Was I In A Cult?

What happens when a newborn is handed—by his own mother—into the arms of a cult?

On today’s episode of Was I In A Cult?, we peel back the celebrity sheen and expose the shadowy depths of one of the world’s most controversial organizations: Scientology. 

But this time, it’s not about celebrities—it’s about the kids.

Jamie Mustard was born into Scientology’s inner sanctum, the Sea Org. Raised without parents, h...

**This episode originally aired in May 2023**

Fresh to the workforce, Amber answered a job posting for a dental assitant: “No experience needed!” Looking for something reliable to support her new life as a single mother, she was thrilled when she got hired. Little did she know, her new job would be more than just dental work…

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When your mother is a self-proclaimed prophet claiming to channel the ascended master that is your deceased father as she prepares hundreds of followers for the end of the world, mother/son time isn’t baking cookies - it’s begging her not to summon nuclear holy fire so you can maybe live another day.

In Part 2 of Sean Prophet’s quite literally unbelievable story, we enter the “end times” phase of CUT (Church Universal a...

Join hosts Morgan Absher and Kaelyn Moore as they take you deep into the world of the most notorious crimes ever — where a single clue can crack a case wide open.

From shocking murders to serial killers, Clues dives into all the forensic details and brilliant sleuthing of the world's most infamous cases. CLUES is a Crime House Original, powered by PAVE Studios. Follow and listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

See Privac...

He didn’t just join a cult. He was born a "prince" in one.

In this two-part mind-bender, we welcome Sean Prophet, son of Mark Prophet and Elizabeth Clare Prophet—founders of the Church Universal and Triumphant (aka CUT). At its height, this doomsday spiritual empire commanded tens of millions in real estate, a global following, and enough freeze-dried food and ammo to survive a nuclear winter.

In Part 1, Sean takes u...

Today’s guest, Sara, didn’t just wear a cult uniform—she sewed it. Raised in a conservative faith that slowly morphed into a cult, Sara’s life went from dairy cows and barefoot summers to head coverings, spiritual “consequences,” and Levitical purity laws enforced with spray bottles and shame.

What started as a desire to live a devout and simple life spiraled into isolation, abuse, and an absurd set of rules that dictat...

In our first-ever live episode, your favorite mediocre cult leaders take the stage in Napa, California to indoctrinate the masses—err, entertain a crowd. Tyler and Liz welcome comedian and actor Moses Storm (HBO’s Trash White) to tell his jaw-dropping story of growing up in a failed (as he puts it) doomsday cult… started by his great uncle. A live audience, Tyler showed off an old pair of magic underwear, Liz recruited a w...

This week we're diving into the cultish side of wellness culture. Liz sits down with Dr. Laura Erlich, DTCM, LAc, FABORM — a licensed acupuncturist and fertility specialist who spent decades bridging Eastern and Western medicine… until the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the dangerous cracks beneath the surface.

Laura shares her deeply personal story: growing up with health-conscious "hippie" parents, enduring the trauma of l...

Today’s guest thought she was just signing up for a summer job. And then, years later, she thought she was just joining a church. What she got instead? 

Cults. TWO OF THEM.

Meet Aydrea — writer, stepmom, and lover of rules. In college, she joined a company that promised purpose, leadership, and a paycheck. Instead, she got cold showers, commission-only “training,” and a summer knocking on strangers' doors… while...

Content Warning: This episode contains graphic descriptions of sexual abuse, exploitation, and trauma. Please listen with care.

Frankie thought she was chosen. That she was being trained to be a healer, a mystic, a disciple of spiritual truth. But the truth was far more harrowing.

In Part 2 of her story, we follow Frankie deeper into Morningland—where obedience meant servitude, sexual violence was disguised as divine...

Crime House True Crime Stories is the ultimate destination for true crime fans. Every episode

features two notorious cases from that week in crime history, tied by a common theme like

infamous serial killers, mysterious disappearances, tragic murders, and more. Every Monday,

uncover the full stories behind the headlines as host Vanessa Richardson takes you through

high-profile investigations like the murder of Gabby Petito, th...

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of child abuse and sexual coercion.

It started with a pizza party for single moms. But soon, there were purple-lit temples, custom medallions, and a man who called himself “Donato the Christ”. What could possibly go wrong?

In Part 1 of Frankie Tease’s gripping story, we follow her teen years inside Long Beach, California’s Morningland—a so-called spiritual community ...

Whitney wanted a Friday night dress. She got a pink Cadillac and a cult instead.

At 21, she joined Mary Kay just trying to pay her $200 rent. What she got was a crash course in manipulation disguised as empowerment, a swirl of culty catchphrases, and a trunk full of sparkle-dusted dreams.

In this episode, Whitney takes us on her journey from California cake decorator to one of Mary Kay’s youngest Sales Directors—and ...

Today, we’re taking it back to where it all began: our very first episode. Meet Johanne Hanks, who went from BYU grad to plural wife to party planner for Jesus in a yuppie Mormon doomsday group called The True and Living Church. You know… TLC.

Faced with the fear of an impending apocalypse, Joanne and her husband move to a small Utah town to live "Mormonism on steroids", which means wearing long underwear, communicating...

As Tyler owns up to overlooking a crucial part of Orange County's troubling past, Liz is secretly grateful for his mistake—for without it, they might never have met today's inspiring guest, Vida.

Growing up in South Central LA, Vida's father found salvation in a Pentecostal church led by a self-proclaimed prophet. For Vida, the church was initially a comforting community, offering structure and belonging. But over time,...

You’ve heard of doomsday cults and self-help cults… but what about an alien cult? This week, we’re taking you on a journey beyond the stars—or at least, beyond logic—as we explore The Raelians.

This episode is love bombing at its best and most seductive form.

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Have you ever been love-bombed into a belief system that felt too good to be true? Or maybe you’ve fo...

Fine dining is all about precision, artistry, and luxury on the plate—but behind those kitchen doors, the pressure, hierarchy, and chaos tell a very different story.

This week, we sit down with Chef Amber Evans, who opens up about the unspoken rules of the industry, the reality of life inside a Michelin-starred kitchen, and the moment she realized she had become the very thing she once feared. Could it be that she had bee...

Crystal was born into a world where women obeyed, children served, and questioning authority was a sin. Raised under the oppressive rule of the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP)—yes, the same Christian fundamentalist cult as the Duggars, “Shiny Happy People”—she spent her youth cleaning toilets, raising her mother’s children, and being prepped for a life of submission. 

But Crystal had other plans. 

This is the u...

There was no commune. No matching robes or group chants. A charismatic leader? Yes. But no room full of followers. This is a story about a cult of one —  a lesser-known, yet perhaps more common, type of cult.

When Alex first met her college advisor, she thought she’d found a mentor—someone brilliant, charismatic, and seemingly invested in her success. But behind the charm lay something much darker. Slowly, methodically, h...