Hell to Pay

Hell To Pay

Aamer, Elle and Sipho explore spiritually motivated crime and conflict.

  1. 09/15/2025

    26. Ponzi in paradise: the divine right of kings

    Deep in the jungles of Bougainville, a man crowned himself king, founded a bank with no money, and promised salvation through spreadsheets. Meet Noah Musingku: prophet, monarch, financial engineer and architect of the most absurd sovereign state you’ve never heard of.  Is it a nation, a church or just the world’s most committed pyramid scheme? This week, we’re joined by writer and podcaster extraordinaire Sean Williams to talk us through his remarkable investigation. Find Sean on X: @swilliamsjourno and check out his podcast: https://www.underworldpod.com/ His original Harpers story is here: https://harpers.org/archive/2024/11/the-island-king-sean-williams-bougainville/ Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/ Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at helltopaypodcast@gmail.com Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

    49 min

  2. 09/08/2025

    25. The hostage honeymoon — how to out-Taliban the Taliban

    When Joshua Boyle and Caitlan Coleman set out on a backpacking trip through Afghanistan, they told friends it was a spiritual journey. What followed was one of the strangest hostage sagas of the 21st century — a tale of love, captivity, delusion and coercion — which has offered up more questions than answers. Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/ Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at helltopaypodcast@gmail.com Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

    38 min

  3. 08/31/2025

    24. Indiana Jonesing: Raiders of the Lost Artifacts

    In this episode, we dig into the bizarre saga of American evangelicals, stolen artifacts from Iraq, and a DIY biblical empire-building project gone very, very wrong.  Then, some riffing on current events and a few past episodes.  Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/ Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at helltopaypodcast@gmail.com Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

    40 min

  4. 08/25/2025

    23. The almighty dollar: how church became a $1.42T business

    We’re joined by Nathan Apffel, filmmaker of the upcoming Amazon docuseries The Religion Business. In exposing the dark underbelly of America’s wealthiest preachers, he’s faced arrest, a shattered elbow, and more than a few powerful enemies — yet each setback only fuelled his determination to follow the money in this trillion-dollar grift. You can watch the film at: https://www.thereligionbusiness.com/ and follow Nathan’s exploits and forthcoming podcast series on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/religionbusiness Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/ Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at helltopaypodcast@gmail.com Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

    53 min

  5. 08/19/2025

    22. Spells and Soccer: The Secret Magic of African Football

    In this episode of Hell to Pay, Sipho and Elle explore the fascinating world where football and spirituality collide. From Paul Pogba’s alleged consultation with a marabout, to Egypt’s sacrificial rituals before the Africa Cup of Nations, to stories of witchdoctors on the sidelines, we trace how magic continues to shape the beautiful game across Africa. Along the way, we unpack the deep roots of African Traditional Religion, share personal stories of sangomas, and examine why chants, rituals, and spells are not mere superstition but part of a larger cultural tapestry. At stake is more than just winning matches — it’s about empowerment, identity, and how African players reclaim space in a global sport that often sidelines them. Sources:  Huffington Post: I was taught not to remember my grandfather. This is why I do. ESPN: Witchcraft central to Paul Pogba blackmail saga, but it's nothing new in French footballAfrica is a Country: the ‘magic’ of the beautiful gameYoutube: Players are forced to use magic in South African football

    53 min

  6. 08/10/2025

    21. Gospel of the Gun: the story of church-run organized crime

    In the north of Rio de Janeiro, a drug lord and evangelical pastor has dominion over a series of favelas known as the ‘Israel Complex’. The streets are clean and building walls are painted with verses from Psalms… while religious minorities are persecuted and rival gang members are sent back to their homes in gift wrapped boxes. From Brazil to Texas to Romania and South Africa, the phenomenon of religiously-inspired gang leaders is becoming more and more common — and we explain why. Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/ Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at helltopaypodcast@gmail.com Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

    1 hr

  7. 07/21/2025

    20. Fowl play: How Chick-fil-A's anti-LGBT owners are flocking to Hollywood

    We’re joined by our friend Conner from the Propagandos podcast to talk about how the famously hardcore evangelical, anti-LGBT Chick-Fil-A empire has invested in an original content app and Trilith Studios, the second largest production lot in all of North America — home base for nearly every Marvel movie made since 2017.  The Cathy family, owners of the fast food chain, the aren’t the kind of people you’d usually associate with Hollywood — so what are they really up to? Check out Propagandos at https://rss.com/podcasts/propagandos/ and on Instagram: @Propagandospod Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/ Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at helltopaypodcast@gmail.com Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

    55 min
  8. 19. White Widow, black ops

    07/13/2025

    19. White Widow, black ops

    On July 7, 2005, at 8:49 AM, three bombs detonated in three separate trains in the London Underground. How did Samantha Lewthwaite, the British wife of one of the suspects known as the White Widow, go on to become one of the world’s most wanted individuals for her roles in multiple terrorist attacks across several continents? Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/ Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at helltopaypodcast@gmail.com Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    35 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Aamer, Elle and Sipho explore spiritually motivated crime and conflict.

Information

  • Creator
    Hell To Pay
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Hell To Pay
  • Show Website
    Hell to Pay