
From silent compounds to subway attacks, from charismatic prophets to catastrophic ends, Hidden Cults is a documentary-style podcast that digs deep into the world's most extreme, elusive, and explosive fringe groups. Each episode unpacks a different cult with investigative depth, emotional clarity, and gripping storytelling. You'll hear the full timeline: from the origins and ideology, to the rise... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 62 | Founded | a year ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | True CrimeSociety & CultureDocumentary | |||

Tonight on Hidden Cults, we explore Desteni, the bizarre internet-era movement founded by Bernard Poolman in South Africa. Blending channeling, reptilian conspiracies, self-forgiveness rituals, and extreme mind-control ideology, Desteni attracted fol... more
The Nation of Yahweh began in Miami in the late 1970s under the leadership of Yahweh ben Yahweh, born Hulon Mitchell Jr., who preached that Black Americans were the true Israelites of the Bible and that he was the chosen son of God sent to lead them.... more
The Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps began as a small communal group led by James Green and Deborah Green, who moved from counterculture living into a rigid, militant form of religious control. What followed was the creation of a clo... more
Gloriavale is a remote Christian community in New Zealand, built on strict belief, total commitment, and a system that controls daily life from work to family structure. Founded by Neville Cooper, it grew into a self-contained society where obedience... more
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While the voice of the narrator is a pleasant one, there is a strange consistency that overlaps the mundane -the day to day of the people & groups being studied- with horrors & murder, leaving one to almost drift off & wonder โwait- when did all those people die?
I wish that I could be so calm.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #188 | |
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Apple Podcasts | #32 | |
Apple Podcasts | #53 | |
Apple Podcasts | #116 | |
Apple Podcasts | #158 |
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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The program offers documentary-style deep dives into extreme fringe groups, tracing origins, how control takes hold, and how collapses unfold. Across episodes, common threads include charismatic leadership, high-control dynamics, manipulation, financial and ethical questions within movements, and the lasting impact on former members and families. Notable strengths include rigorous narrative chronology, survivor-centered perspectives, and a willingness to scrutinize controversial figures and their legacies. Listeners who enjoy thoughtful investigations into how belief systems attract followers and how communities fracture under pressure are likely to find it compelling, with occasional focus on legal and societal repercussions that follow hi... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Hidden Cults:
1. The Cult Next Door
2. Cults to Consciousness
3. Gardens of Evil: Inside the Zion Society Cult
4. A Little Bit Culty
5. Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation
Hidden Cults launched a year ago and published 62 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Hidden Cults include:
1. James Green
2. Deborah Green
3. Neville Cooper
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