The Family

The Family

There is a 95-year-old woman in a Melbourne nursing home who dotes on a plastic baby doll. You wouldn’t guess it to look at her, but this is a woman who amassed a multi-million dollar fortune, destroyed families, and affected the lives of numerous people giving them ongoing psychological issues, some of which ended in suicide.


Former police detective Lex de Man said of this women to 60 Minutes, “Of all the crimes that I investigated, she is the most evil person that I’ve ever met.”


Special guest: Ben Shenton.


Full research sources listed here. You can support us on Patreon or Acast+, with a one-off donation, or grab some merch. Sarah Steel's debut book Do As I Say is available on audiobook now.


If you have been personally affected by involvement in a cult, or would like to support those who have been, contact Cult Information and Family Support in Australia, or the International Cultic Studies Association outside of Australia.


If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs support right now, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or find your local crisis centre via the International Association for Suicide Prevention.


Links:

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(111)

Interview Episode: Fynn's time with the Logos Foundation

Interview Episode: Fynn's time with the Logos Foundation

The Logos Foundation was often described as ‘mysterious’ in media coverage, but became a part of the religious right that published full page newspaper advertisements encouraging the electorate to vot...

29 Heinä 202543min

Interview Episode: Clare Heath-McIvor

Interview Episode: Clare Heath-McIvor

Clare Heath-McIvor is the daughter of the leader of the City Builders Church, an organisation that she and others who know it feel confident fits the definition of a cult. Her marriage was arranged wi...

1 Heinä 20251h 23min

Cult Bride & Providence/JMS with Liz Cameron

Cult Bride & Providence/JMS with Liz Cameron

In 2011, an 18-year-old Liz Cameron joined a Bible study group she only knew as ‘Sarang Church’. Over the coming months, she lost more and more of her life and identity to the group that eventually re...

3 Kesä 20251h 27min

Interview Episode: Victorian Inquiry into Cults with Ryan & Catherine Carey

Interview Episode: Victorian Inquiry into Cults with Ryan & Catherine Carey

The Parliament of Victoria has launched an Inquiry into the recruitment methods and impacts of cults and organised fringe groups, which is open for submissions until 31 July 2025. If you or anyone you...

20 Touko 202555min

Falun Gong

Falun Gong

Falun Gong is familiar to many as a spiritual exercise movement, and a sect that has been persecuted by the People’s Republic of China. In Sydney you'll often see practitioners demonstrating by Town H...

22 Huhti 20251h 11min

Children in Scientology with Mirriam Francis

Children in Scientology with Mirriam Francis

In the wake of updates to Child Safety Standards emerging from Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Mirriam Francis wrote to Victoria’s Commission for Child...

8 Huhti 20251h 11min

SGAs with Maria Esguerra

SGAs with Maria Esguerra

Maria Esguerra escaped the Children of God at the age of 22 with her two children who have disabilities. Maria’s firsthand experience drives her passion to support fellow survivors of cults and instit...

1 Huhti 20251h 21min

Interview Episode: An Everyday Cult with Gerette Buglion

Interview Episode: An Everyday Cult with Gerette Buglion

Gerette Buglion holds a B.A. in Elementary Education and Special Education, and earned her ‘Master's Degree’ in cult awareness education from the school of life. She emerged from her 18-year cult odys...

25 Maalis 202557min

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