Episodi

  • The Badge in the Snow: A Cult's Impossible Lie

    The Badge in the Snow: A Cult's Impossible Lie
    Oct 15 2026
    The Badge in the Snow: A Cult's Impossible Lie

    Imagine a laminated badge, bone dry, lying face-up in six inches of undisturbed snow, twenty-two feet inside a padlocked gate topped with smooth wire. There are no footprints, no drag marks, and no logical explanation for its presence. What impossible lie did this cult tell to cover its tracks?

    In this episode, we uncover the baffling discovery of a high school teacher's badge at a remote wellness center and the unraveling of a carefully constructed deception. We explore the life of Troy Russo, a man of fixed routines and quiet strength, and the circumstances that led him to Stillwater Wellness Center, a place promising healing but delivering something far more sinister.

    Person: Troy Russo
    Date: April 11, 2019
    Location: Pinecroft Pass, Garfield County
    Event: Discovery of a badge in undisturbed snow
    Organization: Stillwater Wellness Center

    - Six inches of snow had fallen overnight, yet the badge was completely dry.
    - The badge was found twenty-two feet inside a nine-foot-tall padlocked gate.
    - Troy Russo, a 48-year-old high school history teacher, had taught for nineteen years.
    - He visited Edna, his ex-wife's mother, every Wednesday evening for four years without fail.
    - Stillwater Wellness Center, founded by Howard Stevens, operated since 2014, offering immersive healing programs.

    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.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    22 min
  • The Birthday Cake on the Empty Cult Farmhouse Step

    The Birthday Cake on the Empty Cult Farmhouse Step
    Oct 14 2026
    The Birthday Cake on the Empty Cult Farmhouse Step

    A child's birthday cake, complete with an orange gel number seven and seven unlit candles, sat on the step of an empty farmhouse in rural Missouri, twenty-two days into winter. No child was registered at the address, and the electric meter had gone dormant in November, yet someone left it there. What dark secret did this seemingly innocent detail conceal about the Remnant Covenant?

    In this episode, we delve into the story of Jason Hicks, who built a closed world around twenty-six adults on a leased farmstead, and Kathleen Whitfield, a thirty-one-year-old front desk worker who kept a journal hidden in her coat lining and eventually found a way out. The episode explores how an ordinary person can walk into an enclosed world one careful step at a time.

    Person: Jason Hicks
    Person: Kathleen Whitfield
    Location: Dellerton, Missouri
    Group: Remnant Covenant
    Event: Father's death

    - The electric meter on the farmhouse had gone dormant in November.
    - Jason Hicks built a closed world around twenty-six adults.
    - Kathleen Whitfield was thirty-one years old in the spring of 2017.
    - Twenty-two members separated from Open Road Fellowship by November 2017.
    - Twenty-six adults moved to a leased farmstead sixty miles from Dellerton by January 2018.

    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.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    22 min
  • The Frozen Pond, The Folding Chair, The 47 Pages

    The Frozen Pond, The Folding Chair, The 47 Pages
    Oct 13 2026
    The Frozen Pond, The Folding Chair, The 47 Pages

    Imagine discovering a folding chair, dry and upright, on a frozen pond in February, with a weighted envelope containing 47 handwritten pages-but no footprints anywhere. What dark secret could lead to such an unsettling scene?

    In this episode, we uncover the story behind a mysterious discovery on a frozen pond, tracing it back to a man named Robert Roberts, a self-improvement program called Clearpath, and the events that unfolded in Hartwell, Ohio. We explore how a quiet, methodical man became entangled in a system that ultimately led to a chilling revelation.

    Date: February 11, 2019
    Location: Dunmore Regional Park, Ohio
    Person: Robert Roberts
    Program: Clearpath: Tools for an Intentional Life
    Company: Denham Systems

    - A runner named Bruce Moore discovered a folding chair with an envelope on a frozen pond at 6:34 AM.
    - The temperature was nineteen degrees, and the chair was eleven feet from the nearest bank.
    - The envelope contained forty-seven handwritten pages, beginning with "I was never who Ross said I was."
    - Robert Roberts, a 52-year-old purchasing coordinator, joined the Clearpath program in April 2017.
    - At Tier Four of Clearpath, members signed a "voluntary financial stewardship agreement" giving the program direct control over their finances, leaving Roberts with a $240 monthly allowance.

    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.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    24 min
  • The Child's Watch: What Happened Inside The Fellowship?

    The Child's Watch: What Happened Inside The Fellowship?
    Oct 12 2026
    The Child's Watch: What Happened Inside The Fellowship?

    Imagine finding a child's wristwatch, perfectly keeping time, at the center of a chalk circle on an altar table in a remote lodge where no child has ever been. This chilling discovery, alongside seventeen sets of initials spiraling inward, marked the beginning of a mystery that would unravel a hidden world. What secrets did the open door of the main lodge on January 14, 2019, truly conceal?

    In this episode, we delve into the story of the Fellowship of Somatic Renewal, a group led by Warren Bell, a man with a purchased degree and a borrowed name. We explore how he convinced over a dozen people to surrender their lives to his organization and the journey of one woman who barely escaped.

    Date: January 14, 2019
    Location: Dellard County, New Mexico
    Organization: Fellowship of Somatic Renewal
    Person: Amanda Keller
    Leader: Warren Bell

    - Bruce Bishop, a utility meter reader, waited twelve minutes at the gate on County Road Seven.
    - A child's yellow wristwatch, with a cartoon sun, was found on an altar table.
    - Seventeen sets of initials were drawn in chalk, spiraling toward the watch.
    - Amanda Keller worked as a licensed practical nurse for sixteen years in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
    - Warren Bell purchased his doctorate for approximately two hundred fifty dollars from a document mill.

    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.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    23 min
  • The Mobile Still Turns: What Amanda Found Inside The Grove

    The Mobile Still Turns: What Amanda Found Inside The Grove
    Oct 11 2026
    The Mobile Still Turns: What Amanda Found Inside The Grove

    A child's mobile, spinning slowly in an abandoned cabin, was the last visible trace of a hidden community in the Montana wilderness. Thirty-one people lived there, most signing over their savings, until one woman, Amanda Padgett, walked out in freezing temperatures to ensure others could follow. What did she find that made her risk everything to escape this isolated cult?

    In this episode, we explore the story of Amanda Padgett, a woman who found herself drawn into a secluded community called The Grove. We learn about her initial trust in its charismatic leader, Roy Gray, and the subtle anomalies that eventually led her to uncover a shocking truth about his identity and the true nature of the group.

    Person: Amanda Padgett
    Location: Crestfall, Montana
    Event: Discovery of Roy Gray's true identity
    Date: November 2018

    - Dennis Bishop found a child's mobile still turning on December 11, 2019.
    - Thirty-one people had lived inside The Grove's fence.
    - Amanda Padgett was 27 when she first spoke to Roy Gray, who was 41.
    - The Grove was formerly a youth camp called Clearwater Acres with seventeen cedar-plank cabins.
    - Amanda found a 2002 alumni directory listing Roy Gray as "Roy Gann" with a course of study in vocational trades.

    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.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    21 min
  • The Cult Leader Who Stole Their Homes

    The Cult Leader Who Stole Their Homes
    Oct 10 2026
    The Cult Leader Who Stole Their Homes

    Imagine discovering a binder in a drainage ditch, perfectly dry after days of rain, containing a document that exposes a cult leader's deception. This isn't just a lost item; it's a desperate message from someone trapped in a predatory cult, revealing how an intentional community became a financial trap. What secrets did this binder hold about the cult leader and the stolen homes?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of Palliser Commons, an intentional community in Oregon, and the discovery that exposed its true nature. We follow Investigator Sandra Hamilton as she pieces together how residents like Teresa Hansen and Thomas Aldridge lost their life savings and equity, all due to a quietly revised charter and the machinations of one man.

    Person: Donald Hensley
    Location: Palliser County, Oregon
    Event: Discovery of a binder on Charles Moore Trail
    Date: November 14, 2019
    Status: Civil complaint filed

    - Cynthia Aldred found a binder in a drainage ditch on the Charles Moore Trail on November 14, 2019.
    - The binder contained the original founding charter of Palliser Commons, dated September 2014.
    - An adhesive label inside read: "This is what we signed. This is not what we lived under."
    - Teresa Hansen paid $42,000 to join Palliser Commons in March 2017, believing she held equity.
    - A revised charter, filed in August 2016, reclassified contributions as program fees and named Donald Hensley as sole trustee.

    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.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    22 min
  • The Cult's Stolen Music: She Heard the Silence

    The Cult's Stolen Music: She Heard the Silence
    Oct 9 2026
    The Cult's Stolen Music: She Heard the Silence

    A spiral notebook, punctured three times and containing eighty pages of handwritten musical scores, was found in the Sutter River, leading to the unraveling of a two-year fraud involving a choral group. How did a young woman from Harwick expose a cult leader and his stolen music?

    In this episode, we delve into the story of Dennis White, a man who built a choral group called the Consort, and the music that turned out to be stolen. We explore how a twenty-two-year-old from Harwick recognized something was wrong before anyone else, and the price she paid for that understanding.

    Person: Dennis White
    Location: Harwick, Sutter River, Rucker Mill Road
    Group: The Consort
    Item: Spiral notebook with musical scores
    Duration of fraud: Nearly two years

    - A spiral notebook with eighty pages of handwritten musical scores was found in the Sutter River.
    - The notebook's zip-lock bag had three punctures, suggesting an attempt to sink it.
    - Dennis White, 41, presented himself as a liturgical composer from Bloomfield, Indiana.
    - He led the Consort, which grew from nine to twenty-two singers, producing one new work every ten to twelve days.
    - Valerie Porter, 22, a music education student, joined the Consort and eventually moved into the Study House on Rucker Mill Road.

    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.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    21 min
  • The Badge in the Tree: A Cult's Impossible Lie

    The Badge in the Tree: A Cult's Impossible Lie
    Oct 8 2026
    The Badge in the Tree: A Cult's Impossible Lie

    Imagine a laminated badge, professionally printed, found wedged in a dead oak tree. Investigators determined it was placed there no later than 2007, yet the organization it represented, The Meridian Regional, didn't exist until 2009. How could a credential for a non-existent cult be planted years before its creation?

    In this episode, we delve into the story of Crystal Ramsey, a woman with an autoimmune condition who sought help from The Meridian Regional, a residential program in rural Indiana. We explore how a routine boundary dispute uncovered a meticulously constructed world of deception, and the subtle clues that hinted at the cult's impossible lie.

    Person: Crystal Ramsey
    Date: September 2009
    Location: Garnet Falls, Indiana
    Organization: The Meridian Regional
    Object: Laminated badge

    - The badge was found wedged in a dead oak tree on a twelve-acre property.
    - Bark growth indicated the badge was placed no later than 2007.
    - The Meridian Regional did not exist until 2009.
    - Crystal Ramsey, a medical billing coordinator, stayed at the Regional for twenty-three months.
    - She noticed the lab report format was subtly wrong, with incorrect column spacing and unfamiliar abbreviations.

    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.
    Mostra di più Mostra meno
    24 min