Jonestown Pt. 1

In 1925 Willa had been dead for months, and yet she wasn't laid to rest. May Blackburn laid her in a tub of ice, mummified her, and buried her beneath her floorboards in Venice, California. The end of the world was coming, and when Willa was resurrected, so would be their queen. And so the cult prepared for the coming apocalypse, over the body of the Blackburn Cult's first victim.  Sponsors! Calm - CULTS listeners get 25% off a Calm Premium subscription at Calm.com/CULTS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

23 Apr 201949min

Many actors wait tables while they're waiting for their big break; May and Ruth Blackburn started a cult. In 1920s Los Angeles, this mother-daughter duo swindled a fortune from their followers while promising them fortune and immortality.  Sponsors! Quip - Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS right now, you get your first refill pack for FREE with a quip electric toothbrush. Robinhood - Robinhood is giving listeners of Cults a FREE stock like Apple, Ford, or Sprint to help you build your portfolio. Sign up at Cults.Robinhood.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

16 Apr 201953min

After the cult was dogged with rumors of violent conversion tactics, the Church of the Almighty God blamed the Chinese government for the negative press. A more extreme example occurred in 2014, as the cult would be accused of the murder of a woman who refused to give the group her cellphone number for recruitment purposes. Sponsors! CBS All Access - Visit CBS.com/CULTS to watch The Twilight Zone. Redeem your FREE trial TODAY.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

9 Apr 201944min

The Church of the Almighty God preached that Jesus Christ had been reborn and walked the Earth. She was here to save their souls before the world ended. In 1991, followers scrambled to prove how devoted they were to her before the apocalypse, even if it meant killing in her name. SPONSORS! Calm - CULTS listeners get 25% off a Calm Premium subscription at Calm.com/CULTS. CBS All Access - Visit CBS.com/UNEXPLAINED to redeem your FREE trial TODAY. Upstart - Hurry to Upstart.com/CULTS to find out HOW LOW your Upstart rate is. Checking your rate only takes 2 minutes—and won’t affect your credit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2 Apr 201946min

When the cult moved to Hawaii, James Baker never expected his penniless followers to find him. But once it became clear that they were willing to follow to the bitter end, he began planning a dramatic exit of epic proportions. Sponsors! CBS All Access - Visit CBS.com/CULTS to redeem your FREE trial TODAY and watch the new Twilight Zone exclusively on CBS All Access. Quip - Quip starts at just $25 and if you go to GetQuip.com/CULTS right now, you get your first refill pack for FREE with a Quip electric toothbrush. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

26 Mars 201956min

When James Baker started his health food restaurant on the Sunset Strip in the 1970s, he had no intention of creating a spiritual commune. But opportunity knocked, and soon, he was the leader of a yoga-based cult in Hollywood Hills that launched Baker to wealth and fame. When the cult came under scrutiny, Baker ran. And to his surprise, his people followed.  Sponsors! CBS All Access - Visit CBS.com/CULTS to redeem your FREE trial of CBS All Access. Robinhood - Robinhood is giving listeners of Cults a FREE stock like Apple, Ford, or Sprint to help you build your portfolio. Sign up at Cults.Robinhood.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Mars 201953min

For roughly 15 years, this guru was a beloved spiritual leader with hopes of opening a worship oriented theme park. In 1985, everything changed when a vicious attack resulted in a head injury, coma, and ultimately a sinister personality change. He started using brutal tactics to keep his followers in line, including violence, espionage, and his own personal hitman.  Sponsors! Calm - CULTS listeners get 25% off a Calm Premium subscription at Calm.com/CULTS. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12 Mars 201948min

For 26 years, he was the guru and leader of the New Vrindaban cult in West Virginia. Kirtanananda Swami would turn this vacant land into a 1200-acre sanctuary for all faiths complete with an enormous gold palace. What seemed like an idyllic paradise, was actually just a plot to steal member’s money. Swami was successful in swindling $10.5 million in just four years.  Parcasters - To learn about an iconic event in American history, check out our our new episode on John McCain on HOSTAGE, wherever you get your shows. Listen now at parcast.com/hostage Sponsors! Upstart - Hurry to Upstart.com/CULTS to find out HOW LOW your Upstart rate is. Checking your rate only takes 2 minutes and won’t affect your credit! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 Mars 201951min