Educational tool only. All groups exist on a spectrum of control. Individual experiences vary. Based on publicly available reports, ex-member accounts, court records, and expert analyses — not medical or legal advice.
163 group profiles operating in Europe. All scores are BITE-derived from publicly available sources.
Esoteric Neo-Templar movement founded by Joseph Di Mambro and Luc Jouret (1984). Conducted mass murder-suicides in Switzerland, Quebec, and France between 1994 and 1997 killing 74 people including children.
Russian sect (1772+) that broke from the Khlysty over the requirement of literal self-castration ('the seal of fire', 'the small seal' / 'the great seal'). Founder Kondratii Selivanov claimed to be the resurrected Tsar Peter III and the second Christ. Criminalised throughout the Tsarist period; effectively extinct by mid-20th c.
Australian sect led by Anne Hamilton-Byrne (1921–2019), centred on properties near Lake Eildon, Victoria. Acquired ≈14 children illegally in the 1970s, dyed their hair identical blonde, dressed them identically, and dosed them with LSD. Subject of the 2016 documentary 'The Family'.
Korean apocalyptic Christian movement founded by Lee Man-hee (1984) claiming to be the promised pastor of Revelation. Notorious for deceptive 'gospel-fishing' recruitment via front churches and the 2020 COVID-19 super-spreading event in Daegu.
Small Mahdi-claimant Islamic-derived new religious movement founded ~2015 by Egyptian-American Abdullah Hashem Aba Al-Sadiq (b. 1983). Hashem teaches he is the awaited Mahdi (Islamic eschatological end-times figure), Christ returned, and 'Riser of the House of Muhammad'. Distinct from — and rejected by — the mainstream Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Multi-jurisdiction asylum-claim trail (Egypt → Turkey → UK → Switzerland → US Texas) and documented coercive-control patterns including group-marriage rituals, communal child-rearing, surrendered passports, and shunning of departing members.
Korean Christian-derived movement founded by Jeong Myeong-seok (1980). Leader convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault in 2009 (10y) and again in 2024 (23y). Subject of Netflix's 'In the Name of God' (2023).
Communal Messianic-Jewish-influenced movement founded by Elbert Eugene Spriggs (1972). Members surrender all property, work in community businesses (Yellow Deli cafés, construction), and follow strict child-discipline teachings repeatedly investigated by child welfare authorities.
Esoteric occult-political network associated with David Myatt. Texts explicitly endorse human sacrifice ('culling'), terrorism, and infiltration of mainstream institutions. Multiple O9A-associated members have been convicted of terrorism and violent crimes.
Russian underground sect (17th c.–early 20th c.) believing the Holy Spirit re-incarnated in successive 'living Christs' and 'living Mothers of God'. Distinctive ecstatic spinning rite (radenie) and ascetic celibacy paired with sexual antinomian variants.
South Korean apocalyptic Christian organisation founded 1964 by Ahn Sahng-hong (1918–1985). Identified Ahn as the 'Second Coming Christ' after his death. From 1985 led by Zhang Gil-jah (born 1943), identified as 'Heavenly Mother God'. Approximately 3 million claimed members across 175 countries. Multiple deceptive-recruitment lawsuits in the US and South Korea 2014–2024.
International communal Messianic Christian high-control group founded 1972 in Chattanooga, Tennessee by Elbert Eugene 'Gene' Spriggs (1937-2021) and Marsha Spriggs. Operates approximately 50 communities in 9 countries; estimated 2,500-3,000 members. Recognisable public face is the Yellow Deli / Common Sense Market cafe network. Documented forced child labour, corporal-punishment doctrine, multiple government raids (Vermont 1984 Island Pond raid, Bavaria 2013 Wörnitz / Klosterzimmern raids, France 2015), and the full set of severance, total residential control, and arranged marriage patterns.
Strict separatist branch of the Plymouth Brethren movement, currently led by Bruce D Hales from Sydney. The doctrine of 'separation' enforces severe shunning of those who leave or are excommunicated, including by family.