Famous cults have long preyed on fear, loneliness, and the human need for belonging, from Charles Manson’s murderous commune to modern digital movements like Twin Flames Universe, which repackage spiritual promises for the online age. These infamous cults use mind control, manipulation, and charismatic leaders to gain power, often with devastating consequences. But what makes a rational person give up their money, children, or even their lives to a self-declared prophet?

Social psychologists note that such groups rely on gradual commitment and emotional isolation. New recruits are praised for small acts of obedience, encouraged to sever outside ties, and taught to distrust independent information. Over time, critical thinking gives way to the leader’s narrative.

In the age of social media, digital platforms now give charismatic figures direct access to global audiences. Disguised as wellness programs, relationship coaching, or new-age spirituality, modern versions of these cults are harder to spot and easier to join, especially online. Today’s branded websites and polished livestreams reveal the same toolkit: secrecy, love bombing, and escalating demands framed as leading to personal growth, all designed to lure vulnerable people searching for healing or purpose into high-control environments that slowly dismantle their identity.

In this article, we’ll explore some of the most notorious cults in history, their operations, and the abuse former members endured–and exposed–after they escaped. 

Children of God: Abuse, Control, and the Lasting Trauma of a Global Cult

Leader: David Berg
Status: Active globally under a rebranded identity—The Family International

Originally founded in 1968, the Children of God (now known as The Family International) masqueraded as a Christian missionary group. Behind the scenes, they were operating as a front for widespread child abuse, sexual exploitation, and psychological manipulation. 

David Berg, known as “Moses David,” explicitly integrated ritualized sexual practices into the group’s theology, policy, and daily life. One tactic used was “Flirty Fishing,” a practice that urged women to recruit new members through sexual favors. More disturbingly, Berg’s doctrines normalized sexual acts with minors. 

According to Lustful Prophet: A Psychosexual Historical Study of the Children of God’s Leader David Berg, published by Stephen A. Kent in 1985, Berg released a disturbing illustration and text depicting himself in bed with two women, one reportedly in her midteens. Even more graphic was a publication titled My Little Fish, which featured photographs of an adult woman performing sexual acts on a boy just over three years old, along with images of the boy in sexual poses with an even younger girl. 

At its peak in the early 2000s, The Family International operated in over 90 countries and claimed a membership of around 10,000 individuals. According to Britannica, it was considered the most effective movement inspired by  1960s counterculture, surpassing many of its contemporaries in terms of both global reach and longevity. 

Fame Among The Children of God Cult and Its Ending

Some members were born into the group, raised by parents who had joined during its early years. Hollywood actors Joaquin Phoenix and Rose McGowan are two well-known examples. McGowan, known for her roles in Charmed and Jawbreaker, later opened up about growing up in the cult. “My father loved it, I could tell…Women literally worshipped at his feet…I’ll never be like those women, I thought. Never,” she recalled in her memoir, Brave. 

Phoenix’s family left the group when he was still a child. In an interview with ABC News, he explains that his parents initially believed they had found a like-minded community, but once they recognized troubling aspects of the organization, they chose to leave. 

Ricky Rodriguez, Berg’s chosen successor and cult propaganda figure, suffered horrific abuse, including being sexually abused and raped by numerous people, including a number of adult “nannies,” as described in the Family-published document titled The Story of Davidito. He eventually left the group. Even though he escaped, his trauma ended in a tragic murder-suicide. 

According to ABC News, in a video recorded hours before his death, Rodriguez said, “I just want it to end. I just want it to be over.”

How can you do that to kids and sleep at night?” he added.

Jonestown Massacre: How Jim Jones Led 900 to Death in the Jungle

Leader: Jim Jones
Status: Disbanded after the 1978 mass murder-suicide

Jonestown remains one of the most shocking tragedies in American history. On November 18, 1978, hundreds of men, women, and children died after drinking a cyanide-laced beverage in what cult leader Jim Jones called a “revolutionary suicide.” 

Jones framed the mass death as a political protest against what he saw as the inevitable betrayal and persecution by the U.S. government. He urged his followers to see their deaths not as defeat, but as a final act of resistance. 

Jones founded the Peoples Temple in the 1950s in the United States. Though it was initially founded on principles of racial equality and communal living, over time, the group’s idealistic image began to deteriorate.

How Jones Controlled the Members of His Infamous Cult

Jones increasingly centralized power and imposed rigid control over members’ lives. What began as a vision of social justice soon gave way to manipulation, surveillance, and psychological coercion, ultimately dismantling the so-called “utopia” from within.

People inside the compound reported that constant exposure to Jones’ voice was used as a tool of control. Yulanda Williams, a former member and college student, told TIME, “All you ever heard 24/7 was his voice. It was a way for him to consistently control our minds, our thoughts, our energy, our being.” 

Hyacinth Thrash survived by sheer luck. The 76-year-old member hid under her bed during the final hours. In an interview with PBS, she described the compound as looking like a “ghost town” when she emerged.

Deborah Layton’s memoir, Seductive Poison, served as an early warning to authorities and the public, offering a firsthand account of life inside the Peoples Temple and the psychological control that made escape feel nearly impossible. Her testimony and published writings played a critical role in raising the alarm months before the Jonestown tragedy unfolded.

Due to the scrutiny this famous cult faced in the U.S., Jones and his followers moved to a remote settlement in Guyana, where the mass suicide would later unfold.

Heaven’s Gate: The UFO Cult That Used the Internet to Plan Mass Suicide

Leaders: Marshall Applewhite & Bonnie Nettles
Status: Disbanded after 1997 mass suicide; website remains live

In March 1997, authorities discovered 39 bodies in a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California. The Heaven’s Gate incident is the largest mass suicide to occur on U.S. soil. The group was one of the earliest to utilize the internet for recruitment and spreading its ideology. According to TIME, Heaven’s Gate can be considered an early case of online radicalization at a time when the web was still new to the public. 

Founded in 1974, the cult’s philosophy prophesied that Earth was doomed to be “recycled,” or cleansed of all life and spiritually reset. Due to this, Heaven’s Gate followers took their own lives in hopes of escape. They believed that by dying, their souls would ascend to a spaceship trailing the Hale-Bopp comet. Earth was beyond saving, and only those who shed their human bodies could ascend to the “Next Level” and become immortal extraterrestrial beings.

Former member Rio DiAngelo, who left shortly before the deadly event, returned later and found the bodies. He told ABC’s 20/20 special, “We lived like we were living in a monastery. We were all celibate individuals, looking forward to self-advancement.”

In a farewell video recorded just days before the suicides, one member calmly said, “We are all choosing of our own free will to go to the Next Level.” 

The Heaven’s Gate website remains active to this day, preserving farewell messages and doctrine. According to various reports, the website is maintained by the cult’s last two surviving members, who now operate under “The Telah Foundation” and still respond to emails.

On June 18, 2025, we reached out to the official Heaven’s Gate email, [email protected], to confirm whether the address was still active and to ask about the current status of the group. A representative responded, “The Group came to an end in 1997. There is nothing to join and there are no members. There is no activity.”

The Manson Family Murders: Inside the Cult That Shattered Hollywood

Leader: Charles Manson
Status: Disbanded; leader deceased, influence endures

The Manson Family was a cult built on doomsday prophecy and messianic delusion. Its leader, Charles Manson, was a drifter with a criminal past. He took the opportunity to position himself as a spiritual leader during the height of the 1960s hippie movement. 

He weaponized counterculture ideals like free love, psychedelic experimentation, and anti-establishment attitudes to justify violence, obedience, and isolation. 

According to EBSCO, Manson preached about an apocalyptic race war, which he referred to as “Helter Skelter,” a term named after the Beatles song. He claimed it was inevitable, but also believed the “Family” could help trigger it. By staging brutal, high-profile murders and making them appear racially motivated, Manson hoped to ignite this chaos. 

In his vision, Black Americans would rise up and overthrow white society, at which point, Manson and his followers could emerge from hiding and take control of the new world.

He and his followers, who were primarily vulnerable young women, were isolated at the Spahn Ranch, located just outside of Los Angeles, California. Manson reportedly manipulated members with drugs, isolation, and fear until they also saw murder as a mission.

The Manson Family’s 1969 killing spree shocked the nation, shattering the illusion of peace in the Hollywood Hills. Seven people died, including actress Sharon Tate and her unborn child.

Getaway driver and former follower Linda Kasabian later testified in court about the carnage she witnessed (via The Guardian):

“I saw a woman in a white dress and she had blood all over her and she was screaming and she was calling for her mom.”

Kasabian’s testimony ultimately helped convict cult member Larry Layton. 

NXIVM Cult: How a ‘Self-Help’ Program Turned Into a Sex Trafficking Empire

Leader: Keith Raniere
Status: Disbanded; Raniere imprisoned, ideology persists

Self-proclaimed revolutionary self-help movement, NXIVM, promised members personal growth, confidence, and success. The cult preyed on ambition, drawing in high-achieving recruits who believed they were joining an elite mentorship network. “These people seemed like they had it all together. They were intelligent, successful, and charismatic. These were all the things I wanted for myself,” India Oxenberg, daughter of actress Catherine Oxenberg, told People.

However, behind the scenes, NXIVM operated as a coercive cult. They manipulated women psychologically, through blackmail and sexual exploitation. 

There was also a secret inner circle known as Dominus Obsequious Sororium (DOS), which translates to “master over subservient women.” According to a 2017 report by The New York Times, former NXIVM member Sarah Edmondson recalled being told she’d receive a small tattoo as part of a secret initiation. 

Instead, what followed was far more disturbing. They instructed women to undress and lie on a massage table while others held down their arms and legs. Their “master,” senior NXIVM leader Lauren Salzman, commanded them to say: “Master, please brand me, it would be an honor.”

A female doctor then used a cauterizing tool to burn a two-inch-square symbol near each woman’s hip, a process that took nearly 30 minutes. “I wept the whole time,” Edmondson said. “I disassociated out of my body.”

In 2020, a judge sentenced leader Keith Raniere to 120 years in prison for racketeering, sex trafficking, and related charges. 

Though NXIVM has been legally dismantled, remnants of the group’s ideology continue to thrive online through factions that remain loyal to its founder, Keith Raniere. Steadfast loyalist Marc Elliot operates marcelliot.com, which promotes the “Make Justice Blind” campaign and advocates for “due process” for Raniere. He uses his platform to call on influencers and journalists to challenge what he describes as an unfair verdict.

FLDS and Warren Jeffs: Inside the Polygamous Cult Still Operating Today

Leader: Warren Jeffs
Status: Active; Jeffs imprisoned, group still operating in isolated communities

The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) is a breakaway sect from mainstream Mormonism. Known for its rigid hierarchy and tightly controlled family structures, the group, under the leadership of self-proclaimed prophet Warren Jeffs, drew national attention. According to court documents and investigative reports, Jeffs arranged marriages involving underage girls and demanded total obedience to his authority.

Survivors have since come forward to describe growing up under a system where girls were taught to “keep sweet,” meaning they should remain obedient, cheerful, and submissive no matter what they endured. This was a phrase drilled into them from early childhood. According to the 2022 Netflix docuseries Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey, Rebecca Musser was married to Rulon Jeffs, Warren Jeffs’ 85-year-old father, when she was 19.

After Rulon’s death, Musser recalled that Jeffs threatened her directly during this period, saying, “I will break you,” when she resisted being forced into a remarriage. But she refused anyway and escaped.

Musser later testified against Jeffs in court, describing life inside the FLDS as one of total submission. Her testimony played a key role in Jeffs’ conviction. Reflecting on the experience, she told Dateline, “The power of words means breaking your silence.”

According to NPR, in 2011, a Texas jury sentenced Warren Jeffs to life in prison for the sexual assault of minors. Despite his imprisonment, he continues to influence the FLDS community through written communications and devoted followers.

Remnant Fellowship: Inside the Cult Linking Faith, Weight Loss, and Obedience

Leader: Gwen Shamblin Lara
Status: Active; leadership continued after Lara’s sudden death in 2021

What started in the 1990s as a Christian weight-loss program called the Weigh Down Workshop gradually transformed into a rigid religious movement known as the Remnant Fellowship Church. Founded by dietitian-turned cult leader Gwen Shamblin Lara, the group combined evangelical beliefs with strict doctrines that equated spiritual worth with physical appearance and unwavering obedience.

Former members say the church tightly controlled their lives through shaming, strict appearance standards, and teachings that framed church leaders as the voice of God. In HBO’s The Way Down docuseries, Laura Alvarez recalled the stringent dieting and fasting the leaders counseled her into, saying: “They put me on ten bites a day.”

Former member Ge’cobi Pittmann said, “The Church wanted everything from me.”

In 2021, Gwen Shamblin Lara and several church leaders died in a plane crash piloted by her husband, Joe Lara, which the National Transportation Safety Board attributed to spatial disorientation. According to People, despite the tragedy, the church continues to operate with many of Shamblin’s teachings still in place.

Twin Flames Universe: Obsession, Online Control, and Spiritual Manipulation

Leaders: Jeff and Shaleia Divine
Status: Active, expanding online

Jeff and Shaleia Divine founded the Twin Flames Universe (TFU) in 2017. The organization claims to guide people toward achieving a “twin flame union,” or what they describe as a perfect, divinely ordained partnership.

According to People, entry into the Twin Flames Universe begins with their “Twin Flame Ascension Course.” These sessions often take place in group settings with other members and can cost thousands of dollars. The Twin Flames “Everything Package” is priced at $8,888.

However, Jeff has repeatedly drawn criticism for his controlling behavior during sessions and for pressuring participants into inappropriate relationships. According to a 2024 report by Equip, which examined claims featured in the Netflix docuseries Escaping Twin Flames, Jeff and Shaleia used various control techniques in their teachings.

Former members have alleged that these techniques, which included “mirror exercises” and “mind alignment,” were used to manipulate followers, sometimes urging them to romantically pursue individuals who were already in committed relationships or those with different sexual orientations.

Former member Keely Griffin shared her experience in the Netflix docuseries: 

“When I left, things were really escalating. There have been people who actually went through top surgery. And there’s a lot of others who are still being asked, well coerced, to transition.”

Another ex-member, Angie, told People, “What Jeff and Shaleia do has nothing to do with love. It’s control.”

Jeff and Shaleia continue to run Twin Flames Universe and the Church of Union from their Michigan home, where they recruit new members. As of June 2025, their Facebook group has over 360K followers.

Twelve Tribes: Child Labor and Control

Leader: Elbert Eugene Spriggs (deceased)
Status: Active in multiple countries

Founded in the 1970s by Elbert Eugene Spriggs, The Twelve Tribes is an international religious movement rooted in Messianic beliefs. The group views itself as the literal re-creation of God’s chosen people, structured to reflect the organization of ancient Israel. This symbolic framework also claims that the Twelve Tribes must be restored before Yahshua can return.

The Twelve Tribes’ custom interpretation of the Bible structures every aspect of life—they enforce communal ownership and gender roles along with dress, diet, and discipline. Sociologist Susan Palmer describes it as a literal restoration of God’s people on Earth. According to the Centre for the Critical Study of Apocalyptic and Millenarian Movement Blog, this strict biblical model extends to child-rearing, where physical discipline and traditional family roles are seen as essential to spiritual purity and preparing for the End Times. 

Over the years, the group has faced serious allegations, including corporal punishment, extreme control over members’ lives, and child labor violations. Former members have described life inside the Twelve Tribes as psychologically and emotionally restrictive. Carolyn Figuera told CBS News, “An idea that you came up with on your own, then it’s a sign that it’s from the evil one. It’s from the devil.” Others have recounted the emotional toll of constant surveillance, social isolation, and the pressure to suppress individual feelings for the sake of group unity.

In 2018, the Twelve Tribes faced probing after minors were found working in a cosmetics packaging factory owned by the group. This was further confirmed by the Associated Press, which reported that New York state authorities cited the organization for violating child labor laws. According to a press release from the New York State Department of Labor, children as young as six were observed working long hours on assembly lines. 

These infractions also led to expanded investigations across other Twelve Tribes locations in New York. By early 2020, the group paid approximately $9,000 in civil penalties and the Department of Labor confirmed that no further active investigations remained in the state .

Spriggs passed away in January 2021 while visiting the group’s property in Hiddenite, North Carolina. Former members who were still in contact with Spriggs suspect he died of COVID-19, but no official cause has been confirmed.

The Twelve Tribes maintain an active presence in various countries and earn money operating Yellow Deli restaurants and organic farms.

The Ant Hill Kids: Canada’s Most Terrifying Cult of Abuse and Submission

Leader: Roch Thériault
Status: Disbanded after leader’s arrest

The Ant Hill Kids was a Canadian cult founded in the late 1970s by Roch Thériault, who proclaimed himself a prophet, as noted in Cults Uncovered by Emily G. Thomson. The group presented itself as a spiritual commune focused on healing and communal living, but devolved into a setting of extreme abuse and control under Thériault’s leadership.

One of the most haunting survivor accounts comes from Gabrielle Lavallée. In June of 1989, Thériault grabbed a carpet knife and a meat cleaver and hacked off Lavallee’s arm after she contracted gangrene, according to the Los Angeles Times. On August 16, she managed to escape the commune and hitchhiked to a hospital north of Toronto, where she told authorities about the atrocities. Her escape was pivotal in bringing Thériault’s crimes to light. Lavallée later authored a memoir, L’alliance de la brebis, detailing her experiences. 

Authorities arrested Thériault in 1989 and later convicted him of the brutal murder of member Solange Boilard. He received a life sentence. However, he was found dead on February 26, 2011, at the age of 63, after his cellmate fatally stabbed him in the neck at Dorchester Penitentiary.

Waco and the Branch Davidians: What Really Happened During the Siege

Leader: David Koresh
Status: Disbanded after 1993 siege

The Branch Davidians were an apocalyptic sect that broke off from the Seventh-day Adventist Church. They gained national attention during a deadly 51-day standoff with federal agents in Waco, Texas. Led by their messianic figure, David Koresh, the group stockpiled weapons and prepared for what they believed was an end-of-times battle, according to Britannica. 

The standoff began in February 1993 when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms attempted to execute a search warrant for suspected firearms violations at the Mount Carmel compound, according to PBS. 

The siege ended tragically on April 19 when a fire engulfed the compound during a final FBI assault. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s report, several Branch Davidians intentionally set the fires as agents deployed tear gas in an attempt to force them out. The blaze quickly consumed the building, resulting in the deaths of 76 Branch Davidians, including David Koresh and many children. 

However, some survivors and independent investigators disputed the government’s findings, suggesting that the FBI’s aggressive tactics, such as the use of armored vehicles and pyrotechnic tear gas rounds, may have played a role in igniting the fire or worsening its spread.

The Branch Davidians were disbanded following the tragedy. David Thibodeau, one of the few adult survivors, described the final day in a 2018 interview with ABC News, saying, “Nothing about April 19th started normal, nothing. ” Survivor Sheila Martin told People Magazine, “David [Koresh] came to give us a message and a hope. We hope to see him again. Our regret is only that we didn’t serve God better.”