Bentinho Massaro (Trinfinity Academy)
Online 'enlightenment teacher' running Trinfinity Academy and various retreats. After follower Brent Wilkins' 2017 suicide and a major Be Scofield exposé, multiple wellness-press and academic critiques have characterised the operation as a high-control online cult.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — online 'enlightenment teacher' with documented suicide of a follower; pattern resembles parasocial NRM.
In context
Bentinho Massaro built a YouTube and Instagram following teaching enlightenment, manifestation, and 'Bentinho's truth'. After his follower Brent Wilkins' suicide in 2017 and Be Scofield's investigation, multiple ex-followers have publicly critiqued his teaching style — particularly his personal claim of enlightenment, dismissive treatment of those who leave, and the pressure to attend expensive retreats in Sedona and Costa Rica.
Key control doctrines
- Massaro as enlightened being
- Manifestation and 'truth' framework
- Dismissal of mental-health concerns
Notable public ex-members
- Multiple ex-followers in Scofield reporting
Legal cases & controversies
- Brent Wilkins' family commentary; no formal litigation
Timeline
- 2010+Massaro grows YouTube following
- 2016Trinfinity Academy launched
- 2017Brent Wilkins suicide; Be Scofield exposé
Sources
- Be Scofield, 'The Cult of Bentinho Massaro' (2017, The Daily Beast)
- Wired magazine coverage
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Search the source title plus the group name to find the original.