9 terrifying religious cults that are still active right now

Your smartphone might be the most dangerous recruitment tool in history. Whether scrolling through TikTok or looking for a sandwich shop, you are likely closer to a high-control group than you think. I’ve spent years diving down these rabbit holes, partly out of morbid curiosity and partly so you don’t have to, and the landscape in 2026 is wilder than ever. It’s not just guys in robes on a compound anymore; it’s algorithms, influencers, and corporate lawyers.

If you think you’re too smart to get sucked in, think again. Dr. Steven Hassan, a leading cult expert, warns that “no one joins a cult; they are recruited by systematic social influence processes” that exploit our basic human need for connection. With the rise of “digital cults” and the weaponization of the gig economy, the red flags are getting harder to spot. 

So, grab a coffee (but maybe not from the Yellow Deli), and let’s look at nine groups keeping experts and law enforcement up at night in 2026.

Twin Flames Universe

Ever feel like you’re missing your other half? Jeff and Shaleia Divine (the leaders of Twin Flames Universe) monetized that insecurity into an empire that charges up to $8,888 for courses like “The Everything Package”. They claim to unite you with your “twin flame,” but the reality is much darker. In 2025, the Michigan Attorney General finally raided their properties, launching a criminal probe into allegations of coercion and exploitation.

The scariest part? They allegedly pressure members to change their gender to fit a rigid spiritual binary. Reports indicate that if a female member is told her soul is “masculine,” she is coerced into transitioning to maintain the group’s theology.

That’s a level of psychological intrusion that goes way beyond a bad life coach. Despite the July 2025 raids, their digital footprint remains huge, targeting lonely hearts right on their social feeds.

7M Films and Shekinah Church

If you’re glued to TikTok, you’ve probably seen the slick dance videos from 7M Films. Behind the viral moves is Robert Shinn, a pastor who allegedly runs his talent management company like a high-control group. It all blew up when the Netflix doc Dancing for the Devil dropped, but the real hammer fell in July 2025 when federal agents raided Shinn’s property amid investigations into sex trafficking and money laundering.

Shinn allegedly isolates dancers from their families, convincing them that their loved ones are spiritual enemies holding them back from fame and salvation. It’s the classic “us vs. them” tactic, but with a Gen Z gloss. While Shinn denies the claims, the fact that the Feds are involved suggests this is way more than just family drama. It’s a terrifying reminder that your favorite influencer might be dancing for their life.

The Twelve Tribes

You might know them for their charming “Yellow Deli” restaurants or their distinct vintage bus at music festivals. But beneath the rustic, hippie vibe lies a group accused of racism, child labor violations, and severe physical abuse. In late 2024, the facade cracked violently when a member, Darren Cody Gambrel, was found stabbed to death at their Pulaski, Tennessee, compound, with another member confessing to the killing as a “test of faith”.

Their exploitation of labor is systematic. In New York, the Department of Labor recently found multiple child labor violations across its businesses. They use members (including kids) as unpaid workers to fuel their delis and factories, all while preaching a doctrine that the Southern Poverty Law Center designates as white supremacist. Next time you crave a steamed sandwich, remember it might be served with a side of hate.

Word of Faith Fellowship

Hidden away in Spindale, North Carolina, Jane Whaley runs a tight ship based on fear and “blasting”, a practice where congregants scream at a person to expel demons. This isn’t just shouting; former members describe it as hours of physical and psychological assault involving choking and shaking. I remember reading about this years ago and thinking it would fade away, but they are incredibly resilient.

They’ve also mastered the art of financial fraud. High-ranking members have pleaded guilty to orchestrating a massive unemployment benefits scheme, where congregants filed false claims and kicked the money back to the church. Thankfully, the walls are closing in: a judge recently appointed a special prosecutor to investigate allegations that the local District Attorney was protecting the group.

World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG)

If you’ve walked across a college campus lately, someone has probably asked you, “Have you heard of God the Mother?” This group claims a massive 3.7 million members worldwide and is aggressive about recruiting young students. While viral rumors about them being a sex trafficking ring have been debunked by police, the reality of their undue influence is still alarming.

Critics and former members allege the group isolates students from their families and demands excessive time and money, effectively hijacking their futures. In 2024, a federal judge in New Jersey issued an opinion in the ongoing Ramirez v. World Mission Society Church of God lawsuit, which alleges fraud and intentional infliction of emotional distress. They act fast, love-bombing you before you even know what hit you.

Teal Swan

Teal Swan is the face of the modern “wellness” guru who operates almost entirely online. She calls herself a “spiritual catalyst,” but critics call her dangerous. Her controversial “Completion Process” often involves recovering “repressed memories,” which experts warn can implant false memories of abuse.

In 2025, she continued to tour despite the backlash from the The Deep End documentary, proving that bad press doesn’t always stop a dedicated following. The most terrifying aspect is her rhetoric around suicide, which she has historically described as a “reset button.”

Mental health professionals argue this poses a severe risk to her often vulnerable audience. She targets people in crisis with SEO-optimized YouTube videos, making her a “cult of one” that lives in your pocket. If a spiritual teacher tells you death is just a reset, run.

Church of Scientology

You can’t have a list like this without the heavy hitter. While their membership might be shrinking, their bank account isn’t. They’ve bought up 200 properties in downtown Clearwater, Florida, creating a “buffer zone” to keep prying eyes away from their headquarters. But the real story in 2026 is the TVPRA (Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act) lawsuits.

Three former members, Valeska Paris and the Baxters, are suing leader David Miscavige for human trafficking, alleging they were forced into labor as children on the Freewinds cruise ship. These judges are finally ruling that religious arbitration contracts can’t hide alleged trafficking crimes. This legal pivot could be the silver bullet that finally pierces their armor.

Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS)

Even from a prison cell in Texas, Warren Jeffs still controls the FLDS. He issues edicts that dictate marriages and expulsions, proving that physical confinement doesn’t stop psychological control. Recently, his nephew Helaman Jeffs was charged with kidnapping, allegedly acting on orders to separate a child from her mother.

While their stronghold in Short Creek is gentrifying into a tourist spot with breweries and hiking trails, the die-hard faithful have just moved underground or to remote compounds in states like South Dakota and Nevada. They are quieter now, but that isolation makes the remaining children even more vulnerable to abuse.

Asatru Folk Assembly (AFA)

This isn’t your average pagan group. The AFA practices a “folkish” religion that is strictly for white people, which the SPLC correctly identifies as a hate group. They aren’t just online; they are building a physical ethnostate. In 2025, they continued expanding their “headquarters” on a 70-acre property in Tennessee, aiming to create a closed community for their white nationalist members.

They use the guise of “heritage” to recruit, but the end game is racial separatism. They’ve been hosting events and building infrastructure to insulate their members from the multicultural world. It’s a chilling example of how religious freedom can be twisted to serve a hateful ideology, right in the American heartland.

Key Takeaway

The cults of 2026 don’t always look like the ones in history books. They look like wellness apps, dance videos, and sandwich shops. The common thread is control of your money, your time, and your reality.

Stay curious, but stay critical. If a group tells you to cut off your family, demands all your money for the “next level” of secrets, or claims to have the only answer to life’s problems, that’s your cue to exit. Keep your eyes open, fam.

Disclosure: This article was developed with the assistance of AI and was subsequently reviewed, revised, and approved by our editorial team.