New VideoJOREM: LA EXTRAÑA SECTA DE LA LECTURA DE PIES El Culto De Hogen Fukunaga Estafas Y Lavado De CerebroDuring the 1980s, Japan saw the rise of a bizarre and highly lucrative destructive cult known as Ho-no-Hana Sanpogyo, or the "foot-reading sect." Founded by Hogen Fukunaga following his personal financial ruin, the group claimed to diagnose physical illnesses and spiritual ailments simply by examining the soles and toes of a person's feet.
Fukunaga and his inner circle utilized this peculiar practice to manipulate and extort their followers through fear. Victims were frequently told that they or their loved ones would suffer from terminal diseases, family tragedies, or future disasters unless they attended expensive seminars, purchased overpriced religious relics, and handed over their life savings.
By exploiting vulnerable people during Japan's period of deep economic uncertainty, Fukunaga amassed an estimated $500 million. He used these funds to live a lavish lifestyle and purchase photo opportunities with world leaders like Mother Teresa and Bill Clinton to artificially inflate his international prestige.
The cult's reign eventually collapsed in 2000 when Japanese authorities arrested Fukunaga and his top associates. In 2005, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison for massive fraud, bankrupting the formal organization, though splinter groups continue to operate today.
Legislative & LegalThe Korea Herald: Unification Church leader attends first appeal hearing
Unification Church leader Han Hak-ja recently appeared at the Seoul High Court for the initial hearing of her appeal against a two-year prison sentence. Arriving in a wheelchair and hospital gown, Han is fighting convictions stemming from political funding violations and bribery offenses, though she has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
On August 31, the Seoul Central District Court sentenced Han for providing 100 million won ($74,000) to a prominent politician and offering luxury gifts to South Korea's former first lady. While investigators lacked sufficient evidence to prove her direct involvement in the broader church donations, a joint investigation found that the organization made 189 million won in illicit contributions to more than 130 politicians between 2019 and 2025.
Additionally, Han and three other church officials face separate indictments regarding the alleged embezzlement of 10.5 billion won in church funds. She has been temporarily released from detention multiple times due to severe health issues, including heart surgery.
The Unification Church, founded in the 1950s by Han's late husband Moon Sun-myung, is historically known for its mass wedding ceremonies. However, the controversial group continues to face intense international scrutiny over extensive allegations of financial misconduct and systemic efforts to influence political figures.
Domestic & True CrimeMargot Kiser's Substack: Mackenzie’s WomenIn this firsthand account, journalist Margot Kiser recounts her visits to the family compound of Paul Mackenzie, the Kenyan cult leader accused of directing his followers to starve themselves to death. The devastating tragedy in Shakahola Forest ultimately left more than 425 people dead as followers attempted to "meet Jesus."
Kiser describes visiting Mackenzie's mother, Anastasia Mwele, at their family home in Furunzi, which shared a large compound with his church. During her visits in early 2024, Kiser was struck by Anastasia's fragile demeanor, noting that her face looked like a mask ready to crack—long before she was eventually arrested alongside her son.
The compound itself held eerie contrasts. Tucked behind a wall, the family home was meticulously spotless, completely devoid of children's toys despite the many children living there. Outside, the property featured a massive generator, a maize garden, and the tiled graves of Mackenzie’s first two wives. Inside, a prayer for peace hung on the wall, creating a chilling juxtaposition against the mass starvation orchestrated by the cult's leader.
Research & AcademicUniversität Münster: Spiritual abuse in spiritual communities was driven by pressure and arbitrarinessResearchers at the University of Münster have published a groundbreaking pilot study on "spiritual abuse" within spiritual communities. While sexual abuse in the Catholic Church has been widely documented, this insidious form of psychological and spiritual manipulation has historically received far less attention. Conducted over three and a half years by Prof. Dr. Judith Könemann and Dr. Bernhard Frings, the research examined the "Christusgemeinschaft" and "Totus Tuus New Evangelisation" communities in Germany.
The study reveals how charismatic leaders initially attract followers seeking a deeper, more radical religious experience, but ultimately exploit their devotion. Spiritual abuse is defined as an incessant, power-driven intervention into a person's innermost spiritual life. Abusers use strategies like indoctrination, intense control, shaming, and emotional withdrawal to enforce complete submission and gain power over members' consciences.
Disturbingly, the analysis found that foundational theological concepts like obedience, humility, and devotion were consistently weaponized to legitimize this abuse. Furthermore, church officials often dismissed or trivialized early grievances because they focused too much on the perceived positive enthusiasm of these spiritual communities.
Based on over 100 interviews and extensive archival research, the authors emphasize that spiritual abuse must be formally recognized as a distinct and serious form of abuse to prevent future harm.
Ongoing Focus
NewsHuffPost: A Bad Relationship Can Be Like Being In A Cult
An abusive romantic relationship can share important psychological dynamics with a high-control group, according to experts interviewed by HuffPost. Both experiences can involve coercive control, emotional manipulation, isolation, and the gradual erosion of a person's independence and confidence.
Cult intervention specialist Ashlen Hilliard explains that coercive control can occur in intimate relationships as well as religious groups, businesses, political movements, and online communities. Therapist Rachel Bernstein emphasizes an important distinction: not every unhappy or unhealthy relationship is cult-like. The comparison becomes more relevant when one partner increasingly controls the other's choices, relationships, perceptions, and sense of identity.
These dynamics often develop gradually. Early affection and intense attention can give way to pressure to abandon friends, distance oneself from family, or accept increasingly restrictive demands. Manipulation may include gaslighting, intimidation, financial exploitation, threats, and attempts to undermine a partner's trust in their own judgment.
Leaving can be difficult even when the harmful behavior becomes apparent. Emotional attachment, shame, fear, financial dependence, and the belief that the abusive partner can change may keep someone trapped. Isolation can make it harder to seek outside perspectives or support.
The comparison offers a useful framework for understanding why intelligent, capable people can become caught in controlling relationships. Recognizing coercive patterns, reconnecting with trusted people, and seeking professional support can help survivors rebuild autonomy. The central message is that abuse is not limited to physical violence, and recovery should not be accompanied by self-blame.
International News
The Guardian: Doctor warned Elizabeth Struhs would not be safe years before sect killed her by withdrawing medicine
A coronial inquest heard that a specialist child safety doctor repeatedly warned authorities that eight-year-old Elizabeth Struhs was unsafe with her mother years before her death. Elizabeth, a type 1 diabetic, died in 2022 after her parents and members of a religious sect known as the Saints withdrew her lifesaving insulin, believing she would be miraculously healed. All 14 adult members were convicted of her manslaughter last year.
The inquest revealed that doctors raised alarms following a 2019 incident where Elizabeth was hospitalized in a coma due to neglected diabetes care. Medical professionals described her mother's refusal to acknowledge the illness or the need for medication as "delusional" and "chilling." They repeatedly warned child safety services that the risk of returning Elizabeth to her mother was too high.
Despite these warnings and written reports emphasizing that Elizabeth would die without complicated care, a doctor testified feeling "stonewalled" by child safety officers. Elizabeth was eventually returned home under a voluntary parental agreement that inappropriately placed the onus on the six-year-old to protect herself. Her father, initially a skeptic who saved her in 2019, was later converted by his wife and agreed to stop the insulin.
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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