Obituary
Variety: Marjoe Gortner Dead: 'Earthquake' and 'Falcon Crest' Actor Was 80
Actor Marjoe Gortner, who first gained fame as a child evangelist before exposing religious fraud in the Oscar-winning 1972 documentary "Marjoe," has passed away at age 80.
After leaving the evangelical circuit, Gortner transitioned into a successful acting career, starring in 1970s feature films like "Earthquake" and popular television series including "Falcon Crest."
His unique life story exposed early televangelist exploitation while establishing him as a distinctive Hollywood figure.
Douglas Joseph Agustin (Doug), age 83, passed away peacefully on Saturday, August 15th, at Autumn Glen Senior Living in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. He was born on April 4th, 1943, in Duluth, Minnesota, to Doris and Urbano (Joe) Agustin, and shortly after, they moved down to South Minneapolis. Doug lived in South Minneapolis, then in North Minneapolis, but finally settled in Coon Rapids, Minnesota.
Doug was an account manager for a national cleaning company and retired while he was managing the account at Hamline University. He was also very involved in exit counseling of individuals who left cults. He helped them return to themselves and society, with an understanding of the undue influence and mind control they had experienced. In that capacity, he helped hundreds of families worldwide. To say he loved to hunt and fish might be an understatement; he would catch fish in any body of water where fish existed, and he loved to hunt upland game, waterfowl, and deer. He was also an avid musician - his twelve-string guitar and his singing voice were the life of any gathering. Donations to the International Cultic Studies Association.
AP News: Jim Bakker, scandal-plagued 'PTL Club' televangelist, has died at 86
Disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker, who built a vast broadcasting empire before it collapsed amid financial fraud and sexual misconduct scandals, has died at the age of 86. Alongside his former wife Tammy Faye, Bakker rose to national prominence in the 1970s and 1980s as the host of "The PTL Club" and founder of Heritage USA, a massive Christian theme park and residential complex funded through viewer donations.
Bakker's ministry unraveled in the late 1980s following revelations of a financial payoff to cover up sexual misconduct allegations involving church secretary Jessica Hahn, triggering federal investigations into the ministry's accounting practices. He was subsequently convicted of federal wire and mail fraud charges in 1989 for overselling church membership partnerships, serving nearly five years in federal prison. Bakker later returned to television broadcasting in the 2000s, selling survivalist merchandise and apocalyptic supplies.
Legislative & LegalSeoul Economic Daily: Cult Leader Who Injected Perilla Oil Into Followers Gets 4 1/2 Years
South Korea's Supreme Court has finalized a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence for a cult leader who defrauded his followers and subjected them to bizarre and illegal medical procedures. The leader, identified only as "A," founded a religious sect called Jeongdo in 2011, claiming the title of "Hanalnim" and blending teachings from multiple major religions.
Between 2013 and 2018, the leader extorted approximately 300 million won (around $210,000) from congregants. He scammed them by soliciting investments for a fictitious "perpetual generator" and charging fees to appraise fake historical treasures he claimed to possess.
In addition to fraud, the leader was convicted of violating the Medical Service Act. He illegally injected perilla oil into followers' buttocks, falsely promising it would restore their youth. Furthermore, he forced members to consume infants' urine and feces as an "elixir" and sold unapproved ground garlic and ginger as medical treatments for dementia and Parkinson's disease.
ABC News: Australian children at risk from sadistic online cults like 764An ABC investigation reveals that Australian children are increasingly targeted by sadistic, decentralized online cult networks such as 764. Operating primarily across gaming platforms, Discord, and messaging apps, these violent groups groom young users through strategic manipulation, coercion, and severe extortion. Perpetrators—often teenagers and young adults seeking online notoriety—exploit vulnerable minors by gaining their trust before demanding self-harm, live-streamed abuse, or explicit material.
The Australian Federal Police has identified dozens of alleged local offenders linked to these extremist networks, reflecting a sharp 41 percent national rise in online child exploitation reports over the past year. Law enforcement agencies and child safety advocates urge parents to stay vigilant for behavioral warning signs, including sudden online secrecy, unexplained injuries, or social withdrawal. Experts emphasize that these sophisticated digital networks actively bypass traditional parental oversight, making open communication and immediate reporting critical to protecting young people online.
Reuters: Kenyan starvation cult leader found guilty of murder of 190 children, one adult
More than three years after Kenyan authorities first unearthed gruesome mass graves linked to a doomsday sect, a court in Mombasa has convicted self-proclaimed pastor Paul Mackenzie and about 30 of his associates of murder. The landmark ruling centered on the deaths of 190 children and one adult, marking a significant legal milestone in one of the world's worst modern cult-related disasters.
Prosecutors established during the trial that Mackenzie and his Good News International Church instructed followers to starve themselves and their children to death in the remote Shakahola Forest. The radical teachings promised victims that by doing so, they would transcend worldly hardships and "meet Jesus" before the end of the world. While defense lawyers argued that the case relied heavily on circumstantial evidence and hearsay, and Mackenzie claimed he did not force anyone to starve, the court ultimately dismissed these arguments.
Police initially arrested Mackenzie in 2023 following a tip-off, which led to the discovery of hundreds of bodies buried in shallow graves across southeastern Kenya. In addition to the current convictions, the defendants have faced separate charges including terrorism, radicalization, and preventing children from receiving an education.
Aju Press: Octogenarian cult leader sentenced to 33 years in prison for sexual abuseJung Myung-seok, the 81-year-old founder of the Jesus Morning Star (JMS) religious sect, was sentenced to 33 years in prison by the Daejeon District Court on Monday, October 19, 2026. The court found him guilty of sexually assaulting and molesting 16 female followers between 2018 and 2022. The resulting prison term exceeded the 27-year sentence prosecutors originally requested, reflecting the severity of the offenses.
The court based its decision on consistent victim testimony, witness statements, and corroborating evidence. Judges noted that Jung exploited his position as the leader of a quasi-religious group to manipulate young female followers into believing he was the "Messiah," thereby leaving them unable to resist sexual abuse over a prolonged period. Alongside the prison term, the court mandated 15 years of electronic tracking and a 10-year employment ban at facilities serving children, adolescents, and individuals with disabilities.
Throughout the proceedings, Jung denied the allegations, claiming he never physically molested the victims. The court observed that Jung pressured victims to remain silent, dismissed their claims as fabricated or financially driven, and showed zero remorse—factors that justified a harsher penalty. This sentence adds to Jung's extensive criminal history, which includes a 17-year prison term for similar offenses against foreign and domestic followers, as well as a prior 10-year sentence served from 2008 to 2018 for assaulting female followers in multiple countries.
Local 21 News: Former 'cult' members call for Pennsylvania church to be shut down, investigated
A report by Grace Miller, published October 19, 2026, examines allegations by former members of Faith Tabernacle Congregation, a faith-healing church founded in Philadelphia in 1897 with branches across Pennsylvania. Former congregants Colleen Winkel and Kenneth Martin say the church's teachings and rules contributed to emotional harm, social isolation, and concerns about the safety of children.
Winkel described leaving the church in 1997 after her mother's death. She said members were discouraged from seeking medical care and that leaving resulted in estrangement from relatives. Martin, who spent 27 years involved with the congregation, described restrictions on associating with former members and said he was concerned about how women and children were treated. He also disclosed that he had experienced sexual abuse by a relative, which he said was never reported to law enforcement.
The article notes that former members have raised concerns about a possible culture of sexual abuse. CBS 21 contacted the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and the FBI about whether investigations into the allegations were open; neither agency had responded at the time of publication.
Philadelphia branch head pastor Paul Reinert said he was unaware of abuse within the church, rejected the characterization of the church as a cult, and said members were free to make their own choices.
Research & AcademicGlobal Catholic: First German study on spiritual abuses finds dioceses ignoring themA groundbreaking German study titled “Power Through Charisma” reveals that the dioceses of Münster and Osnabrück delayed acting against spiritual abuse within two Catholic communities. Church leaders were reportedly blinded by the groups' "spiritual fruit" and high vocation numbers, leading them to downplay complaints and delay action against groups like "Totus Tuus" and the "Christusgemeinschaft."
The researchers define spiritual abuse as the illegitimate, power-driven interference in an individual’s spiritual and inner life. This control often takes the form of coercion, humiliation, and manipulation of theological concepts like obedience and humility. The study recommends implementing robust safeguarding measures, regular visitations, and classifying spiritual abuse as a formal offense in canon and civil law.
A complementary study examining the Redemptorists' reckoning process highlighted the risks of the clarification efforts themselves. While early action helped victims connect, unclear objectives and a lack of institutional support caused new conflicts and exhaustion. Experts emphasize that future reparation processes require defined goals, conflict management, and dedicated resources to prevent further harm to survivors.
AI Research Disclosure: To bring you the most relevant stories, parts of this newsletter utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to search the web, source articles, and assist with content curation. This content is for informational purposes only; we recommend verifying critical facts independently.
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