エピソード

  • The Grief Cult: She Lost Everything, Then Found Him

    The Grief Cult: She Lost Everything, Then Found Him
    2026/09/10
    The Grief Cult: She Lost Everything, Then Found Him

    Imagine losing everything, then finding a community that truly "sees" you, only to discover it's a meticulously engineered system of control. This cult story reveals how a seemingly legitimate grief support group became a trap for the most vulnerable, built on a foundation of profound loss. What happens when the very comfort you seek becomes your undoing?

    In this episode, we explore the unsettling case of a grief cult that preyed on individuals who had lost everything. It details the journey of Linda Rice, a science teacher who, after the death of her husband, found herself drawn into a group led by Gregory Griffin, a man who presented himself as an ordained minister.

    Person: Linda Rice
    Person: Gregory Griffin
    Location: Cookeville, Tennessee
    Event: Discovery of a fake hospital badge
    Date: July 14, 2019

    - Paula Sanders found a hospital volunteer badge wedged in a willow snag at Sorrow Creek Reservoir.
    - Pineville Regional Medical Center had never issued the discovered badge to anyone.
    - Linda Rice taught middle-school science for sixteen years in Cookeville, Tennessee.
    - Her husband, Tom Rice, died in October 2015 at forty-seven years old.
    - By summer 2017, twelve people had moved to a thirty-one-acre leased property called Pathway Home.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    25 分
  • The Cult Leader Who Waited For Arrest With Cake

    The Cult Leader Who Waited For Arrest With Cake
    2026/09/09
    The Cult Leader Who Waited For Arrest With Cake

    Imagine a cult leader, awaiting arrest, calmly sipping coffee beside a birthday cake with 33 burned-out candles and the chilling message "WELCOME TO THE OTHER SIDE." This strange scene unfolded on a quiet road, revealing the unraveling of a cult leader's eleven-year plan. What led 41 adults to surrender their lives to a man who wasn't who he claimed to be?

    In this episode, we delve into the story of Eugene Hill and the Threshold Circle, a community that prepared for a "Crossing" that never came. Discover how seemingly ordinary people were drawn into a life of communal living, surrendered phones, and pooled savings, all based on a leader's elaborate deception.

    Person: Eugene Hill (alias), Marcia Gardner, Pam Gardner, Laura Vogel, Bette Ingram, Tom Vickers
    Date: June 14, 2009 (arrest), September 21, 2005 (last undisturbed call)
    Location: Sycamore Flat Road, Dellbrook Township, Tennessee
    Group: Threshold Circle
    Duration: 11 years (Hill's decoding claim), 5 years (Hill lived at property)

    - A 15-year-old paper carrier discovered the cult leader waiting for arrest at 6:14 AM.
    - The birthday cake had blue frosting letters that read: WELCOME TO THE OTHER SIDE.
    - Marcia Gardner transferred eleven thousand dollars into the Crossing Fund by March 2006.
    - Sixty-three people lived on the property by 2007.
    - Members were allowed ten minutes of supervised phone time each week.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    28 分
  • The Cult That Stole Her Voice, Her Business, Her Life

    The Cult That Stole Her Voice, Her Business, Her Life
    2026/09/08
    The Cult That Stole Her Voice, Her Business, Her Life

    Imagine finding a fireproof safe with $42,000 in cash and documents for a mysterious group called Lamp and Plow Fellowship, alongside a certificate proclaiming "Honesty in every home"-all without a trace of how it got there. This discovery in a drainage ditch hints at a deeper, unsettling story of a small group in western Iowa and the woman who unknowingly lost everything. What secrets did this strange find reveal about the cult that stole her voice, her business, and her life?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of Frances Petersen, a capable businesswoman who ran her family's heating and cooling company for years before encountering Glenn Boyd and his Lamp and Plow Fellowship. We explore how a community built on "practical faith and mutual support" gradually stripped Frances of her independence, her finances, and even her long-standing passion for singing in the church choir.

    Person: Frances Petersen
    Location: Dellmont, western Iowa
    Organization: Lamp and Plow Fellowship
    Business: Petersen Family Heating and Cooling
    Year: 2019

    - A road-grader operator found a fireproof safe containing $42,000 in banded cash and documents for the Lamp and Plow Fellowship.
    - Frances Petersen had run her family business for eleven years after her father's death without serious financial trouble.
    - She had sung alto in the Dellmont Lutheran choir every Thursday evening for twenty-two years.
    - Glenn Boyd, a minister, met Frances Petersen at a choir rehearsal in April 2015.
    - By September 2015, Frances signed paperwork transferring operational oversight of her business accounts to Lamp and Plow Fellowship.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    25 分
  • The Kneeling: 17 Figures, 41 Degrees, No Coats

    The Kneeling: 17 Figures, 41 Degrees, No Coats
    2026/09/07
    The Kneeling: 17 Figures, 41 Degrees, No Coats

    Imagine a utility worker, 32 feet up a pole, witnessing 17 people kneeling on frost-hardened ground at 41 degrees, without coats, facing a cedar building. This chilling scene was just the beginning of a cult investigation that uncovered 23 individuals, a padlocked gate, and a systematic transfer of personal funds. What led these people to such an extreme ritual?

    In this episode, we explore the events leading up to that cold April morning, tracing the story back eight months to a small Tennessee town and a young man with a spiral notebook. We uncover the gradual escalation of control, from voluntary contributions to the loss of access to personal finances, and the charismatic figure at the center of it all.

    Person: Carl Schultz
    Date: April 14, 2009
    Location: Route Nine and Fenwick Mill Road
    Event: Discovery of kneeling figures
    Topic: Cult investigation

    - Carl Schultz, a lineman of 14 years, discovered 17 people kneeling on frost-hardened ground at 6:40 AM.
    - The temperature was 41 degrees, and none of the kneeling figures wore coats.
    - Investigators found a total of 23 people at Fenwick Parcel two hours and thirty-two minutes later.
    - Financial records showed a systematic transfer of personal funds into a communal account.
    - A fireproof lockbox containing crucial documents was found buried beneath the cedar building.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    28 分
  • The Empty Chair and 412 Bibles: A Cult's Last Act

    The Empty Chair and 412 Bibles: A Cult's Last Act
    2026/09/06
    The Empty Chair and 412 Bibles: A Cult's Last Act

    Imagine a perfect oval of 412 Bibles, standing upright in a frozen field, a single empty chair at its center, with no footprints leading to it. This chilling scene was the final, meticulously planned act of a cult leader who systematically dismantled 31 lives. What dark secrets led to this bizarre discovery?

    In this episode, we explore the unsettling story of Janet Fitzgerald, a woman who arrived in a quiet Indiana town and, within months, transformed a loyal church congregation into a community under her complete control. We uncover the methods she used to manipulate her followers and the financial deception that funded her sinister agenda.

    Person: Russell Marshall
    Date: March 9, 2011
    Location: Hardin Township, Indiana
    Number of Bibles: 412
    Amount of Money Transferred: $240,000

    - Russell Marshall discovered 412 Bibles arranged in a 60-foot oval in a field.
    - The Bibles were found on March 9, 2011, at 6:15 AM.
    - Janet Fitzgerald arrived in Kellerman County in September 2009.
    - Dale Padgett, the community's steward of material resources, joined in January 2010.
    - $240,000 in community funds was transferred to Janet's personal account between June 2010 and February 2011.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    25 分
  • The Birthday Cake That Vanished with Troy Reynolds

    The Birthday Cake That Vanished with Troy Reynolds
    2026/09/05
    The Birthday Cake That Vanished with Troy Reynolds

    Imagine discovering a birthday cake for a 60-year-old, nine place settings, and a single burned-down candle, but the man it was for had turned 62 and was nowhere to be found. This unsettling scene was the first clue that something was terribly wrong in a quiet Caldwell Township home, but what dark secret was building for nearly two years before anyone noticed?

    In this episode, we uncover the disappearance of Troy Reynolds, a methodical widower whose life took an unexpected turn after joining a group called the Meridian Circle. We explore how a careful man, who meticulously managed his life and finances, became entangled in a structure designed to isolate him, and how a meter reader's keen observation began to unravel the mystery.

    Person: Troy Reynolds
    Age: 62 (at disappearance)
    Location: Caldwell Township
    Group: The Meridian Circle
    Event: Disappearance

    - Charles Nelson, a meter reader, found a birthday cake with "60" written on it, despite Troy Reynolds being 62.
    - Nine paper plates and nine plastic forks were found on the table, along with one burned-down candle.
    - The table had been sitting there for an estimated three to five weeks before discovery.
    - Troy Reynolds retired at 59 from a Zanesville procurement firm.
    - The Meridian Circle's monthly fee for "Practitioner" level was four hundred dollars, increasing to eight hundred for "Core" members.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    27 分
  • The Vermont Snow Globe and Eighteen Missing Souls

    The Vermont Snow Globe and Eighteen Missing Souls
    2026/09/04
    The Vermont Snow Globe and Eighteen Missing Souls

    Imagine finding a "WELCOME TO BURLINGTON, VERMONT" snow globe weeping liquid onto a desert windowsill in Arizona in January. This bizarre discovery led investigators to an empty ranch where eighteen people had lived and then vanished without a trace. What happened to these missing souls, and what secrets did their controlled community hide?

    In this episode, we explore the unsettling case of eighteen individuals who disappeared from a foreclosed ranch in Saguaro Flats, Arizona. We begin with the story of Jeffrey Draper, a young man seeking purpose, and the charismatic Mark Larsen, who offered a path that led to a secluded property and a fabricated identity.

    Date: January 9, 2011
    Location: Saguaro Flats, Arizona
    Person: Marcia Smith
    Object: Snow globe
    Number of missing people: Eighteen

    - A volunteer found a snow globe on a bunkroom windowsill, perfectly intact, in a pool of clear liquid.
    - The snow globe read "WELCOME TO BURLINGTON, VERMONT."
    - Eighteen people had lived at the foreclosed ranch property and were gone.
    - Jeffrey Draper, 23, met Mark Larsen, 44, who claimed to be a practitioner of somatic healing.
    - Larsen's "Harland Institute for Integrative Medicine" in Vermont was a fabrication; its listed address was a closed UPS Store.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    28 分
  • The Lanyard: How a Child's Craft Unraveled a Cult

    The Lanyard: How a Child's Craft Unraveled a Cult
    2026/09/03
    The Lanyard: How a Child's Craft Unraveled a Cult

    A child's lanyard, found snagged on a fence in a snowy forest, led to the discovery of a secluded community. But with no child's footprints in the snow, and adult shoe prints pointing outwards from inside the fence, what secrets did this "Pinehaven Summer Camp" hold?

    In this episode, we uncover the unsettling truth behind a seemingly peaceful residential community. We explore the journey of Sandra Olson, a dedicated teacher drawn into Randy Mason's Pineview Educational Trust, and the disturbing reality that unfolded behind the gates of Pinehaven.

    Person: Sandra Olson
    Date: December 9, 2019
    Location: Dellwood State Forest, Morrow County
    Status: Unraveled a cult
    Case: Pinehaven Summer Camp

    - A dry, green and yellow plastic lanyard with the name "DANNY" was found on a fence.
    - The property, Pinehaven Summer Camp, consisted of 42 acres, two spring-fed ponds, and a timber-frame lodge.
    - Nineteen adults lived at Pinehaven, which operated as a year-round residential community.
    - Randy Mason, director of the Pineview Educational Trust, had filed a fabricated curriculum vitae with the state agency in 2012.
    - Investigators found a wooden box in Randy Mason's office containing unopened letters from the families of at least seven residents.

    To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

    © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
    This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.
    続きを読む 一部表示
    25 分