Newsletter: The Supermodel and the UFO Cult
Journeys In and Out of Cults of All Sizes
This week’s episode of Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum, “From Supermodel to Cult Survivor: A Story of Purpose and Healing,” features an interview with my longtime friend and colleague, Hoyt Richards. We spoke about his amazing journey from football star and the first male supermodel, to cult member and, finally, cult survivor and filmmaker. His story as a 20-year member of Eternal Values, an apocalyptic, survivalist UFO cult, is harrowing but ultimately empowering. He managed to save himself, process his experiences, and become a successful and fulfilled individual. His story is thought-provoking and a powerful message of hope and resilience. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
In next week’s episode, “Shadow Diplomacy: Lev Parnas and his Wild Ride from Brooklyn to Trump’s Inner Circle,” Lev Parnas and I will discuss his experiences in the Cult of Trump’s inner circle and his eventual disenchantment and exit. It’s going to be an electrifying episode!
As promised in last week’s newsletter, we have the link to my interview with Ukrainian TV; my section starts at 11 and a half minutes. I am also thrilled to announce that last night, I recorded an interview with the Mea Culpa podcast with Michael Cohen; it will air on audio on Friday and video on Sunday. We will share details on our social media as soon as we have them. Of course, we will give the links in next week’s newsletter!
I am so pleased that I have hit 124K followers on Instagram; thank you to all who follow me, and please remember that I am also now on BlueSky. Also, if you are interested in learning more about cultic manipulation and control, my workbook, Understanding Cults, is now available. It is based on my online Understanding Cults: A Foundational Course, and is an excellent resource for those wishing to help a loved one out of any high-control group or relationship.
We will not be able to do the livestream this week. Last week’s livestream was a great success; you can see the recording here if you missed it.
Have you ever been part of a group—helpful or harmful? Whether your experience brought healing, harm, or a mix of both, I invite you to take a few minutes to complete my BITE Model of Authoritarian Control™ survey. We’re continuing to collect insights from all types of groups, from high-control environments to healthy, ethical communities. Your story matters. Every submission helps expand our evidence-based understanding of how influence works—for better or worse. And if you’ve been in more than one group, you’re welcome to fill it out multiple times. Thank you for being part of this growing and important effort.
Someone’s power, sense of self, and reality can gradually erode through grooming, emotional manipulation, and control disguised as spirituality and enlightenment. This happened to Hoyt Richards, my guest on Cult Conversations: The Influence Continuum. He went from football star and supermodel to cult member and, finally, cult survivor, director, actor, and filmmaker. His life story is particularly relevant today due to the rise of polarizing, apocalyptic cults and an increasingly fragmented online mediascape.
Read the blog post or listen to the podcast below:
How can you tell if that group your family member has joined is safe? Is your relationship hitting a “rough patch,” or is there actual cause for concern? With this anonymous, easy-to-use diagnostic tool, you can answer simple questions and determine if any group or relationship is beneficial or destructive, ethical or unethical, healthy or unhealthy. And now, you can share your results on your social media if you wish!
As always, please let us know what you think about these pieces or what you’d like to see us discuss in the future. Thanks so much!
