Cults, high-control groups, and coercive control in the news

Summary of the latest news and developments regarding cults, high-control groups, and coercive control for the week of August 10, 2026.

Following last week's massive release of the final report from the Victoria inquiry, there are no new developments from Australia's parliament. Instead, this week’s major updates shift focus to the United States, where multiple states are quietly codifying "coercive control" into law, and a significant international extradition request has been formally lodged.

US Legislative Developments

While we have been tracking Canada's sweeping national updates, two US states made significant localized strides this week in legally defining coercive control:

• Arizona's "Alec and Lydia Act": Arizona's family court rules have fundamentally shifted with the enactment of HB 2995. For the first time, coercive control is explicitly legally defined as domestic violence within custody proceedings. The statute lists 15 qualifying categories of control, notably including "weaponized litigation"—using the family court system itself to bankrupt, delay, or emotionally exhaust a former partner.
• Massachusetts Expands Protections: On August 10, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey signed new legislation closing several legal loopholes regarding sexual assault. Tucked within this broader package is a provision that formally expands the state's legal definition of abuse to explicitly include coercive control.

International & Investigative Updates

• US Formally Requests Quiboloy Extradition: Following up on our ongoing tracking of the "Kingdom of Jesus Christ" group, the United States has officially submitted a formal request to the Philippine Department of Justice for the extradition of Apollo Quiboloy. Quiboloy, who has been held in a Manila jail since his 2024 arrest, is wanted in the US on federal charges of sex trafficking, fraud, and coercion.
• "The Psychology of Cults" Tour: Marking a shift in how the public consumes information about coercive control, criminal investigator and author Mike King announced a six-city live investigative presentation touring Australia this December. The tour aims to move the conversation out of podcasts and documentaries into live venues, focusing heavily on how the subtle psychological mechanisms of high-control organizations mirror the control seen in ordinary workplaces, relationships, and wellness communities.