In August 1953, in the aftermath of the Korean War, Robert Jay Lifton’s wife called to tell him about the repatriation of some US soldiers from a Chinese prison. There were reports that the freed soldiers were returning muted and confused, and that some were espousing the beliefs of their communist captors. Lifton, then a US air force psychiatrist stationed in Hong Kong, requested to be assigned to their medical team. “The average repatriate was dazed, lacked spontaneity, spoke in a dull, monotonous tone,” he later reported. They were “tense, restless, clearly suspicious” of their new surroundings and showed little enthusiasm on being reunited with friends and family. Lifton had been planning to return to the US for “the serious business of psychoanalytic training” but now he was reluctant to leave Asia. He was struck by the intensity of the subjects’ accounts, one of whom insisted that the sheer psychological power of the communists could only be the result of “an alliance with demons”, and wanted to learn more. He decided to stay and study the phenomenon, ultimately conducting over a thousand hours of interviews with western and Chinese subjects, and publishing his first major work, Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of “Brainwashing”. This expertise would be called on again years later during the trial of the abductee-turned-bank robber Patty Hearst. Lifton, acting as an expert witness for the defence, found that Hearst exhibited behaviour typical of “thought reform” subjects, explaining in an article on the trial that almost anyone can be psychologically broken down “without too much difficulty” by a motivated captor: “It is quite disturbing to consider how fragile an instrument the mind can be.” The disturbing quarters of psychology were Lifton’s chief concern over a psychiatric career in which he confronted the greatest atrocities of the 20th century and sought to decipher the human behaviours that facilitated them. Through his “psychohistorical” approach to events including the Holocaust, Hiroshima and the Vietnam War, Lifton attempted to extricate the principles of psychoanalysis from the insular worlds of self and family, applying them to whole societies and the flow of history itself. Read more https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/robert-jay-lifton-obituary-psychiatrist-who-studied-brainwashing-6qcjjgz2z Content retrieved from: https://www.thetimes.com/uk/obituaries/article/robert-jay-lifton-obituary-psychiatrist-who-studied-brainwashing-6qcjjgz2z .

After serving time in jail, actor Allison Mack opens up about her experiences in a group with links to sex trafficking. Plus, a deep dive into Jane Austen. Smallville actor Allison Mack is best known these days for the part she played in the NXIVM sex cult (HBO’s series The Vow offers a comprehensive primer). Fresh from a prison sentence for racketeering, is she somebody who should be platformed on a podcast? Gladly. Natalie Robehmed’s CBC series asks difficult questions, as it considers whether Mack was a victim, perpetrator, or somewhere in between. Hannah J Davies Widely available, episodes weekly See https://open.spotify.com/show/5asD2sDYXsiUCtYi7VUO49 Content retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/nov/17/allison-mack-nxivm-sex-cult-best-podcasts-of-the-week .

When we talk about cults, we tend to picture the classic images: a doomsday group in the desert, or a fringe religious sect that feels totally disconnected from everyday life. But here in Australia, cults are a current and pressing issue in our communities. So much so that the Victorian Parliament has now launched an inquiry into cults and other coercive groups. In today’s podcast, you’re going to hear from Clare Heath-McIvor. She established an advocacy organisation called the Survivors of Coercive Cults and High-Control Groups after she left behind the life she was born into -a high-control group in eastern Victoria. Hosts: Elliot Lawry and Emma GillespieGuest: Clare Heath-McIvor, Co-Founder of Survivors of Coercive Cults and High-Control GroupsProducer: Orla Maher Listen to the podcast https://thedailyaus.com.au/podcast/does-australia-have-a-cult-problem Content retrieved from: https://thedailyaus.com.au/podcast/does-australia-have-a-cult-problem .

This episode is sponsored by Betterhelp. What happens when the pursuit of female pleasure blurs into high-pressure sales, psychological control, and a federal criminal trial? In this two-part episode, we’re joined by journalist Ellen Huet for a candid dive into the rise and fall of OneTaste and the controversial practice of orgasmic meditation. Ellen unpacks how a wellness company promising sexual healing and empowerment became a high-control, high-demand group, luring seekers with mindfulness and “goalless” pleasure, then pushing boundaries, demanding loyalty, and turning taboo into currency.  We covered OneTaste’s celebrity endorsements, culty sales tactics, the “bait-and-switch” of so-called sexual liberation, and the subtle ways a quest for growth can lead to manipulation. Ellen also shared the behind-the-scenes story of her reporting: from her first incredulous meetings through years of deep-dive investigation, to witnessing the courtroom drama firsthand. If you thought you understood “sex cults,” this conversation will bend your notions, shift your Overton window, and leave you thinking twice about what empowerment really means. Stay tuned for part two, where legal fireworks and even wilder revelations take center stage. Be sure to read Ellen’s book, Empire of Orgasm: Sex, Power, and the Downfall of a Wellness Cult , and follow her on Instagram , X , or Bluesky . 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 SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS: This month, don’t wait to reach out. Whether you're checking in on a friend, or reaching out to a therapist yourself, Betterhelp makes it easier to take that first step. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/culty . Don’t let financial opportunity slip through the cracks. Use code CULTY at monarch.com in your browser for half off your first year. Calm your mind, change your life. Calm has an exclusive offer just for listeners of our show– get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription at calm.com/culty . This is an amazing value. Go to calm.com/culty for 40% off unlimited access to Calm’s entire library. And tell Calm you heard about them from us! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Imagine signing away your life — past, present, and future — as a child. For Mirriam Francis, it was an expectation. At just 12 years old, she signed the notorious billion-year contract — a vow of eternal servitude to the Church of Scientology’s paramilitary inner-core, the Sea Organisation. “I was expected to be a soldier of Scientology. I was told I was property and didn’t have a right to my own life and interests,” Mirriam told news.com.au. Decades on, the psychological scars still linger, remnants of a childhood that was stolen, marked by alleged abuse, forced labour, and profound institutional neglect. Mirriam’s story, shared publicly on Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath, goes far deeper than a bizarre contract. It exposes an alleged culture of abuse that went ignored — or actively covered up — within its elite ranks. Read more https://cultnews.net/wp-admin/admin.php?page=wp-scraper Content retrieved from: https://www.mamamia.com.au/miriam-francis-scientology/ .

At just 12 years old, Mirriam Francis signed a billion-year contract – a vow of eternal servitude to Scientology. “I was born into Scientology’s most inner-core,” she told news.com.au Raised inside the Sea Organisation – the church’s exclusive religious order, described by some as akin to a paramilitary branch – Mirriam was taught that devotion was survival and doubt was sin. “I was expected to be a soldier of Scientology. I was told I was property and didn’t have a right to my own life and interests.” Decades on, the psychological scars still linger – remnants of a childhood that she felt was never really hers. When Mirriam was six, her father packed up their lives in Sydney and flew them to Los Angeles to join her mother, who was working as a high-ranked individual inside the organisation. “I was separated from my parents,” she said. “My mother worked for the organisation at an undisclosed location – I never knew where she was.” “I kept telling my parents that I wanted to leave and they just kept me there,” she said. Read more https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/exscientology-member-recalls-dark-underbelly-of-church/news-story/cff746b6d7715a36b4dc5360ea177d97 Content retrieved from: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/true-stories/exscientology-member-recalls-dark-underbelly-of-church/news-story/cff746b6d7715a36b4dc5360ea177d97 .

In the early 1990s, Tom Cruise wasn’t just shaping his rise as a leading man — he was reportedly trying to bring a Scientology-developed sound method onto major studio sets. Newly resurfaced interviews and industry accounts outline how Cruise pushed for a system called Clearsound and defended it with one line that still echoes decades later: “I simply found a system that’s better.” According to French outlet 3DVF, Cruise pressed director Rob Reiner during production on A Few Good Men to integrate a proprietary rig linked to Scientology. The setup, known as Clearsound, was described as a way to cut down camera noise and sharpen dialogue. Reiner ultimately declined and continued with standard production methods, but the request captured the moment when Cruise’s faith and his (and Scientology’s) growing power in Hollywood were beginning to overlap behind the scenes. This wasn’t coming out of nowhere, either. By the late ’80s, Cruise had become a bankable star after Top Gun and The Color of Money. Around the same time, he married actress Mimi Rogers, who introduced him to Scientology. From there, he became one of the church’s most visible members, and its ideas began showing up in his work — not through storylines, but through the tools he preferred to use. That includes Clearsound. In a 1992 Rolling Stone profile, Cruise said he persuaded the Far and Away team to record his and his then-wife Nicole Kidman’s dialogue using a Scientology-developed audio system. In the same interview, he criticized traditional Hollywood sound practices, saying, “There’s no such thing as a great Hollywood sound system,” and describing some sound departments as “a priesthood” from “another era.” Content retrieved from: https://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/1234944738/tom-cruise-scientology-clearsound-clash/ .

RFK Jr's senior advisor and supplements salesman, Calley Means, has repeatedly fabricated the story of Abraham Flexner and the birth of the modern medical system. Derek looks into his historical revisionism and what it could mean for the MAHA movement. Show Notes ⁠ Medical Education in America: Abraham Flexner ⁠ ⁠ The Great Influenza: John Barry ⁠ ⁠ The Greatest Benefit to Mankind: Roy Porter ⁠

The “Family Federation Victims’ Legal Team,” which has been supporting individuals harmed by large donations and other practices of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (formerly the Unification Church, hereinafter referred to as the “Family Federation”) in Japan, announced on November 14 that, as a result of civil mediation, the organization has agreed to pay approximately 2.1 billion yen (about 19.7 billion won) in damages to 132 claimants. Among the victims are residents of South Korea. According to Kyodo News, this civil mediation case is the third such instance following the first agreement reached with the organization in early October, in which a total of 50 million yen (about 480 million won) was paid to three individuals. With this latest case, the total scale of civil mediation agreements has reached 174 people and 3.4 billion yen (about 32 billion won) over three rounds. Attorney Susumu Murakoshi, a member of the legal team, commented on the organization’s change in attitude-having previously refused civil mediation-by saying, “Now that the dissolution order feels more realistic, they may be seeking a way to prolong their existence,” and added, “The number of victims who have actually resolved their issues remains extremely small.” The legal team, which has been supporting victims, was established in 2022 to assist those affected by the Family Federation’s past “spiritual sales” marketing practices. The group has demanded collective negotiations for damages against the organization and has also filed for civil mediation in court. “Spiritual sales” is a Japanese term combining “spiritual” (referring to a sense or feeling) and “sales” (referring to commercial practices), and describes the act of pseudo-religious groups inciting anxiety among followers to induce them to purchase expensive goods or services. Meanwhile, on March 25, the Tokyo District Court issued a dissolution order against the Family Federation. As a result of this decision, the Family Federation lost its legal status as a religious corporation and became ineligible for tax exemptions and other related benefits. There is also a possibility that the organization will have to liquidate its assets. The Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology cited the forced solicitation and collection of donations as grounds for the dissolution order. While there have been cases in the past where extremist groups such as Aum Shinrikyo were ordered to dissolve, it is highly unusual for a religious organization to receive a dissolution order based solely on civil law violations rather than criminal offenses. In response, the Family Federation strongly protested the court’s decision, calling it an “infringement of religious freedom,” and appealed to a higher court. Content retrieved from: https://cm.asiae.co.kr/en/article/2025111515334120004 .

The Elder Justice Coalition, a new ad hoc group of organizations, plans to unite the group’s voices and push for criminal law reform to create a coercive control offence that safeguards elder abuse victims and holds their abusers accountable. During the Legislative Action Day tentatively scheduled for Feb. 5, 2026, at Parliament Hill, Ottawa, the coalition intends to encourage lawmakers to extend the coercive control offence beyond intimate partners to include abusive adult children and others holding positions of trust and dependence in relationships. “A coercive control offence that includes abuse within relationships of trust and dependence would recognize the reality of their experience and help close a critical gap in protection,” said Laura Tamblyn Watts, chief executive officer of CanAge, the country’s national seniors’ advocacy organization, in a news release. “When an older person is controlled or manipulated by a person they depend on, the harm often goes unnoticed,” added Bénédicte Schoepflin, executive director of the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. “Recognizing coercive control in these relationships would give these victims the legal protection they deserve.” Read more https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/practice-areas/criminal/elder-justice-coalition-seeks-new-coercive-control-offence-to-protect-seniors/393369 Content retrieved from: https://www.canadianlawyermag.com/practice-areas/criminal/elder-justice-coalition-seeks-new-coercive-control-offence-to-protect-seniors/393369 .

Allison Mack is speaking out about her time in NXIVM in the new podcast series Allison After NXIVM — where she details a branding ceremony women were forced to undergo as part of the sex cult. The women would arrive at the home with little knowledge of what was about to happen before being asked to strip naked. They were then held down by the other women present as a cauterizing pen was used to permanently sear a symbol above their pelvis. It is a process that would take approximately 20 minutes, and was done without the aid of pain medication or numbing cream, she said, admitting that she couldn’t comprehend at the time why some women were complaining. “When other women would say, like ‘that’s really painful’ or whatever, I was like ‘what do you mean?’ Like, ‘it’s fine.’ It’s just what you did. It was just like another day,’” Mack said, likening the ritual to being in a sorority. Mack said her response was a result of the survival skills she had developed at the time, recounting her own branding by way of example. As Mack tells it, she showed up at a house on her lunch break, got branded and immediately went back to teaching an intensive she had been doing that day “My body was like shaking in shock, you know, like obviously my body was still trembling, but I was so good at like cutting that off and just focusing on what I was doing,” Mack said. “I’m just not going to feel this right now. I’m just going to dissociate completely and be somewhere different. I don’t know when or where I developed that survival mechanism.” She later added: “The callousness by which I handled that and handled myself in that is the same callousness that I had with the other girls.” Mack also revealed that the brand, which she previously took credit for creating, does not contain her initials. This contradicts previous claims that the brand was an amalgram of hers and cult leader Keith Raniere’s initials. One of the many women who had the symbol burned onto their bodies included the cult’s initial whistleblower, Sarah Edmondson, who claimed in her book Scarred that she had been told it was meant to represent the four elements and only later realized it was a combination of “K.R.” and “A.M.” Read more https://people.com/allison-mack-nxivm-slaves-branding-interview-podcast-keith-raniere-11850040 Content retrieved from: https://people.com/allison-mack-nxivm-slaves-branding-interview-podcast-keith-raniere-11850040 .

Amidst the ongoing interest in actress Allison Mack speaking out about her experience as a leader in the sinister NXIVM cult, many people will become curious about what type of people are particularly susceptible to cults. Mack, a celebrity who became one of the senior members of a bizarre cult that branded people, played a major part in her cult’s recruitment and identifying people to initiate into NXIVM. She has broken her silence in a controversial new podcast in which she opened up about how she became a member and admitted to being ‘abusive’ as a leader. A brave cult survivor from the UK, however, has spoken out about a key personality trait that can make nearly anyone susceptible to becoming part of a cult. Richard Turner was sucked into a toxic cult that he was actually working for, a group called the Hope City Church, and now works to help cult survivors overcome their trauma. Hope City Church drained Richard of what little money they were paying him at the time, convincing him that by donating as much as 35% of his £13,000 salary he could become closer to God. Richard had been working doing a counselling placement in Liverpool when he began working for the charity City Hearts, who worked to help victims of human trafficking. City Hearts was run by Hope City and, once he switched churches, he stated he received ‘love bombing behaviour’. Speaking exclusively to LADbible, Richard said there were ‘complicated grooming processes’, saying: “There was lots of love bombing, it made me feel really good. “I felt like I was joining something that was positive, because they run the human trafficking charity, and they were doing things that were making me feel good about joining before I actually joined.” He went on to say: “There is a complex system of manipulation and control at play, and they all kind of feed each other. So even from the very, very first church service I went into, they were talking about money a lot, and asking for money. “Even though I was noticing that as a red flag, because I felt so good, because everyone was so friendly, you think you’re in a safe place.” Read more https://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-news/cult-survivor-personality-targeted-allison-mack-richard-turner-556968-20251114 Content retrieved from: https://www.ladbible.com/news/uk-news/cult-survivor-personality-targeted-allison-mack-richard-turner-556968-20251114 .

Tonight on “Courtroom Insider,” criminal investigator and host of “Profiling Evil” joins Nate to talk about the Zion Society cult that rocked northern Utah in the 90s. Plus the latest on Kohberger and a big announcement about who will be joining Nate next week on “Courtroom Insider.” Watch video https://www.eastidahonews.com/2025/11/courtroom-insider-mike-king-and-the-zion-society-cult/ Content retrieved from: https://www.eastidahonews.com/2025/11/courtroom-insider-mike-king-and-the-zion-society-cult/ .

In 1989, Northeast Ohio cult leader Jeff Lundgren killed the Avery family: Dennis, Cheryl, and their three young daughters. WKYC interviewed him the following year. Watch video interview https://www.wkyc.com/video/news/crime/true-crime/from-the-archives-kirtland-cult-killer-jeff-lundgren-sits-with-wkycs-tom-sweeney-in-1990/95-eefeb401-c10f-4237-aa87-9b88866ff4c5 Content retrieved from: https://www.wkyc.com/video/news/crime/true-crime/from-the-archives-kirtland-cult-killer-jeff-lundgren-sits-with-wkycs-tom-sweeney-in-1990/95-eefeb401-c10f-4237-aa87-9b88866ff4c5 .

An online community has emerged around AI models, whose members "awaken" artificial intelligence (AI) and attribute consciousness.

An accused fake fortune teller and her daughter, allegedly embroiled in a scheme that swindled around $70million from Vietnamese Australians, rose meteorically from a modest home to luxurious surroundings. Anya Phan, 53, is accused of being involved in one of the most sophisticated financial syndicates NSW has seen, with the assistance of her daughter Thi Ta, 25. Police will allege Phan posed as a psychic then coaxed clients into taking out loans before taking a portion of the funds. Footage shows the pair being arrested at their $13.75million Dover Heights mansion, in Sydney’s east, early on Wednesday – but the lavish home is a far cry from their previous home in the city’s inner west. Business records for Phan’s company obtained by The Daily Mail show her registered address in May this year was a humble single-storey rental in Lewisham. The four-bedroom property, which last sold for $175,000, was at the time being rented out for $790 per week. Just weeks later, in June, Phan’s company purchased the Dover Heights multi-million dollar four-bedroom property, about 15km away in the city’s ritzy eastern suburbs. The luxury property includes an indoor cinema, a six-person lift, a gym, steam room, swimming pool, and sprawling harbour views. Their extravagance appears to extend further than just real estate. Ta seemed to enjoy a jet-setting lifestyle, last year embarking on a trip around Asia with her partner, Jett Griffiths. Pictures posted on social media show the couple posing alongside monkeys and visiting cultural sites throughout China. Mr Griffiths has not been charged in relation to the alleged fraud scheme and The Daily Mail does not suggest he is in any way involved. He declined to comment on his girlfriend’s charges when contacted on Thursday. However, sources close to Mr Griffiths told The Daily Mail he is ‘doing fine’ given the circumstances. Police will allege Phan claimed to be a feng shui master and fortune teller and convinced vulnerable clients in Sydney’s Vietnamese community to take out loans. She then allegedly pocketed a share of the money herself while promising her clients that a ‘billionaire’ was in their future. Phan is estimated to have allegedly defrauded clients to the tune of about $70million. Read more https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15286217/penthouse-fraud-Sydney-fortune-Phan.html Content retrieved from: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15286217/penthouse-fraud-Sydney-fortune-Phan.html .

Most parents have no idea: extremists are targeting their kids through chats and games like Roblox. Sometimes, the recruiters are barely any older than their victims and the radicalization happens right under families’ noses. See more https://www.dw.com/en/how-extremists-target-kids-through-games/video-74736922 Content retrieved from: https://www.dw.com/en/how-extremists-target-kids-through-games/video-74736922 .

Asociopath, otherwise known as a person who fits the criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), is a term used to describe “a person with a personality disorder who exhibits aggressive, violent, or unpleasant behaviour toward others,” according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. People with this disorder are known to lack empathy and to struggle with identifying the difference between right and wrong. In everyday life, a sociopath can exist at work, in romantic partnerships and other types of relationships, but how can you spot this type of personality disorder, and what should you do if you come across it? What is a sociopath? “When we use the term sociopath, we’re really talking about someone who fits the criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD), which is the diagnosis we use in clinical psychology and psychiatry, ” Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Hampstead Psychology, Dr Jo Stuart, told HELLO!. “Both psychopathy and sociopathy now sit under this broader category.” Dr Jo continued explaining the disorder and outlined its 20th-century origins. She explained: “Originally, the two terms were separate. In the early 20th century, “psychopathy” described people who appeared charming and intelligent but lacked conscience or empathy. Later, “sociopathy” was used to describe similar traits that seemed to develop from social or environmental causes, such as trauma or neglect. It wasn’t until the publication of the DSM-III in 1980 that both were brought together under one label, ‘Antisocial Personality Disorder’.” According to updated schools of thought, a person with ASPD tends to show behaviour with long-term patterns, including “repeatedly breaking the law, deceiving or exploiting others, being impulsive or aggressive, acting irresponsibly, and showing little or no remorse”. Experts suggest that it is less about one single decision and more about “a consistent disregard for the rights and well-being of others”. They also note that in most cases, it starts in adolescence and usually continues into adulthood. What’s the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath? The difference between the two arises in the level of energy devoted to their reactions and their initial cause. While one is genetic, the other is caused by environmental factors and can, in theory, be avoided. The energetic, irrational, and impulsive nature of a sociopath is what sets them apart from the cold, calculated nature of a psychopath. “Unlike psychopaths, who tend to be calm, cold, and calculated, sociopaths are impulsive, erratic, and emotionally reactive, which makes them much harder to predict. Having said that, I would much rather work with a sociopath than a psychopath,” Dr Jo unveiled. “Sociopathy is generally thought to develop more from the environment than genetics. Many sociopaths grew up in unstable or frightening situations, often with neglect, abuse, or emotional deprivation and were never taught how to empathise or manage emotions.” She outlined: “One theory is that they learned early in life that the only way to get their needs met was through control, manipulation, or aggression. If that’s what they saw modelled by adults around them, it became their version of how the world works. But it’s crucial to remember that most people who experience trauma do not go on to develop sociopathic traits.” Read more https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/867319/what-is-sociopath-how-to-spot/ Content retrieved from: https://www.hellomagazine.com/healthandbeauty/health-and-fitness/867319/what-is-sociopath-how-to-spot/ .

Upon founding the Unification Church in 1954, Sun Myung Moon insisted Jesus Christ had divinely appointed him to extend a sin-free human lineage. According to the religious leader’s own son, however, this claim was used as a guise that allowed him to have sex with the controversial ‘cult’ group’s thousands of female members. For those unfamiliar with Moon and his ‘mission’, the South Korean leader famously considered himself to be the ‘Second Coming of Christ’, writing his own Bible in the 1950s and paying for it to be distributed around the world. As a result, his ‘church’ quickly garnered members from vast corners of the planet – especially from the US and Japan – and given his surname, the group picked up the nickname, the ‘Moonies’. Along with teaching his followers that Christ has appointed him to create a new family ideal that would see the earth populated with ‘sinless’ children, Moon also conducted ‘Blessings’. These were actually mass marriages, seeing thousands of brides and grooms dressed identically exchanging vows in a single room at the same time. The leader also invited already-married couples to similar simultaneous ceremonies, during which they’d renew their vows. Until recently, these arguably unhinged practices remained unquestioned, but according to damning allegations made last week by Moon’s illegitimate son Sam, who appeared in an unnerving new Prime Video documentary, in reality, they served as a smokescreen for a much darker secret. Read more https://www.tyla.com/news/crime/moonies-married-to-the-cult-documentary-moon-abuse-female-members-703540-20251113 Content retrieved from: https://www.tyla.com/news/crime/moonies-married-to-the-cult-documentary-moon-abuse-female-members-703540-20251113 .

The mother of Tetsuya Yamagami, the man charged with murdering former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, apologized during his trial and said that she still follows the Unification Church at the Nara District Court on Thursday. “I sincerely apologize for the terrible incident Tetsuya caused,” she said at the seventh hearing in the trial of her 45-year-old son, who is also changed with other crimes in the fatal shooting that occurred while Abe was delivering a campaign speech in Nara. It is the first time she has spoken publicly. She appeared as a witness for the defense, and a partition was set up around the witness stand to conceal her from the public gallery. At the outset of her testimony, an attorney for the defense said, “You have something you want to say, right?” In response, the mother apologized to Abe, his wife Akie, 63, and the public. Asked about her current religious affiliation, she said, “I follow the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification,” the formal name of the Unification Church. According to both the prosecution’s and defense’s opening statement, the defendant resented the religious group, to which his mother had made substantial donations, and as a result targeted Abe, who had sent a video message to one of the group’s affiliated organizations. Donations soon after joining According to the mother’s testimony, her husband committed suicide in 1984. In August 1991, she joined the organization. At that time, her eldest son — the defendant’s older brother — had lost sight in one eye, and the defendant was in elementary school. The mother said she joined the religion after a young woman visited her home and asked, “Is your family doing well?” The mother told the woman about her eldest son and received an invitation to a Unification Church facility. The mother said she donated ¥20 million to the group immediately after joining. “[I was] deeply troubled by my husband’s suicide and my eldest son’s surgery,” she explained. About six months later, she donated another ¥30 million. “My sick eldest son was a major factor,” she said, adding that she believed the donations would save him. According to her testimony, the source of the total ¥50 million was a life insurance payout after her husband’s death. She also said that she sold property and other items following the death of the defendant’s grandfather in 1998 and donated about another ¥40 million. She is said to have donated ¥100 million in total. She told the court that she bought paintings from the group for about ¥700,000 to ¥1 million each and a pot for about ¥700,000. She also took a trip to South Korea, where the Church’s headquarters are located, leaving the defendant, who was a minor back then, and his older brother at home. When the defense attorney pointed out that the timing of the defendant’s enrollment in school coincided with the donations, the mother said, “I thought that donating was more important than [education].” No eye contact Yamagami has refused to see his mother since the incident. Although he would have been able see her face from where he was seated at the hearing, he avoided making eye contact with her and listened with his eyes downcast. His mother was to testify again on Tuesday. Yamagami admitted to the charges at an initial hearing. The defense plans to seek leniency, arguing that his difficult upbringing had a significant influence on his motive. Prosecutors, meanwhile, contend that his upbringing was unrelated to Abe and did not warrant a significant reduction in sentencing. Content retrieved from: https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/society/crime-courts/20251114-292634/ .