Candidate groups
28 groups currently in the editorial research backlog — identified as worth researching for possible CLCI inclusion under the public-source methodology, but not yet promoted to scored profiles.
What candidate status means and does not mean
- Candidates are not scored groups. They have no CLCI rating.
- Listing as a candidate is not an accusation or finding.
- Each candidate has a reasonForCaution recorded as an editorial guardrail.
- Some candidates will be rejected after research (insufficient sources, not a group, too private, or duplicate).
- Promotion to a scored profile requires public-source evidence meeting the source hierarchy threshold.
- If your organisation appears here and you believe inclusion is unwarranted, see /right-of-reply.
See also: coverage roadmap, missing groups, submission guidelines, submit a candidate.
P0 — major omission (2)
Sant Rampal Ji Maharaj movement
PublishedHindu · guru-led devotional movementSouth AsiaactiveSource quality: highWhy researched: Strongly-documented criminal cases; major Indian guru movement with public-record base.
Caution: Living members; sensitive religious framing in Indian context.
Public-source leads (3)
- Indian Supreme Court rulings (Rampal life imprisonment 2017–18)
- Punjab & Haryana High Court records
- Sustained Indian mainstream press coverage
Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name (Apollo Quiboloy)
PublishedChristian · leader-led restorationistSoutheast Asia, North AmericaactiveSource quality: highAlso known as: KOJC
Why researched: Substantial public-source base including US federal indictment and Philippine Senate proceedings.
Caution: Active criminal case; allegations must be framed as documented and not conflated with proven findings. Ordinary members of KOJC are not accused.
Public-source leads (3)
- US DOJ indictment (2021) and FBI Most Wanted listing
- Philippine Senate investigation 2024
- Sustained mainstream international press coverage
P1 — high value (10)
Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God (Uganda)
PublishedChristian · apocalyptic Marian-influenced sectSub-Saharan AfricadefunctSource quality: mediumAlso known as: MRTCG; Kibwetere movement
Why researched: Major historical high-control case in Sub-Saharan Africa with substantial documented public-source base; the catalogue's Africa coverage is comparatively thin and this case is well-evidenced.
Caution: Living family members of victims and survivors should not be named without consent; sensitive material requires careful framing.
Public-source leads (3)
- Ugandan government commission of inquiry reports (2000)
- BBC and AP reporting at the time of the 2000 Kanungu deaths
- Academic work in Journal of Religion in Africa and follow-up studies
Ant Hill Kids (Roch Thériault community)
PublishedChristian · communal-living abusive splinterNorth AmericadefunctSource quality: highWhy researched: Strongly documented historical case with court records and book-length accounts.
Caution: Severe abuse case — survivors are alive; framing must avoid graphic detail and protect survivor privacy.
Public-source leads (3)
- Canadian court records (Thériault convicted 1993)
- Multiple book-length accounts (Kaihla & Laver, Burnside)
- Sustained Canadian press coverage
University Bible Fellowship (UBF)
PublishedChristian · campus-focused high-pressure missionaryEast Asia, North America, Western EuropeactiveSource quality: mediumAlso known as: UBF
Why researched: Substantial ex-member testimony archive; active campus presence in multiple countries.
Caution: Active organisation that has issued public statements; framing must distinguish documented patterns from individual congregations.
Public-source leads (3)
- Multiple ex-member testimony archives (rsqubf.org and similar)
- Mainstream US press coverage of campus practices
- Academic literature on Korean diaspora missions
Ervil LeBaron / Church of the Lamb of God
PublishedChristian · Mormon fundamentalist violent splinterNorth AmericadefunctSource quality: highWhy researched: Strongly-documented historical violent splinter; abundant public-source base.
Caution: Surviving family members exist; victims' families should not be named without consent.
Public-source leads (3)
- US federal court records (LeBaron prosecutions)
- Ben Bradlee Jr. & Dale Van Atta, 'Prophet of Blood'
- Scott Anderson, 'The 4 O'Clock Murders'
Oneness University / Kalki Bhagavan / Sri Bhagavan
PublishedHindu · guru-led devotional movementSouth Asia, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: mediumAlso known as: Sri Bhagavan organisation; Oneness Movement
Why researched: Substantial guru-led movement with documented regulatory actions.
Caution: Religious framing; political-religious sensitivities in India; defamation risk.
Public-source leads (3)
- Indian Income Tax Department raids (2019)
- Indian press coverage
- Some academic work on contemporary Indian gurus
Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University
PublishedHindu · guru-led devotional movementSouth Asia, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: mediumAlso known as: BKWSU; Brahma Kumaris
Why researched: Major movement with significant academic study and ex-member archives.
Caution: UN consultative status; religious-minority framing; allegations must be carefully sourced.
Public-source leads (2)
- Academic monographs (Babb, Howell)
- Ex-member archives (BKInfo.org)
LaRouche PAC successor network (Schiller Institute / Executive Intelligence Review)
PublishedPolitical / Ideological · political cadre organisationNorth America, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: highAlso known as: LaRouchePAC; Schiller Institute
Why researched: Long-running cadre organisation with substantial academic and journalistic source base; political-neutrality framing required.
Caution: Politically-charged subject; assessment must rest on documented control mechanics, not political opinion. See /methodology/political-neutrality.
Public-source leads (3)
- Dennis King 'Lyndon LaRouche and the New American Fascism'
- Sustained mainstream press coverage
- ICSA conference papers on LaRouche organisation
African prophetic / apostolic high-control churches (umbrella)
PublishedChristian · African prophetic / apostolicSub-Saharan AfricaactiveSource quality: mediumWhy researched: Catalogue's Sub-Saharan Africa coverage is comparatively thin; an umbrella entry should sit alongside individually-research-supported specific entries.
Caution: Risk of generalising across a vast diversity of African Christian movements; specific named groups must each meet the source threshold individually. Religious-minority framing in non-African contexts requires care.
Public-source leads (3)
- Pew Forum coverage of African Pentecostalism
- CRL Rights Commission (South Africa) reports on commercialisation of religion
- Mainstream press coverage of specific incidents
Latin American prophetic / healing high-control movements (umbrella)
PublishedChristian · neo-Pentecostal propheticLatin AmericaactiveSource quality: mediumWhy researched: Latin American coverage is thin; specific cases warrant individual research.
Caution: Sensitive religious context; specific entries must each meet source threshold.
Public-source leads (3)
- Brazilian press (Folha de São Paulo, O Globo) on neo-Pentecostal abuse cases
- Academic work on Brazilian Pentecostalism (Andrew Chesnut, Paul Freston)
- Specific criminal cases against named pastors
Il Forteto community (Tuscany)
PublishedCommunal Living · closed agricultural cooperativeWestern EuropeactiveSource quality: highWhy researched: Strong public-source base including court records and ECHR ruling.
Caution: Active community with living members and historic survivors; specific framing required.
Public-source leads (3)
- Italian court records (2017 convictions)
- ECHR ruling 2017
- Sustained Italian press coverage
P2 — useful (11)
Chen Tao (True Way / God's Salvation Church)
Duplicate / aliasUFO / Apocalyptic · UFO-apocalypticEast Asia, North AmericahistoricalSource quality: mediumAlso known as: God's Salvation Church; Hon-Ming Chen group
Why researched: Well-documented historical UFO-apocalyptic group with adequate academic source base.
Caution: Members are dispersed; living followers should not be named.
Public-source leads (2)
- Robbins & Palmer 'Millennium, Messiahs and Mayhem' chapter on Chen Tao
- Garland TX 1998 prophecy coverage in mainstream US press
Concerned Christians (Monte Kim Miller)
PublishedChristian · apocalyptic splinterNorth America, Middle EasthistoricalSource quality: mediumWhy researched: Y2K-era apocalyptic case with documented government action and adequate sources.
Caution: Living members from the period should not be named.
Public-source leads (3)
- Israeli police 1999 deportation case files
- Denver Post / mainstream US reporting 1998–99
- Cult Awareness Network / academic coverage
House of Prayer Christian Church (HOPCC)
PublishedChristian · military-base-focused high-controlNorth AmericaactiveSource quality: mediumAlso known as: HOPCC
Why researched: Sustained mainstream-press coverage of patterns targeting US military communities.
Caution: Active religious organisation; allegations must be carefully framed.
Public-source leads (2)
- Military Times / Stars and Stripes coverage of recruitment near US bases
- Multiple ex-member testimony archives
Centennial Park group (Second Ward Mormon fundamentalist)
PublishedChristian · Mormon fundamentalist polygamousNorth AmericaactiveSource quality: mediumWhy researched: Documented Mormon-fundamentalist offshoot distinct from FLDS and AUB.
Caution: Active community with living members; framing must avoid generalisation.
Public-source leads (2)
- Janet Bennion academic work
- Arizona-area press coverage
Bentinho Massaro (Bentinho.org / Trinfinity Academy)
Duplicate / aliasNew Age / Wellness · online spiritual coachingWestern Europe, North America, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: mediumWhy researched: Sustained investigative coverage of an active online community.
Caution: Living individual; framing must distinguish documented patterns from unsupported claims.
Public-source leads (2)
- Be Scofield investigative coverage
- The Daily Beast / Newsweek coverage 2018
Avatar Course / Star's Edge International (Harry Palmer)
PublishedNew Age / Wellness · intensive seminar networkNorth America, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: mediumAlso known as: Star's Edge International
Why researched: Documented intensive-seminar network; Scientology-origin context.
Caution: Active commercial operation.
Public-source leads (2)
- Academic LGAT studies (Singer, Lalich)
- Journalism on Scientology splinter origins
IM Academy (formerly iMarketsLive)
PublishedMLM / Commercial · trading-education MLMNorth America, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: mediumAlso known as: iMarketsLive; IML
Why researched: Regulator actions and sustained financial-press coverage.
Caution: Active commercial operation; framing must be neutral and source-specific.
Public-source leads (3)
- Truth in Advertising (TINA) investigations
- Belgian and Australian regulator warnings
- Mainstream financial-journalism coverage
National Labor Federation / Gino Perente
PublishedPolitical / Ideological · political cadre organisationNorth AmericaactiveSource quality: mediumAlso known as: NATLFED; Gerald Doeden
Why researched: Documented political cadre with adequate academic source base.
Caution: Politically-charged subject; viewpoint neutrality required.
Public-source leads (2)
- Village Voice 'I Was a Communist for the FBI' coverage
- Dennis Tourish & Tim Wohlforth 'On the Edge'
Korean NRMs beyond Shincheonji / JMS / WMSCOG (umbrella)
Duplicate / aliasChristian · Korean NRMEast AsiaactiveSource quality: mediumWhy researched: South Korea has dozens of significant NRMs; existing catalogue covers the most-famous but not the full set.
Caution: Religious-minority framing; specific entries must meet source threshold.
Public-source leads (2)
- Korean academic work on Korean NRMs
- Korean and international press coverage
Russian and Eastern European NRMs (umbrella)
PublishedNew Religious Movement · post-Soviet NRMEastern Europe, Russia/Central AsiaactiveSource quality: mediumWhy researched: Post-Soviet NRM coverage is thin; specific cases warrant research.
Caution: Russian government has used 'extremism' framings against minority religions for political reasons; framing must distinguish documented coercion from state-driven persecution narratives.
Public-source leads (2)
- Russian and Ukrainian academic work on post-Soviet NRMs
- International press coverage
Iglesia ni Cristo (INC)
Duplicate / aliasMainstream Reference / Low-control comparator · mainstream restorationist traditionSoutheast Asia, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: highWhy researched: Large and influential Philippine restorationist tradition; useful mainstream-comparator entry rather than high-control profile.
Caution: Religious-minority status; assessment must focus on documented structural patterns rather than theological disagreement; right-of-reply route must be offered.
Public-source leads (2)
- Anne Harris academic work
- Philippine and international press coverage including BBC and AP
P3 — long tail (3)
Panacea Society (Bedford)
PublishedChristian · millennialist closed communityUK/IrelandhistoricalSource quality: mediumWhy researched: Substantially-documented closed millennialist community now defunct; useful historical reference entry.
Caution: Largely historical; surviving descendants should not be named.
Public-source leads (3)
- Jane Shaw, 'Octavia, Daughter of God' (Yale UP)
- Panacea Charitable Trust public records
- UK press coverage at dissolution (2012)
Jesus Christians (Dave McKay)
PublishedChristian · small communal-living groupOceania, North America, Sub-Saharan AfricaactiveSource quality: mediumAlso known as: A Voice in the Desert
Why researched: Small but distinctively-documented group with sustained press coverage.
Caution: Small membership; living members should not be individually identified.
Public-source leads (2)
- BBC, Sydney Morning Herald long-running coverage
- Documentary work on kidney-donation practices
Access Consciousness (Gary Douglas)
PublishedNew Age / Wellness · intensive seminar networkNorth America, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: lowWhy researched: Active commercial seminar network with some critical coverage.
Caution: Limited public-source base; risk of insufficient evidence for promotion.
Public-source leads (2)
- ABC Australia 4 Corners coverage
- Some ex-member testimony in mainstream press
P4 — watchlist only (2)
Ayahuasca-retreat high-control facilitator circles (watchlist)
Duplicate / aliasNew Age / Wellness · psychedelic facilitator circlesLatin America, North America, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: lowWhy researched: Recurrent patterns in journalism; warrants tracking.
Caution: Specific named retreats or facilitators must each meet source threshold individually; do not generalise.
Public-source leads (2)
- Plant Medicine People investigations
- VICE and Outside Magazine coverage of specific incidents
Online mastermind pyramid coaching communities (watchlist)
Rejected — insufficient sourcesMLM / Commercial · online coaching pyramidNorth America, Global/onlineactiveSource quality: lowWhy researched: Recurrent pattern with periodic enforcement; watchlist appropriate.
Caution: Specific named programmes must each meet source threshold; do not generalise across an industry.
Public-source leads (2)
- Truth in Advertising (TINA) investigations
- FTC actions against specific operators
This backlog is non-exhaustive and reflects current editorial priorities. To suggest an addition, see /submit-group. To request removal of a candidate entry for your organisation, see /corrections.