Hidden Cults
From silent compounds to subway attacks, from charismatic prophets to catastrophic ends, Hidden Cults is a documentary-style podcast that digs deep into the world's most extreme, elusive, and explosive fringe groups. Each episode unpacks a different cult with investigative depth, emotional clarity, and gripping storytelling. You'll hear the full timeline: from the origins and ideology, to the rise of control, to the final descent into chaos. We're not here for the sensational. We're here for the truth. If you've ever wondered how ordinary people fall into extraordinary belief systems, and what happens when those systems implode, you're in the right...
Episodes
Ep.26 The Shakahola Forest Cult
In 2023, the world was horrified by the discovery of mass graves in Shakahola Forest, Kenya. Behind the tragedy was Paul Mackenzie, a self-proclaimed pastor who led his followers into the wilderness with promises of salvation through starva…
Ep.25 The Covenant, the Sword, and the Arm of the Lord (CSA)
In the 1970s, deep in the Ozark hills of Arkansas, preacher James Ellison built a compound that fused apocalyptic Christianity with white supremacist ideology. His group, known as the CSA, trained with weapons, preached about the end of day…
Ep.24 The Chicago Rippers
In the early 1980s, Chicago was gripped by fear as women vanished and bodies were discovered mutilated in ways that suggested ritualistic violence. At the center of the storm was Robin Gecht and his “Ripper Crew,” consisting of Edward Sprei…
Ep.23 The Great Eleven
In the 1920s, Los Angeles became home to a little-known but extraordinary cult led by May Otis Blackburn and her daughter Ruth. Claiming to receive visions from eleven angels, May declared herself the keeper of hidden scriptures that promis…
Ep.22 The Brethren (The Road Ministry)
Founded in 1971 by Jimmie T. Roberts, The Brethren, also called The Road Ministry or the “Garbage Eaters”, became one of the most secretive cult movements in America. Roberts demanded that followers abandon their families, possessions, and …
Ep.21 The Way International
Founded in 1942 by Victor Paul Wierwille, The Way International began as a small evangelical ministry in Ohio and quickly grew into a worldwide movement. With its bold claim to offer the “keys” to understanding the Bible, The Way promised i…
Ep.20 Ant Hill Kids
In the remote wilderness of Quebec during the late 1970s, a small group of seekers followed a man who promised salvation. His name was Roch Thériault, a self-proclaimed prophet who mixed apocalyptic preaching with strict communal living. To…
Ep.19 Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God
In the lush hills of Uganda during the 1980s and 90s, a new religious group claimed to offer clarity in a time of social and political upheaval. Calling themselves The Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, the leaders…
Ep.18 Synanon
It began in 1958 as a radical experiment in recovery: a storefront in Santa Monica, a handful of addicts, and a tough-talking ex-alcoholic named Charles Dederich. What started as a lifeline for people desperate to break free from addiction …
Ep.17 The Unification Church (The Moonies)
In this episode of Hidden Cults, we turn our attention to the Unification Church, more commonly known as “The Moonies.” Founded in Korea in the 1950s by Sun Myung Moon, the group grew into a global movement that promised spiritual salvation…
Ep.16 Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or FLDS, is one of the most secretive and controversial offshoots of Mormonism. Built on the practice of polygamy long after the mainstream church abandoned it, the FLDS create…
Ep.15 The 7M TikTok Cult
What looks like a dance collective on TikTok is, according to former members and family, something much darker. Behind the viral choreography and millions of views lies 7M Films, a management company run by Robert Shinn, a self-proclaimed p…
Ep.14 The Process Church of the Final Judgment
In the 1960s, a strange and secretive movement emerged from the fringes of Scientology and began preaching an apocalyptic message unlike anything the world had heard before. The Process Church of the Final Judgment mixed elements of Christi…
Ep.13 The Narcosatanists (The Matamoros Cult)
In 1989, a quiet ranch outside Matamoros, Mexico, revealed a nightmare. Police unearthed ritual altars, human remains, and evidence of a cult led by Adolfo Constanzo, a man who fused drug trafficking, black magic, and murder into a single r…
Ep.12 NXIVM
NXIVM promised empowerment. What it delivered was control, abuse, and branding. In this episode of Hidden Cults, we explore how a self-improvement group led by Keith Raniere transformed into a secretive hierarchy of manipulation, complete w…
Ep.11 The Rajneesh movement
They came to rural Oregon dressed in shades of orange and red, following a spiritual guru who rarely spoke and a powerful woman who did all the talking. What began as an ambitious attempt to build a utopian community quickly turned into one…
Ep.10 The Family International
Once known as the Children of God, The Family International began as a 1960s counterculture movement promising love, freedom, and a new way of life. But behind the music and missionary work was a dark legacy of manipulation, control, and wi…
Ep.9 The Raëlian Movement
A French racecar driver walks into a volcano and comes out a prophet. That’s how the story begins. What follows is one of the most unusual and controversial new religions of the modern era. In this episode, we explore the rise of the Raëlia…
Ep.8 The Nuwaubian Nation
It started in Brooklyn as a small religious group focused on Black identity and spiritual truth. Over time, it grew into something stranger. The Nuwaubian Nation built pyramids in Georgia, talked about UFOs and lost civilizations, and claim…
Ep.7 The Manson Family
In the heat and haze of the 1960s, Charles Manson didn’t look like a cult leader. He looked like a drifter with a guitar and some big ideas. But behind the music and the talk of love was something darker. Something that would end in blood. …
Ep.6 The Peoples Temple
Long before the tragedy in the jungle, The Peoples Temple looked like something good. Jim Jones preached equality. He fed the poor, welcomed the outcast, and promised a better world. But behind the sermons was a darker reality. In this epis…
Ep.5 The Order of the Solar Temple
It began as a secret society chasing spiritual enlightenment, and ended in ritual murder and mass death. In this episode of Hidden Cults, we uncover the chilling rise and fall of The Order of the Solar Temple. Founded in Europe in the late …
Ep.4 Heaven’s Gate
In this episode of Hidden Cults, we dive deep into the haunting story of Heaven’s Gate, the first digital-age cult to orchestrate a mass suicide in the name of transcendence. Led by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, the group blended …
Ep.3 Aum Shinrikyo
In this harrowing episode of Hidden Cults, we dive into the chilling rise and catastrophic fall of Aum Shinrikyo, a doomsday cult that began as a fringe yoga group in Japan and evolved into a domestic terrorist organization with apocalyptic…
Ep.2 The Branch Davidians
What began as a fringe religious movement ended in a fiery siege that shocked the world. This episode of Hidden Cults explores the rise of the Branch Davidians, the power of David Koresh, and the deadly 51-day standoff in Waco, Texas. A sto…
Ep.1 Scientology
It began with a science fiction writer and a self-help book. Today, it's a billion-dollar religious empire with tax-exempt status, celebrity ambassadors, secret doctrines, and a reputation built on fear and control. In this episode of Hidde…
Introduction to Hidden Cults
From silent compounds to subway attacks, from charismatic prophets to catastrophic ends, Hidden Cults is a documentary-style podcast that digs deep into the world's most extreme, elusive, and explosive fringe groups. Each episode unpacks a …