49 episodes
Sinister Societies Spotify Podcasts
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- True Crime
Their promises are alluring and their influence oh-so-subtle. Every week on Sinister Societies, friends Suruthi Bala and Hannah Maguire examine the unbelievable crimes and everyday insidiousness of cults. Expect plenty of prophets, apocalypses, and doom... alongside everything from bunkers and booze to utopias and URLs. A Spotify Original from Parcast.
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Colonia Dignidad
A former compound in Chile is getting a second life as a German-themed resort. But it was once the home of a notorious religious group led by a Nazi. Hannah and Suruthi dive into the dark history of Colonia Dignidad (“Dignity Colony”), its pedophile leader Paul Schaefer, and his alliance with the brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet.
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Brother Julius and The Work
Donning a robe and a single gold earring, the so-called “Sinful Messiah” preached doom to hundreds of followers in the 1970s. Hannah and Suruthi analyze the life of Julius Schacknow — how he manipulated women into sleeping with him for the sake of their own salvation, how he created a company worth millions, and the tumultuous end to his bizarre cult.
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Movement for the Restoration of the 10 Commandments of God
It was supposed to be a return to a purer form of Catholicism. Instead, it led to one of the largest cult-related killings in history. Fueled by messages from the Virgin Mary, Credonia Mwerinde and Joseph Kibwetere preached the apocalypse in Uganda. Then they created one.
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The Kirtland Cult Murders
In the winter of 1990, authorities uncovered five bodies that had been buried in a barn. An apocalyptic cult had put them there — convinced that human sacrifice was essential for Jesus Christ’s return. Hannah and Suruthi investigate the gruesome murders, dangerous beliefs, and spotted history of the man at the center of it all: Jeffrey Lundgren.
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Children of Thunder: Magic, Extortion & Murder
Taylor Helzer was a devout Mormon who was excommunicated from his church in the ‘90s. He toyed with starting an escort group, but ultimately settled on trying to usher in the “perennial reign of Christ.” Hannah and Suruthi discuss everything from his 12 Principles of Magic to the murders he committed during an extortion scheme.
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Satanic Torture: The Ripper Crew
Just as America was entering its Satanic Panic era, a group of Devil worshippers led by Robin Gecht abducted and killed over a dozen people — mostly women — for gruesome Satanic rituals. Hannah and Suruthi cover Robin’s eerie work history, teenage followers, and the “chapel” he kept in his attic.
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