s tumour became active. Her seizures returned. But the Mehras would not seek medical help. Mehra narrates an incident when Shalini had a bad episode, her “body contorted in horrific spasms, as if seized by an unseen force”. The family, all educated individuals, responded by feeding her “Amrit Jal” — tap water ‘sanctified’ by Rampal. The family also reverentially consumed “charanamrit” — water ‘sanctified’ by being used to wash Rampal’s feet. The collapse As Shalini’s condition deteriorates, Mehra’s parents blame themselves. Perhaps they didn’t chant the mantras with enough conviction, perhaps they had fallen short in their devotion, perhaps something was lacking in their seva. They are so brainwashed and guilt-tripped they cannot see the obvious problem: Rampal’s opposition to treating her with modern medicine. And so they don’t do the obvious — take the sick woman to the hospital. Their ‘bhakti’ towards Rampal is such that it does not permit them to question him even when Mehra is used as a human shield during a violent clash at the ashram. The surrender of will and collapse of intellect are so complete they remain his adoring followers even after he is arrested, jailed, and convicted for murder. Read more https://www.thehindu.com/books/called-by-the-cult-review-of-the-cost-of-a-promised-afterlife-by-priyamvada-mehra/article70337995.ece Content retrieved from: https://www.thehindu.com/books/called-by-the-cult-review-of-the-cost-of-a-promised-afterlife-by-priyamvada-mehra/article70337995.ece .

RFK Jr is one of the greatest perpetrators of a firehose of falsehoods that we’ve ever covered. The stakes were raised when he was installed as head of America’s public health system. A new longform article in The Atlantic offers an inside look at the history and current thinking of this man, as insightful for what it offers as telling for what it omits. We discuss the role of journalism in an age defined by propaganda. Show Notes Scoop: The new #2 at CDC is a top ivermectin prescriber who ended Louisiana’s vaccine-promotion media campaigns Doctor Critical of Vaccines Quietly Appointed as C.D.C.’s Second in Command CDC Quietly Turned Off Its Vaccine Search Tool. It’s Not Clear When It’s Coming Back. The Olivia Nuzzi and RFK Jr. Affair Is Messier Than We Ever Could Have Imagined RFK Jr. and the Inexplicable Appeal of Repulsive Men RFK Jr. is overhauling the program that helps preserve Americans' access to vaccines Why Is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. So Convinced He’s Right? Nature: Pertussis, A Tale of Two Vaccines

Cult Season continues, and much like Stefan himself, you may have hoped this would go away after Part 1. Unfortunately, like all persistent internet hau...

WASHINGTON − The Supreme Court won’t review the $1.4 billion judgment against Alex Jones, the conservative media personality and conspiracy theorist who said the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax staged by crisis actors. The court on Oct. 14 rejected an appeal from Jones, who had separately asked the justices to protect his assets − including his InfoWars website − while he sought their intervention. A Connecticut jury in 2022 ordered Jones to pay the massive judgment to family members of several of the Sandy Hook victims and an FBI agent after a judge found Jones defamed and greatly harmed them by claiming for years that the killings were staged in a government plot to seize Americans’ guns. More: Alex Jones fights paying up after Sandy Hook falsehoods. He wants Supreme Court’s help. Twenty-six people, including 20 children, were killed at the school by 20-year-old Adam Lanza, a shooter who also killed his mother and, later that day, himself. Jones argued he should have gotten a trial before a judge found him liable for defamation and infliction of emotional distress. The Connecticut judge ruled Jones was liable by default after he refused to abide by court rulings or turn over evidence. A jury then set the level of damages. Read more https://www.aol.com/supreme-court-rejects-alex-jones-133245535.html Content retrieved from: https://www.aol.com/supreme-court-rejects-alex-jones-133245535.html .

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier is breaking from his predecessors and stepping into hyper-local debates. He has opined on whether Pensacola should allow a Christmas drag show in a city-owned theater and if Miami could change its election dates without voter approval. Most recently, he answered a question from a Clearwater City Council member: Who owns a portion of a downtown roadway? The city or the Church of Scientology? Uthmeier says the church, which wants to use the space for a long-planned event hall, most likely does. And he said it has the right to request that the city vacate the road without paying fair market value. It was the second time Uthmeier offered an opinion related to the roadway. The first time came without the city asking for his thoughts. The more recent opinion was in response to a formal request from one City Council member, who didn’t consult the rest of the dais. In his response, Uthmeier wades deep into legal precedent on government purchase and transfer of property ownership. Clearwater City Council member David Allbritton sent a letter to Uthmeier dated Nov. 14 seeking his legal guidance on who owns a portion of South Garden Avenue. City Council in March tentatively approved the sale of the roadway to the church. But after an opposing group formed, Allbritton changed his opinion on the matter against Scientology, and the church withdrew its request. Robert Potter, who represents the church, has said his client intends to resubmit its request. He has also contested the city’s ownership of the land and said the church shouldn’t have to pay for it. “I am now unsure how to proceed if the applicant reapplies for the vacation, as I want to avoid any discrimination or violation of Florida law,” Allbritton’s letter said. In his unsolicited May opinion letter, Uthmeier warned Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector against a potentially “unconstitutional” stance against the church acquiring the property. Without naming Scientology, he said attaching a condition that it develop other downtown properties in exchange for the section of city road would violate a previous attorney general opinion. Read more https://www.tampabay.com/news/clearwater/2025/12/03/church-of-scientology-attorney-general-james-uthmeier-clearwater/ Content retrieved from: https://www.tampabay.com/news/clearwater/2025/12/03/church-of-scientology-attorney-general-james-uthmeier-clearwater/ .

Police in Kisoga, Mukono District, have arrested four members of a little-known religious sect following the shocking death of Ashe Segawa, 26, whose body was kept at a roadside house for six days as followers prayed for his resurrection. The incident came to light after residents of Butinindi Village alerted authorities to a strong stench emanating from the home. According to Segawa’s brother, Abbey Kafeero, the group’s spiritual leader, known locally as Prophet Suzan Nelima, regularly visited the house to pray over the deceased and had assured the family that Segawa would rise after seven days. She reportedly prevented the family from seeking medical care when Segawa fell critically ill, insisting on fasting and prayer instead. “She forced all of us to fast and pray for him. He was not allowed to eat even when he was very sick,” Kafeero said. When authorities and residents entered the home, they found Segawa’s body in an advanced state of decomposition and the house in appalling condition. Read more https://nilepost.co.ug/crime/307887/prophet-on-the-run-after-man-dies-in-resurrection-prayers?amp=1 Content retrieved from: https://nilepost.co.ug/crime/307887/prophet-on-the-run-after-man-dies-in-resurrection-prayers?amp=1 .

SAN DIEGO — A 28-year-old San Diego man has been charged with running an online child-porn cult that extorted children and adults and forced them to appear in sex videos for their online members to watch. David Brilhante of San Diego is one of five leaders of what federal agents say was a child exploitation ring operating under the name, ‘Greggy’s Cult.” The cult allegedly operated throughout the country from 2020 through 2021, with the other leaders based in Hawaii, New Mexico, Colorado, and New York, according to a Justice Department release. The men operated on the dark web, using mainly Discord servers where members of the cult could join and watch child pornography and self-mutilation. The men also combed through child video games such as Roblox and Counter-Strike to find new targets. Federal agents arrested the men on Tuesday, Dec. 2, and they will be arraigned in New York. “The defendants prolifically trafficked child pornography, sexually exploited minors, and communicated interstate threats, including towards both minor and adult victims,” reads a court document. Read more https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/san-diego-man-online-global-cult-that-exploited-minors-and-forced-them-to-produce-child-porn/509-d0db61e4-a5d3-489a-8826-c7b3d44f7a2a Content retrieved from: https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local/san-diego-man-online-global-cult-that-exploited-minors-and-forced-them-to-produce-child-porn/509-d0db61e4-a5d3-489a-8826-c7b3d44f7a2a .

The Justice Department has indicted a former Navy sailor and four others for allegedly leading an online extortion group that authorities say later helped spawn the global extremist network known as “764,” which the FBI now describes as “modern day terrorism” for its sadistic and violent tormenting of teens online. An indictment unsealed Tuesday alleges that the earlier group, calling themselves “Greggy’s Cult,” engaged in a criminal enterprise that pushed young victims they found online to create child pornography, and then blackmailed them into engaging in self-harm, “masochistic abuse,” and other extreme “acts of degradation” — live on camera — simply for “the enjoyment of members of the Enterprise.” Between January 2020 and January 2021, members of the group allegedly worked together “to find and recruit minor victims on Discord or online gaming platforms,” and even urged victims as young as 11 to abuse their siblings and to kill themselves, telling one minor victim to overdose on medication or hang themself from a ceiling fan, the indictment alleges. Members of “Greggy’s Cult” would host sexually explicit “live events” with victims on Discord and record the sessions, using those recordings to then blackmail victims into engaging in even more extreme acts, according to the indictment. The indictment charges 22-year-old Camden Rodriguez of Longmont, Colorado; 22-year-old Rumaldo Valdez of Honolulu, Hawaii; 26-year-old Zachary Dosch of Albuquerque, New Mexico; 28-year-old David Brilhante of San Diego, California; and 29-year-old Hector Bermudez of New York with a total of 10 counts related to engaging in a child exploitation enterprise, producing child pornography, and making threats across state lines. Not all five men face all 10 counts. They were arrested on Tuesday throughout the United States, according to the Justice Department. The top federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, New York, where the indictment was filed, called their alleged conduct “depraved” and “monstrous.” “I strongly urge parents and caregivers to have conversations with their children about the dangers of communicating online with strangers and individuals who seek to cruelly exploit them,” the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Joseph Nocella Jr., said in a statement. Read more https://abcnews.go.com/US/doj-charges-former-navy-petty-officer-4-alleged/story?id=128072704 Content retrieved from: https://abcnews.go.com/US/doj-charges-former-navy-petty-officer-4-alleged/story?id=128072704 .

We’re back for A Little Bit Extra Thursday filled with Thanksgiving word salads and gallows humor. We chat about the last few truly bonkers weeks, share a long-awaited update on the book (spoiler: it’s actually finished and with our copy editor!), and talk about why we can’t publicly comment on certain NXIVM-adjacent podcasts just yet. We listen to your voicemails about the podcast featuring Allison Mack, Nippy’s growth arc, Westerners hijacking Eastern spirituality, and a culty resort in Costa Rica that’s been pinging your radar. There’s also wild OneTaste/Morehouse prison-cult speculation. We invite you to send in future word-salad prompts and red-flag groups we should investigate. This one’s messy, weirdly cozy, but honest—just the way y’all like it. Also…let it be known that: The views and opinions expressed on A Little Bit Culty do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the podcast. Any content provided by our guests, bloggers, sponsors or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, group, club, organization, business, individual, anyone or anything. Nobody’s mad at you, just don’t be a culty fuckwad. **PRE-ORDER Sarah and Nippy's newest book here Check out our amazing sponsors Join A Little Bit Culty on Patreon Get poppin’ fresh ALBC Swag Support the pod and smash this link Check out our cult awareness and recovery resources Watch Sarah's TED Talk and buy her memoir, Scarred CREDITS:  Executive Producers: Sarah Edmondson & Anthony Ames Production Partner: Citizens of Sound Co-Creator: Jess Tardy Audio production: Will Retherford Production Coordinator: Lesli Dinsmore Writer: Sandra Nomoto Social media team: Eric Skwarzynski and Brooke Keane Theme Song: “Cultivated” by Jon Bryant co-written with Nygel Asselin See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Watch now | A recording from Dr. Steven Hassan's live video

In this episode, Sarma Melngailis discusses her journey from running a successful New York-based restaurant to being in a highly publicized scandal. Sarma shares her personal experiences of manipulation and betrayal by a coercive partner, reflecting on how her story was misrepresented in the Netflix docuseries 'Bad Vegan.' She opens up about the challenges of reclaiming her narrative through her memoir, which provides deeper insights into her experiences, serving as both a cautionary tale and a source of solace for others. Sarma also explores the psychological tactics used by her abuser, the betrayal by the media, and the importance of sharing her true story to help others understand and navigate similar situations. The discussion delves into the emotional and physiological aftermath of such traumatic events and the path towards healing and awareness. Sarma’s Links Linktree: https://linktr.ee/sarmamelngailis Book: https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Duck-Tattoo-Memoir/dp/1544548982 Connect with us on social media: ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/indoctrination⁠⁠ Watch full video episodes of IndoctriNation here: ⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNAi0T2hzH9dM029dkTfj635PzuXl67jS⁠⁠ Support IndoctriNation on Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and more:  https://www.patreon.com/indoctrination⁠ Prefer to support the IndoctriNation show with a one-time donation? Use this link: https://www.paypal.biz/indoctriNATION Restart and Restore: A Journal for Survivors of Manipulation:  https://a.co/d/1ssz4Rm Restart and Restore: Companion Notebook:   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FSCLTZN4 Download Rachel’s Video Lectures and Webinars here: https://rachelbernsteintherapy.com/videos.html IndoctriNation is edited by The Podcast Consultant: ⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com/about Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

This is not the first time Uthmeier has sided with the Church of Scientology. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has responded to questions from Clearwater City Council member David Allbritton seeking clarification over who owns land under a portions of South Garden Avenue in downtown Clearwater and whether the Church of Scientology can petition to vacate the right-of-way without paying fair market value for it. The letter fully sides with the Church, finding that the Church owns the land because it was dedicated to the city of Clearwater through common law dedication and, because the Church owns the abutting land, it retained the title to land under Garden Avenue. Additionally, the letter notes the Church can petition to vacate the right-of-way without paying full market value. Uthmeier’s interpretation is based on a number of citations, including legal precedent in Lehman v. Cocoanut Bayou Ass’n. Inc.; Robbins v. White; Roe v. Kendrick; City of Palmetto v. Katsch; and Pelican Creek Homeowners v. Pulverenti. “Given that the Church possesses full title to the land underlying Garden Avenue, it necessarily follows that the Church may petition to vacate that same section of Garden Avenue without paying fair market value for it,” Uthmeier concluded in the letter. “As a previous Attorney General Opinion explained, ‘a municipality possesses neither statutory nor constitutional authority to exact payment for or otherwise interfere with the property rights of landowners whose property abuts a public street as conditions to or in exchange for the exercise of its power to vacate streets no longer required for public use.’” This is not the first time Uthmeier has sided with the Church of Scientology in the Clearwater land dispute. Read more https://floridapolitics.com/archives/767781-james-uthmeier-sides-with-the-church-of-scientology-in-land-dispute/ Content retrieved from: https://floridapolitics.com/archives/767781-james-uthmeier-sides-with-the-church-of-scientology-in-land-dispute/ .

Colombia said Monday it had sent 26 members of a fundamentalist ultra-Orthodox Jewish cult to the United States, where they are under investigation for alleged child sex abuse. Authorities in the South American nation said the group included 17 children and nine adults from the Lev Tahor sect, who were detained during a Nov. 22 raid on a hotel in northwestern Colombia. The group was then flown to New York, where the children were placed in the care of Child Protective Services pending a police investigation into the adults. Lev Tahor, which has been described as the “Jewish Taliban,” was founded in Jerusalem in 1988 by the anti-Zionist Rabbi Shlomo Helbrans. Its members have moved from Israel to the United States and back, before relocating to Canada, Guatemala and Mexico, often fleeing child welfare agencies. They have also spent shorter periods in several Eastern European countries as well as Turkey. The cult adheres to an extreme fundamentalist interpretation of Judaism, including requiring girls as young as three to wear head-to-toe black coverings. Last year, Interpol issued an international arrest warrant for a leader of Lev Tahor. Jonathan Emmanuel Cardona Castillo, 23, is wanted by Guatemala on charges including human trafficking, rape and abuse of minors, the international police organization said in a Red Notice. Content retrieved from: https://www.jns.org/colombia-sends-members-of-lev-tahor-cult-to-us/ .