Greetings, readers. Today, I’m passing along an important announcement.
Breaking cult news
ICSA, the International Cultic Studies Association (I’m affiliated with them), emailed members like me the following announcement this morning:
“New Docuseries “Cult Justice” Premiers on Hulu, March 28, 2024 (networkforgood.com)”
Taking Down America’s Most Notorious Cults
Premiere March 28th – all episodes streaming on Hulu
Tens of thousands of Americans have been drawn into the false ideology and promises of modern-day cults. Faith turns to fanaticism. Devotion turns to deviancy. Idealism turns to idolatry.
In this 8-part series, viewers will hear emotional stories from brave survivors who escaped these groups, along with the law enforcement heroes who helped them. Each “Cult Justice” episode tells the unique behind-the-scenes investigative story of how survivors and law enforcement brought these devious and dangerous cult leaders to justice.
The survivor’s stories include tales of riveting escapes and family heartbreak – the daughter who turned her own mother into authorities, the young woman taken as a bride at age 8 by a notorious cult leader, and the mother who desperately tried to rescue her daughter from a militaristic cult.
In addition to the survivors’ tales, each episode also includes interviews with the detectives and prosecutors who opened their investigative files to share fascinating details of these challenging and unique cases, including rarely seen body cam and police videos from inside cult compounds, rare photos and documents, as well as riveting court depositions with the cult leaders themselves.
From Emmy Award winning Executive Producers Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz Law&Crime Productions, in partnership with TEGNA and Cineflix
Senior Executive Producers :
Dan Abrams and Rachel Stockman, Law&Crime Productions Brian Weiss, TEGNA
Felicia Litovitz, Cineflix
The 8-part series includes:
1 – THE HOLLYWOOD PROPHET (The Trial of Tony Alamo)
Bernie Hoffman’s dream was to strike it rich as a Hollywood star when God called on him to preach the gospel. Changing his name to Tony Alamo, he started a popular Hollywood ministry, TV, and radio programs together with his wife Susan.
2 – THE GENERALS (The Trial of Deborah Green)
General Deborah Green and her husband Jim didn’t hesitate to call themselves leaders of a cult—what started as a free love commune offering salvation and refuge for lost souls became a militaristic organization that believed in tough love.
3 – MOTHER ANNA (The Trial of Anna Young)
It was supposed to be a haven for anyone who made a mistake, committed a crime, and wanted to turn their life around—that was Anna Young’s mission when she and her husband started the House of Prayer.
4 – PASTOR TIFFANIE (The Trial of Tiffanie Irwin)
Neighbors often wondered about the secretive group living in a school building in suburban Utica, New York. But the secrecy is shattered when a counseling session turns horrifically violent.
5 – THE CULT TAPES (The Trial of Jeffrey Lundgren)
After a nine-month investigation, authorities were horrified to find bodies of a family of five, buried in a barn in Kirtland, Ohio. The ritualistic killings, which made headlines in 1990, were carried out at the orders of cult leader Jeffrey Lundgren.
6 – THE NUWAUBIAN NATION (The Trial of Dwight York)
Dwight York, aka Dr. Love, had his own record label and musical career in the early 90s. His early recordings featured love songs and ballads. But Dr. Love was also a charismatic speaker with radical ideas who gathered hundreds of followers.
7 – ANGEL OF DEATH (The Trial of Daniel Perez)
Con man Daniel Perez was so charismatic that he convinced his followers he was an angel. When he was caught and charged with multiple counts of child rape, the “Angel” fled to Mexico and faked his own death, ending the investigation.
8 – THE NEW MEXICO MESSIAH (The Trial of Wayne Bent)
Tucked away in a remote, rural compound in New Mexico, in 1987 doomsday preacher Wayne Bent broke away from his 7th day Adventist upbringing to provide a haven for his followers who were captivated by his charismatic preaching.
We greatly appreciate the support you give to ICSA and the cultic studies field.
Warmly,
Jackie Johnson
Executive Director
—END—
To donate to ICSA, visit their website at Cult Info Since 1979 (icsahome.com)
Thanks for reading!
Your writer on the wing,
Charlene Edge, author of Undertow: My Escape from the Fundamentalism and Cult Control of The Way International.
Kathleen Brandt
This sounds fascinating. I’ll have to see if I can get Hulu over here!
Steve Muratore
Cult Justice explores the magnetic power of criminal cult leaders—and the dramatic investigations that finally brought them to justice. Through the lens of the criminal justice system, every episode takes viewers deep inside a different modern-day cult. And—from sex trafficking and forced labour, to extortion, polygamy, and even murder—introduces the journalists, law enforcement agents, and prosecutors who gradually built the case against them. Meanwhile, brave survivors share first-hand accounts of how they were born or lured into the fold by twisted ideologies and false promises—and how they ultimately helped bring down these false prophets who thought they were above the law. 2022
Charlene Edge
Thanks for copying this quoted material from the promo about the series.
Important!
Sadly, leaders in The Way International who abused followers are seldom held to account. Victor Paul Wierwille died before anyone brought a case against him.