After acing an IQ test in 1988, 28-year-old Keith Raniere was able to brand himself “The Smartest Man in the World.” The moniker allowed him to seduce unappreciated businesswoman Toni Natalie, who would go on to help Keith grow the first of his predatory companies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Cults

“NXIVM” Pt. 1: The Carrot and the Stick

In addition to new episodes of Cults each week, you’ll now also hear Crime Bites every Friday. Each Crime Bites episode gives you a deeper, yet brief look into true-crime topics covered at Parcast. Today we’re discussing cannibals and vampires. We’ll examine strange cases of predators who drink blood and feast on flesh, and delve into their unique psychology. Clips featured: Unsolved Murders: Atlas Vampire, Female Criminals: Tracey Wigginton, Serial Killers: Albert Fish Pt. 2

Cults Bites: Cannibals & Vampires

As a sophomore in high school, Rod Ferrell bonded with a group of goth outcasts through their shared love of a roleplaying game called Vampire: The Masquerade. But Rod’s vampiric obsessions were more than some teenage fantasy, and in November of 1996, he proved that there was more to his thirst for blood than just fun and games.

“Vampire Clan” Rod Ferrell

Most mysteries can be solved by looking at the facts. But sometimes, the facts don’t lead to a logical explanation, and the truth lies somewhere in the unknown…Join Parcast and Crime Junkie’s Ashley Flowers as they dive deep into the strange and surreal to explain some of the world’s most bizarre true crime occurrences in the new series, Supernatural with Ashley Flowers. Every Wednesday, Ashley digs into a different mystifying crime—where the most fitting theory isn’t always the most conventional. Join Ashley in this exclusive clip from the first episode as she takes on the mysterious “Lead Masks Case.” To finish this episode, subscribe to Supernatural with Ashley Flowers free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts!

Introducing SUPERNATURAL WITH ASHLEY FLOWERS, A Parcast Original Series!

In addition to new episodes of Cults each week, you’ll now also hear Crime Bites every Friday. Each Crime Bites episode gives you a deeper, yet brief look into true-crime topics covered at Parcast. Today we're looking into the crimes that affect wealthy victims. While we may assume the wealthy are most often the victims of crimes like robbery, in reality, the wealthy are less likely to be victimized than the poor. Why is this the case, and why do we find it so fascinating when the wealthy become the victims of illegal activities? Clips featured: Gone: Michael Rockefeller, Hostage: John Paul Getty III Pt. 2, Unexplained Mysteries: Alfred Lowenstein Pt. 2, Con Artists: Jeanne de la Motte Pt. 2

Cults Bites: Wealthy Victims

She drew both criticism and adulation after announcing that she would be giving birth to the “child of god” in 1864. As it turned out, Joanna Southcott’s prophecies would become the stuff of legend, and outlive her by more than a century.

“Panacea Society” Pt. 2: Joanna Southcott

In addition to new episodes of Cults each week, you’ll now also hear Crime Bites every Friday. Each Crime Bites episode gives you a deeper, yet brief look into true-crime topics covered at Parcast. What motivates someone to assassinate a President, or their musical hero? Today we’re highlighting three notorious assassinations and the perpetrators behind them. Using clips from shows across the Parcast Network, we’ll see what motivated them to kill some of the most prominent figures in history, and explore the lasting impact of their crimes. Clips featured: Conspiracy Theories: Lincoln Assassination Pt. 1, Assassinations: John Lennon, Female Criminals: Phoolan Devi Pt. 2

Cults Bites: Notorious Assassins

Self-proclaimed Christian prophet Joanna Southcott led an ordinary life in England as a domestic servant for years. But at the age of 42 in 1792, that all changed, when she heard the voice of God. What He told her would shock the world.

“Panacea Society” Pt. 1: Joanna Southcott

In addition to new episodes of Cults each week, you’ll now also hear Crime Bites every Friday. Each Crime Bites episode gives you a deeper, yet brief look into true-crime topics covered at Parcast. Stars—they’re just like us. So why are we so intrigued by celebrity death, and why is the intrigue amplified when the death is unexpected? Today we’re discussing those high-profile cases. We'll dive into clips from shows across the Parcast Network, including Conspiracy Theories, Unsolved Murders, and Not Guilty. Clips featured: Conspiracy Theories: Marilyn Monroe Pt. 2, Unsolved Murders: Natalie Wood Pt. 1, Not Guilty: Robert Blake Pt. 1

Cults Bites: Suspicious Celebrity Deaths

In 1995, Hon-Ming Chen founded a UFO cult in Taiwan. His followers clung to him because they believed he could save them from an imminent nuclear apocalypse. Instead, he led them on a wild goose chase that involved searching for an Abraham Lincoln look-alike in Canada, interpreting clouds, and waiting for God to make his nationally televised debut.

“Chen Tao” Hon-Ming Chen

On the last Sunday of every month, Parcast Rewind replays a classic episode of Cults that you might have missed!  Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh felt discomfort with his own mortality from a young age. Over time, his spiritual studies and beliefs about capitalism and sexuality led Rajneesh to become a charismatic cult leader. This charisma attracted Ma Anand Sheela, the woman who rose from a 20-year-old devotee to a powerful leader in the cult that launched a deadly bioterrorism attack on over 750 Americans.

Cults Rewind: Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Pt. 1

In addition to new episodes of Cults each week, you’ll now also hear Crime Bites every Friday. Each Crime Bites episode gives you a deeper, yet brief look into true-crime topics covered at Parcast. Today we're exploring cases of unhealthy relationships and examining some of true crime's most notorious couples. We'll dive into clips from shows across the Parcast Network, and look at how the twisted—often abusive—dynamic between two criminals shapes the crimes they commit. Clips featured: Crimes of Passion: Bonnie and Clyde Pt. 1, Female Criminals: Phoolan Devi Pt. 1, Con Artists: Jeanne de la Motte Pt. 1, Cults: Eastern Lightning Pt. 1, Serial Killers: Carol M. Bundy Pt. 1

Cults Bites: Unhealthy Relationships

He consolidated his power over an offshoot of the white supremacist group, Posse Comitatus. Rooted in an extremely racist theology called “Christian Identity,” Michael Wayne Ryan then used the organization to justify the torture and violence he inflicted on his followers.

“Christian Identity” Pt. 2: Michael Wayne Ryan

In addition to new episodes of Cults each week, you’ll now also hear Crime Bites every Friday. Each Crime Bites episode gives you a deeper, yet brief look into true-crime topics covered at Parcast. Today we're taking a look at what some of the most infamous criminals in history have in common: a brutal childhood. As we dive into clips from shows across the Parcast Network, we'll explore how their early years of abuse, neglect, and trauma all shaped these individuals into notorious offenders.  Clips featured: Female Criminals: La Mataviejitas Pt. 1, Cults: Charles Manson Pt. 1, Serial Killers: Andrei Chikatilo Pt. 1

Cults Bites: Childhoods From Hell

In the early 1980s, Michael Wayne Ryan went from a frustrated, directionless slacker to the leader of a violent cult composed of down-on-their-luck farmers.

“Christian Identity” Pt. 1: Michael Wayne Ryan

Mystery. Manipulation. Murder. Cults are associated with all of these. But what really goes on inside a cult? More specifically, what goes on inside the minds of people who join cults and leaders who start them? Every Tuesday, Greg and Vanessa (co-hosts of the podcast Serial Killers) explore the history and psychology behind the most notorious cults. Cults is part of the Parcast Network and is a Cutler Media production. 

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Cults

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