Three Percenters militia movement
Decentralised American militia network founded 2008 by Mike Vanderboegh. Multiple chapters and members convicted in January 6 2021 prosecutions. Some state chapters formally classified as hate groups.
CLCI radar
BITE breakdown
0 — decentralised militia network; multiple chapters convicted in January 6 prosecutions.
Profile facts
In context
Three Percenters take their name from the discredited statistic that 3% of colonists fought the British. The decentralised structure means substantial chapter-by-chapter variation. Multiple Three Percenters chapters and members were convicted of January 6 2021 Capitol charges. Some state chapters classified as hate groups by SPLC.
Key control doctrines
- Anti-government readiness rhetoric
- Pseudo-historical 3% framing
- Paramilitary preparedness
Recovery resources
- ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — General referral and cult-aware therapist directory.
- INFORM (Information Network on Religious Movements) — LSE-founded UK research-based information service covering new religious movements.
- Reclamation Collective — Religious-trauma-aware therapist network; relevant for post-exit identity-rebuilding.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation; BITE-model resources and family-side exit guidance.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Legal cases & controversies
- Multiple January 6 convictions
Evidence by BITE axis
- Multiple January 6 convictions
- Paramilitary training
- Family severance documented
- Anti-government readiness rhetoric
- Paramilitary preparedness
- multiple chapters convicted in January 6 prosecutions
- Anti-government conspiracy framing
- Pseudo-historical 3% framing
Timeline
- 2008Founded by Mike Vanderboegh
- 2021-01-06Multiple Three Percenters at US Capitol
Evidence matrix
Structured sources cross-linked to the claims they document. Tiered per the source hierarchy. For free-text citations see the Sources section below.
Sources
- DOJ January 6 case filings search ↗
- SPLC profiles search ↗
- Various ProPublica investigations search ↗
- Man Who Attempted to Bomb Downtown Oklahoma City Bank Sentenced to 25 Years — https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/man-who-attempted-bomb-downtown-oklahoma-city-bank-sentenced-25-years open ↗
- District of Columbia | Texas Man Sentenced to 52 Months in Prison For Assaulting Law Enforcement Officers During Jan 6 Capitol Breach — https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/texas-man-sentenced-prison-assaulting-law-enforcement-officers-during-jan-6-capitol open ↗
- Six California Men, Four of Whom Self-Identify as Members of "Three-Percenter" Militias, Indicted on Conspiracy Charges Related to Jan. 6 Capitol Breach — https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/pr/six-california-men-four-whom-self-identify-members-three-percenter-militias-indicted open ↗
- Currently listed entities — https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/ntnl-scrt/cntr-trrrsm/lstd-ntts/crrnt-lstd-ntts-en.aspx open ↗
- Militia Violent Extremists in the United States: Understanding the Evolution of the Threat — Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism Studies (2022) — https://doi.org/10.19165%2F2022.2.04 open ↗
- Three Percenters are Canada's 'most dangerous' extremist group, say some experts — https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/three-percenters-canada-1.4647199 open ↗
- Read the Jan. 6 Committee Report Executive Summary — https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/12/19/us/politics/jan-6-committee-report-executive-summary.html# open ↗
- Canada puts U.S. Three Percenters militia on terror list, cites risk of violent extremism — https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canada-puts-us-right-wing-three-percenters-militia-group-terror-list-2021-06-25/ open ↗
- Anti-government hate militias on the rise — http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/30/avlon.hatriots.militia/ open ↗
- Meet the Former Militiaman Behind the Fast and Furious Scandal — https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2011/12/fast-and-furious-scandal-mike-vanderboegh open ↗
- Online novel' allegedly inspired Georgia terrorism suspects — https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/jacket-copy/story/2011-11-03/online-novel-allegedly-inspired-georgia-terrorism-suspects open ↗
- FBI arrests 4 Georgia militia members — https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fbi-arrests-4-georgia-militia-members/ open ↗
- Jury convicted man in Oklahoma City federal bomb plot trial — https://www.apnews.com/c4e76e6dd3684652b4e67751c6735c05 open ↗
- Three Percenters: What is the gun-toting group? And what do its supporters want? — https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/03/01/three-percenters-what-gun-toting-group-and-what-do-its-supporters-want/385463002/ open ↗
- Bombing Plot in Oklahoma City Is Thwarted With Arrest, F.B.I. Says — https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/14/us/oklahoma-van-bomb-domestic-terrorism.html open ↗
- Militia threat shuts down Oregon Statehouse amid walkout — https://apnews.com/f320309a26ff4e36b0945954b03201e5 open ↗
- Oregon Capitol building closed as precaution amid partisan dispute — https://www.reuters.com/article/us-climatechange-oregon/oregon-capitol-building-closed-as-precaution-amid-partisan-dispute-idUSKCN1TN0PS open ↗
- Let's Check In on Those Oregon Republicans Who Fled the Capital, Shall We? — https://www.vice.com/en/article/lets-check-in-on-those-oregon-republicans-who-fled-the-capital-shall-we/ open ↗
- An effigy of Kentucky Gov. Beshear was hung from a tree at the end of a Second Amendment rally — https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/25/us/kentucky-governor-andy-beshear-effigy/index.html open ↗
- 19-year sentence for second ringleader in Michigan governor kidnap plot — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64112234 open ↗
- Republican Ties to Extremist Groups Are Under Scrutiny — https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/29/us/republicans-trump-capitol-riot.html open ↗
- Members Of Right-Wing Militias, Extremist Groups Are Latest Charged In Capitol Siege — https://www.npr.org/sections/insurrection-at-the-capitol/2021/01/19/958240531/members-of-right-wing-militias-extremist-groups-are-latest-charged-in-capitol-si/ open ↗
- Trump supporters storm Capitol; DC National Guard activated; woman fatally shot — https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2021/01/06/dc-protests-trump-rally-live-updates/ open ↗
- Deadly siege focuses attention on Capitol Police — https://apnews.com/article/capitol-police-death-brian-sicknick-46933a828d7b12de7e3d5620a8a04583 open ↗
- FBI probes possible connections between extremist groups at heart of Capitol violence — https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/oath-keeper-three-percenter-arrests/2021/01/17/27e726f2-5847-11eb-a08b-f1381ef3d207_story.html open ↗
- Texas man at Capitol riot allegedly threatened to kill his kids if they turned him in: 'Traitors get shot — https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/01/19/capitol-rioter-reffitt-threaten-children/ open ↗
- Three Percenter Truck at Capitol on Jan. 6 Belongs to Hitler-Quoting Rep's Husband — https://www.thedailybeast.com/rep-mary-millers-husband-owns-three-percenter-militia-truck-at-capitol-riot open ↗
- US Capitol rioter 'sought to physically remove' Pelosi and McConnell, prosecutors say — https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/03/politics/guy-reffitt-targetting-pelosi-mcconnell-january-6/index.html open ↗
- Texas Man Convicted in First Jan. 6 Trial — https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/08/us/politics/guy-reffitt-jan-6-trial.html open ↗
- Alleged "Three Percenters" militia members indicted in new Capitol riot conspiracy case — https://www.cbsnews.com/news/three-percenter-capitol-riot-conspiracy-indictment/ open ↗
- Three Percenters militia members charged in U.S. Capitol attack — https://www.reuters.com/world/us/three-percenters-militia-members-charged-us-capitol-attack-2021-06-10/ open ↗
- What Led a Police Chief Turned Yoga Instructor to the Capitol Riot? — https://www.npr.org/2021/07/07/1012704903/what-led-a-police-chief-turned-yoga-instructor-to-the-capitol-riot open ↗
- Alan Hostetter, ex-police chief who brought hatchet to Capitol on Jan. 6, sentenced to 11 years in prison — https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alan-hostetter-sentenced-january-6-capitol-attack-11-years/ open ↗
- Three Percenters, neo-Nazi group added to Canada's terrorist list — https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/terrorist-list-three-percenters-1.6079984 open ↗
- US, state to assist Portland police during expected protest — https://apnews.com/3cfad59a17ec44ed93aca0d08428e38f open ↗
- Los Proud Boys, Oath Keepers y los Three Percenters, entre las milicias que han convertido EE.UU. en un polvorín — https://www.abc.es/internacional/abci-proud-boys-oath-keepers-y-three-percenters-entre-milicias-convertido-eeuu-polvorin-202010092021_noticia.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F open ↗
- Online novel' allegedly inspired Georgia terrorism suspects — http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2011/11/online-novel-inspired-georgia-terrorism-suspects.html open ↗
- Let's Check In on Those Oregon Republicans Who Fled the Capital, Shall We? — https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/8xz7nv/lets-check-in-on-those-oregon-republicans-who-fled-the-capital-shall-we open ↗
- A milícia de extrema-direita "Three Percent" está determinada a defender as suas armas — https://www.vice.com/pt/article/d3dzdz/a-milicia-de-extrema-direita-three-percenter-esta-determinada-a-defender-as-suas-armas open ↗
- A Pro-Trump Militant Group Has Recruited Thousands of Police, Soldiers, and Veterans — https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/11/right-wing-militias-civil-war/616473/ open ↗
- Wingnuts: extremism in the age of Obama — https://www.thedailybeast.com/wingnuts-excerptthe-hatriots-armed-and-dangerous open ↗
- lire en ligne — https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/05/us/a-militia-gets-battle-ready-for-a-gun-grabbing-clinton-presidency.html open ↗
- lire en ligne — https://www.reuters.com/article/us-oregon-militia-idUSKBN0UM2ED20160109 open ↗
- Bernier’s talk of ‘tyranny’ echoes far right militia group’s slogan, say experts. — https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/bernier-peoples-party-three-percenters-1.6168880 open ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch J: per-group recovery resources applied via programmatic palette (closest-fit by category + subCategory + score). Palette: Political cadre.
- 2026-05-20Source-density flags derived from existing free-text sources[]: investigative journalism. Heuristic auto-flag; subsequent editorial pass will populate structuredSources[] with reliability tiers.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
- Start herePick the reading path that matches your situation.
- PatternsDocumented control patterns with linked profiles.
- Online groupsPolitical and ideological coercion often operates via online communities.
- FamiliesHow families and close friends can engage with high-control members.
- RecoveryIf you have left or are preparing to leave.
You may also want to explore
Frequently asked questions
Q.Is Three Percenters militia movement a cult?
CLCI Hub deliberately avoids the binary label "cult." Instead it places groups on a transparent 0–40 spectrum of documented control using Steven Hassan's BITE model (Behaviour, Information, Thought, Emotional). Three Percenters militia movement scores 23 out of 40 — "High Control", at medium confidence. The score describes documented control patterns, not a judgement of members' sincerity or beliefs; many members do not personally experience the patterns listed.
Q.What is Three Percenters militia movement's CLCI score?
Three Percenters militia movement scores 23 out of 40 on the Cult-Like Control Index, which falls in the "High" band. That total is the sum of four BITE axes — Behaviour 5, Information 6, Thought 7, Emotional 5 — plus a signed modifier of +0 for aggravating or mitigating factors.
Q.Why does Three Percenters militia movement score 23 on the CLCI?
The score reflects publicly documented patterns including: Multiple January 6 convictions; Paramilitary training; Anti-government conspiracy framing; Family severance documented. These map onto the BITE axes of behaviour, information, thought, and emotional control, and a signed modifier of +0 is applied for factors such as financial demands, leadership accountability, and exit costs. Every claim is backed by the citations in the Sources section on this page.
Q.How reliable is the Three Percenters militia movement rating?
This profile is rated Medium confidence. Medium confidence means the score rests on reputable journalism plus consistent ex-member testimony. CLCI scores are not fixed — they are revised whenever new public evidence appears, and groups that reform can score lower over time.
Q.Where can I get help regarding Three Percenters militia movement?
If you or someone you care about is affected by Three Percenters militia movement, start with the Recovery resources listed on this page. General cult-aware support is available from the International Cultic Studies Association (icsahome.com) and the Freedom of Mind Resource Center (freedomofmind.com). CLCI Hub is an educational resource, not a crisis service — if anyone is in immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
Found something wrong on this profile?
We accept correction requests from anyone — current and former members, researchers, journalists, family members, and the listed organisation. Submissions are reviewed by an editor; we do not auto-publish.