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.
Profile facts
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
Recovery resources
- ICSA Helpline — International Cultic Studies Association — questions about high-control groups, referrals to cult-aware therapists, peer support.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation — BITE Model assessments, exit-counselling resources, family education.
- ICSA Cult-Aware Therapist Directory — ICSA-maintained directory of licensed mental-health professionals with specific cult-recovery training.
- Combatting Cult Mind Control — Steven Hassan, 1988 (revised 2018). The foundational BITE Model book; CLCI Hub's core methodology source.
- Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships — Janja Lalich & Madeleine Tobias, 2006. Practical recovery workbook.
- An Olive Branch — Independent investigation organisation specialising in spiritual-community misconduct cases (produced the 2020 3HO report).
See the full curated list at /resources.
Notable public ex-members
- Multiple ex-followers in Scofield reporting
Legal cases & controversies
- Brent Wilkins' family commentary; no formal litigation
This profile is in progress — history, deeper BITE evidence and survivor voices are still being added. Contributions welcome via GitHub.
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) search ↗
- Wired magazine coverage search ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. The search ↗ link runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.