By the late 1970s, the once heralded haven for those struggling with addiction had turned into a multi-million dollar corporation. With its sights set less on saving lives and more on cashing in and accumulating guns, the formerly sterling reputation of Synanon began to tarnish. As soon as they began acting on their violent threats, the thin thread holding the whole group together frayed into oblivion. But the group’s legacy is one thing its virulent dictator couldn’t control. This week’s episode is The Cult of Synanon - Part 3. SOURCES https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F ..read more

Charles Dederich’s sanctuary for those fighting drug addiction had morphed in its first decade of existence. It expanded from helping those with substance issues to becoming a utopian community with a growing list of business assets and resources. With its leader running things like a corporation, Synanon residents soon found their every hour accounted for, but they had no idea what was in store for their own futures or the future of their children. This week’s episode is The Cult of Synanon - Part 2. SOURCES Part 1 Sources: https://www.sinisterhood.com/shownotes/ep285-cult-synanon-pt-1   ..read more

What began as a drug rehabilitation program soon transformed into a controversial community. Its unconventional methods gained nationwide coverage, attracting celebrity interest and political support. But over time, its boisterous leader shifted the group’s focus towards profit-making endeavors to fund his vision for a utopian society. This week’s episode is The Cult of Synanon - Part 1. Books Cults: Faith, Healing, and Coercion by Marc Galanter: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1989-97621-000 Cults: The Truth Behind the Worlds Most Shocking Cults by Nigel Cawthorne: https://www.powells.com ..read more

Among the wild beasts of Australia, one has captured the attention of cryptozoologists who search tirelessly for proof of its existence. Is there truly a large hominid lurking in the mountains and forests down under? Or have these monster hunters got us all stitched up? This week’s episode is The Yowie. SOURCES A King Kong-like ape once roamed southern China. Scientists say they now know why and when it disappeared, CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/10/world/largest-ape-gigantopithecus-blacki-extinction-scn/index.html  Aboriginal Hybrids, MythLok: https://mythlok.com/hybrids/oceanian-hybr ..read more

In the mid-1950s, an unassuming radio executive accidentally made an amazing discovery - he could travel outside the confines of space and time using only his mind. But once agents from the US government got wind of his methods, they wanted to use it to spy on enemies. Are you willing to detach from your physical self and travel through space and time? Follow the instructions in this declassified CIA report and try it for yourself. This week’s episode is The Gateway Experience. SOURCES A Rare Conversation with Bob Monroe, Exploring Expanded States of Consciousness on YouTube: https://youtu.b ..read more

A full scale, multi-million dollar search for MH370 was in progress, but there was no sign of the lost jet in the wilds of the Indian Ocean. Then, by chance, a piece of the aircraft was located on a French island. More debris was found along an enormous expanse of coastline. But the physical evidence only seemed to spur on more theories, and now, 10 years later, the search might begin again. This week’s episode is The Disappearance of Flight MH370 - Part 2. SOURCES NSW Coroner's Court set to review disappearance of veteran Australian journalist Ean Higgins, SkyNews: https://www.skynews.com.au ..read more

A routine red-eye flight between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing turned into a nightmare for hundreds of families. An enormous Boeing triple-7 wide-bodied jet went missing with over 200 souls on board. The lack of transparency from authorities only added insult to the incalculable injury of loved ones vanishing without a trace. Ten years since it went missing, families are still searching for answers, combing through what happened in those early days with the singular goal of finding their lost loved ones. This week’s episode is The Disappearance of Flight MH370 – Part 1. SOURCES The Vanishing of Fl ..read more

A year on from her death, the public was reeling from the loss of broadcasting megastar and UK’s darling, Jill Dando. Police reviewed initial tips and zeroed in on a suspect, setting off a decades-long fight for justice and creating more questions than answers. This week’s episode is The Unsolved Murder of Jill Dando - Part 2. SOURCES Part 1 Sources: https://www.sinisterhood.com/shownotes/ep279-unsolved-murder-jill-dando-pt1 A Phone Hacking Hit? How Jill Dando was Tracked to her Doorstep, Byline Times: https://bylinetimes.com/2019/03/29/a-phone-hacking-hit-how-jill-dando-was-tracked-to-her-do ..read more

Once the source of coveted building material, the tunnels that snake beneath the City of Lights are now home to a thriving subculture of urban explorers who face down danger at every turn. Whether from collapsing ceilings, unsavory characters, or the ghost of lost explorers, the dangers of this underground expanse threaten to make you one more body added to the collection six million already laid to rest down there. This week’s episode is The Paris Catacombs. SOURCES A secret city thrives beneath Paris, NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6116318 Catacombs Beneath Paris, Cities of the U ..read more

It was a simple Raggedy Anne doll, given to a young woman on her birthday. Its unusual behavior first elicited amusement that quickly turned to horror. Was the soul of a child - or worse - a demon trapped inside? Or is the most sinister part of this story the truth about the consulting demonologists at the heart of The Conjuring films? This week's episode is Annabelle the Doll: Revisited. SOURCES Annabelle, Warrens' Official Website (via the Wayback Machine): https://web.archive.org/web/20180806074320/warrens.net/annabelle “Based on a True Story”… Or Was It? The Real Ed and Lorraine Warren, L ..read more