Episodi

  • The Cult That Stole $840K, Not Lives

    The Cult That Stole $840K, Not Lives
    Oct 15 2026
    The Cult That Stole $840K, Not Lives

    Imagine discovering a clearing with 412 spiral-bound manuscripts, each marked "APPROVED FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION - PELLUCID PRESS," surrounded by personal belongings but no bodies. This isn't a crime scene of violence, but a chilling mystery of a cult that quietly drained its members of nearly $840,000. What happened on that Tennessee farm over a decade?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of the Pellucid Press, a residential writers' collective in rural Tennessee, and the woman who built it. We trace the journey from a hopeful writer's search for structure to the unraveling of a carefully constructed deception, revealing how a seemingly legitimate organization became a sophisticated financial cult.

    Person: Erin Vogel
    Location: Sycamore Branch, Hatchett County, Tennessee
    Date: July 11, 2019
    Amount: Just under $840,000
    Event: Discovery of abandoned manuscripts and personal items

    - 412 spiral-bound manuscripts were found in a clearing.
    - The property had been empty for nine days when discovered.
    - Erin Vogel presented herself as a former acquisitions editor with 15 years of experience.
    - Court records show Erin Vogel was an office manager at a freight company between 2001 and 2007.
    - The paper stock used for early Pellucid Press manuscripts was not manufactured before 2010.

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    © 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.
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    23 min
  • The Child's Birthday Cake Found Underground: The Prepared Cult

    The Child's Birthday Cake Found Underground: The Prepared Cult
    Oct 14 2026
    The Child's Birthday Cake Found Underground: The Prepared Cult

    Imagine discovering a child's birthday cake, complete with ten unlit candles and a name, half-buried near a dry creek bed. This isn't evidence of a burial, but of a chilling secret: a child's tenth birthday celebrated somewhere underground. What dark truth does this cake reveal about the Prepared cult?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of the Prepared, a group that operated for four years in southwestern Missouri, culminating in a subterranean facility. We explore how ordinary people, like Stanley Fleming, a facilities coordinator, were drawn into this world, and the subtle shifts that made them vulnerable to a charismatic leader.

    Person: Gary Wagner
    Date: June 14, 2019
    Location: Kellner, Missouri
    Group: The Prepared
    Leader: Robert Richardson

    - A septic technician found a child's birthday cake with ten unlit candles and the name PETRA written in blue gel icing.
    - The Prepared cult operated for roughly four years in southwestern Missouri.
    - At its peak, the group held twenty-two adults and seven children.
    - Stanley Fleming, a fifty-one-year-old facilities coordinator, attended Robert Richardson's third preparedness workshop.
    - Robert Richardson claimed a background as a FEMA structural engineer, but no engineering license existed for him in any state.

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    © 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.
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    28 min
  • The Silver Letter Opener and the $400,000 Bloodline

    The Silver Letter Opener and the $400,000 Bloodline
    Oct 13 2026
    The Silver Letter Opener and the $400,000 Bloodline

    Imagine finding a silver letter opener driven into a tree, pinning a sealed envelope with 18 names and over $400,000 in dollar amounts. This mysterious discovery leads to a closed residential community and a man claiming to trace ancient bloodlines. What dark secrets are hidden within the Lineal House?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of Donald Long, who ran a residential community in rural Harben County, charging members for understanding their supposed ancient bloodlines. We explore how a dental hygienist and accountant, Christine Doyle, became entangled in this system and ultimately found a crucial crack in its foundation.

    Person: Donald Long
    Location: Garreth, Harben County, Dellwood
    Date: May 14, 2019
    Event: Discovery of a silver letter opener and sealed envelope

    - A silver letter opener was driven two inches into a post oak tree.
    - The envelope contained an index card with 18 names and dollar amounts totaling over $400,000.
    - Donald Long operated the Lineal House for four years, charging members between $400 and $1,800 per month.
    - Christine Doyle, a trained accountant, paid $1,400 a month and stayed for three years.
    - Long claimed a doctorate in historical genealogy from a Vermont university, but the registrar confirmed no such degree was conferred.

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    © 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.
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    24 min
  • The Binder of 87 Names: What Happened to Frank?

    The Binder of 87 Names: What Happened to Frank?
    Oct 12 2026
    The Binder of 87 Names: What Happened to Frank?

    A laminated binder with 87 names and dollar amounts was found on a gravel road in Castleford, Tennessee, in 2019. What dark secrets did this document hold about a group called the Renewal Corps?

    In this episode, we uncover the story of the Renewal Corps, from its beginnings with founder Edward Mitchell, who claimed extensive disaster response experience with the Red Cross and FEMA, to its growth and the financial commitments members made. How did a seemingly benevolent community preparedness group become something more sinister?

    Date: April 8, 2019
    Location: Castleford, Tennessee
    Discovery: Laminated three-ring binder
    Group: The Renewal Corps
    Founder: Edward Mitchell

    - A 14-year-old paper delivery boy, Neil Whitaker, found the binder at 5:50 AM.
    - The binder contained a list of 87 names, each with a dollar amount and a date.
    - Edward Mitchell arrived in Castleford around 2015, claiming eight years with the Red Cross and FEMA certification.
    - Donald Clark joined the Renewal Corps in mid-2016 and committed to Tier Two, paying $150 a month.
    - Searches of FEMA's public database and Red Cross regional HR found no record of Mitchell's claimed credentials or employment.

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    © 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.
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    17 min
  • The 114 Letters They Never Sent Home

    The 114 Letters They Never Sent Home
    Oct 11 2026
    The 114 Letters They Never Sent Home

    Imagine a snowplow operator discovering a briefcase filled with 114 sealed letters, addressed and stamped, yet never mailed. These letters, intended for six different states, were found miles from their origin in Dellford, Ohio, after sitting for over a year in the office of the man who ran Steadfast House. What dark secrets did these unsent letters hold about the cult-like program?

    In this episode, we explore the disturbing story of Steadfast House, a supposed recovery program that slowly isolated its residents from the outside world. We uncover how Craig Holmes, the program's founder, manipulated vulnerable individuals, seizing their finances and controlling their communications, all under the guise of help.

    Person: Stanley Brown
    Date: March 14, 2009
    Location: Kettner Road, Dellford, Ohio
    Organization: Steadfast House
    Founder: Craig Holmes

    - A snowplow operator found a leather briefcase containing 114 sealed, stamped, and addressed envelopes.
    - The letters were addressed to six different states but had never left Dellford, Ohio.
    - Craig Holmes kept the briefcase in his office for fourteen months before abandoning it.
    - Charles Casey, a resident, lost his $22,000 disability settlement after signing a power of attorney.
    - The mail service to Steadfast House stopped completely in the third week of January 2008.

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    © 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.
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    24 min
  • The Red Signature: Twenty-Two Artists Vanished Overnight

    The Red Signature: Twenty-Two Artists Vanished Overnight
    Oct 10 2026
    The Red Signature: Twenty-Two Artists Vanished Overnight

    Imagine walking into a building to find 22 artists have vanished overnight, leaving behind only a single canvas with 22 black signatures and one in red. What dark secret did the Caldwell Ironworks hold that led to such a sudden disappearance?

    In this episode, we explore the mysterious events at the Caldwell Ironworks building in Dunmore Falls, Pennsylvania, where 22 artists disappeared in 2014. We uncover the story of a residency program that promised an artistic haven but concealed a hidden clause, and the legal question that ultimately brought the truth to light.

    Person: Peggy Walker
    Date: February 9, 2014
    Location: Caldwell Ironworks building, Dunmore Falls, Pennsylvania
    Event: Disappearance of 22 artists
    Document: Intake agreement

    - A utility lineman found the Caldwell Ironworks building empty on February 9, 2014, after a power spike running four times baseline for eleven days.
    - A 4x6 foot canvas was the only item left, featuring 22 signatures in black paint and one in red, dated February 2.
    - The red signature belonged to Neil Myers, the program's founding director, who claimed an MFA from the Crane Institute of Arts.
    - Laura Larsen, 22, applied to the Foundry Work residency in April 2013 after seeing a flyer at her university.
    - The intake agreement, signed by residents, contained a clause in paragraph nine assigning all creative work to the nonprofit organization in perpetuity without compensation.

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    © 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.
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    24 min
  • The Warm Radio and the Cult Leader's Empty Battery

    The Warm Radio and the Cult Leader's Empty Battery
    Oct 9 2026
    The Warm Radio and the Cult Leader's Empty Battery

    Imagine a warm shortwave radio, amber light glowing, found in a frozen field with no power source, no cord, and no tire tracks for 140 yards. Twenty minutes later, the light was dark and the casing cold, leaving investigators with a mystery that defied explanation. What kind of cult leader could orchestrate such an impossible event?

    In this episode, we delve into the story of a man who built a system of control using sound and silence, impacting the lives of 41 people. We explore the origins of the Lakeland Receiving Circle and the journey of Amy Mueller, an administrative coordinator whose life took an unexpected turn after encountering a mysterious radio program.

    Person: Amy Mueller
    Date: January 14, 2019
    Location: Dunnell, Pinecroft County
    Case: Lakeland Receiving Circle
    Topic: Cults

    - A runner found a warm shortwave radio with an amber light on, but no battery or power cord, in a frozen field.
    - The radio's casing went cold and its light dark within 20 minutes of discovery.
    - Forty-one people were living in a converted grain storage facility, the Lakeland Receiving Circle, five days before the radio was found.
    - Amy Mueller, born around 1981, moved into the facility in 2012 after signing over approximately $14,000 in savings.
    - The cult leader, Troy Wilson, had a false background, including claims of growing up in Montana and studying acoustic theory.

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    © 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.
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    22 min
  • The Widow Who Lost Her Thursdays to a Cult

    The Widow Who Lost Her Thursdays to a Cult
    Oct 8 2026
    The Widow Who Lost Her Thursdays to a Cult

    Imagine discovering 41 bone-dry notebooks stacked against a drainage culvert after a week of sleet, on a property sealed by the sheriff four days earlier. These notebooks, found by a utility worker, held the secrets of a cult leader and the story of how one woman's life was slowly consumed. What did these mysterious writings reveal about the Lumen Circle Learning Cooperative and its founder?

    In this episode, we uncover the chilling story of Paula Marshall, a retired billing coordinator who, at 61, found herself drawn into a "learning cooperative" that promised intellectual growth but delivered something far more sinister. We explore the subtle tactics of its founder, Marvin Cook, and the financial discrepancies that eventually came to light.

    Person: Paula Marshall
    Organization: Lumen Circle Learning Cooperative
    Location: Graham, North Carolina
    Event: Discovery of 41 notebooks
    Date: December 9, 2019

    - A utility worker found 41 composition notebooks stacked dry against a drainage culvert.
    - The property had been sealed by the Alamance County Sheriff four days before the discovery.
    - Paula Marshall, a 61-year-old widow, drove 45 minutes every Thursday to have lunch with her son.
    - Marvin Cook's only confirmed job was a property maintenance contractor at a church camp for four years.
    - Estimated revenues for Lumen Circle were approximately $210,000 per year, against $40,000 in reported expenses.

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    © 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.
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    24 min