https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/secret-societies-documentary--7194038
From infamous historical cults to modern-day spiritual movements, we meticulously investigate the leaders, their doctrines, and the shocking events that unfolded within these closed communities. Cult Secrets offers an unflinching look at the power dynamics, mind control, and the desperate search for belonging that often leads individuals down these dangerous paths.

New episodes drop daily, Monday through Sunday, at 7:00 PM, delivering a fresh dose of true crime cult stories and in-depth analysis. Each episode provides a comprehensive narrative, exploring the origins, rise, and often tragic fall of these enigmatic groups, always grounded in thorough research.

This podcast is for anyone fascinated by the psychology of groupthink, the allure of charismatic leaders, and the dark side of human belief. If you're compelled by real-life stories of deception, survival, and the untold narratives of those who escaped, Cult Secrets is your essential listen.

Subscribe now and discover the secrets they don't want you to know.]]>enHistory© 2026 OBOMEDIA Creatorshttps://d3wo5wojvuv7l.cloudfront.net/t_rss_itunes_square_1400/images.spreaker.com/original/db1ff7eccc504ee2aa78097eb811c46c.jpghttps://www.spreaker.com/podcast/secret-societies-documentary--7194038Wed, 23 Sep 2026 23:02:47 +0000Creator at ObomediaCreator at Obomediacreators@obomedia.comUnlock the truth behind the most secretive groups and their chilling practices. Cult Secrets pulls back the curtain on the hidden world of cults, exposing the psychological manipulation and devastating human cost. We delve deep into the stories of...
From infamous historical cults to modern-day spiritual movements, we meticulously investigate the leaders, their doctrines, and the shocking events that unfolded within these closed communities. Cult Secrets offers an unflinching look at the power dynamics, mind control, and the desperate search for belonging that often leads individuals down these dangerous paths.

New episodes drop daily, Monday through Sunday, at 7:00 PM, delivering a fresh dose of true crime cult stories and in-depth analysis. Each episode provides a comprehensive narrative, exploring the origins, rise, and often tragic fall of these enigmatic groups, always grounded in thorough research.

This podcast is for anyone fascinated by the psychology of groupthink, the allure of charismatic leaders, and the dark side of human belief. If you're compelled by real-life stories of deception, survival, and the untold narratives of those who escaped, Cult Secrets is your essential listen.

Subscribe now and discover the secrets they don't want you to know.]]>false1232485e-ebd9-5fb5-bdaa-490ab2f6bd3bepisodichttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-farm-where-grief-never-ends--73181920
Imagine a world where your deepest sorrow is weaponized against you, where the promise of healing leads instead to a locked compound. What happens when a grief support group becomes something far more sinister?

In this episode, we delve into the disappearance of Diane Henderson, a meticulous paralegal whose life was upended by an unexpected tragedy. We explore how a seemingly innocuous flyer for a grief support network led her down a path from which she never returned.

Person: Diane Henderson
Age: 31 (at husband's death)
Location: Greer, Weston County
Organization: Covenant Healing Network
Property: Marsh Farm

- Diane Henderson was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the older of two daughters.
- She moved to Greer at twenty-eight for a paralegal position.
- Her husband, Paul Henderson, died at thirty-four from an undetected congenital heart defect.
- The Covenant Healing Network advertised free Wednesday evening sessions for people navigating grief.
- Renewal Path LLC, a subsidiary of the Covenant Healing Network, purchased Marsh Farm for cash.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181920Thu, 24 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Farm Where Grief Never Ends Imagine a world where your deepest sorrow is weaponized against you, where the promise of healing leads instead to a locked compound. What happens when a grief support group becomes something far more sinister? In...
Imagine a world where your deepest sorrow is weaponized against you, where the promise of healing leads instead to a locked compound. What happens when a grief support group becomes something far more sinister?

In this episode, we delve into the disappearance of Diane Henderson, a meticulous paralegal whose life was upended by an unexpected tragedy. We explore how a seemingly innocuous flyer for a grief support network led her down a path from which she never returned.

Person: Diane Henderson
Age: 31 (at husband's death)
Location: Greer, Weston County
Organization: Covenant Healing Network
Property: Marsh Farm

- Diane Henderson was born in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, the older of two daughters.
- She moved to Greer at twenty-eight for a paralegal position.
- Her husband, Paul Henderson, died at thirty-four from an undetected congenital heart defect.
- The Covenant Healing Network advertised free Wednesday evening sessions for people navigating grief.
- Renewal Path LLC, a subsidiary of the Covenant Healing Network, purchased Marsh Farm for cash.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1255falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-birthday-cake-in-the-ditch-a-cult-s-last-meal--73181918
Imagine finding a pristine birthday cake in a flooded ditch, four miles from the nearest road, with "HAPPY NEW YEAR" written in red gel. This strange discovery in June 2009 led investigators to a cult and a woman who simply walked away. What was the cake's true purpose, and what dark secrets did it hide?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling discovery of a birthday cake that became a crucial clue in a cult investigation. We delve into the story of Lisa Crawford, a woman who joined the Renwick Hollow community, and the meticulous routine that masked a sinister plot.

Date: June 2009
Location: Cutter County, Montana
Person: Lisa Crawford
Cult Leader: Kelly Jones
Property: Renwick Hollow

- A birthday cake with "HAPPY NEW YEAR" in red gel was found in a ditch four miles from a paved road.
- Lisa Crawford, 51, worked accounts payable and had a consistent 5:45 AM Wednesday call with her daughter, Meg.
- Kelly Jones led lectures on "integrative eschatology" and leased a twelve-acre property called Renwick Hollow.
- By September 2007, eight people had moved onto the Renwick Hollow property.
- Kelly Jones kept a private ledger tracking members' "window of absence" for financial transfers.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181918Wed, 23 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Birthday Cake in the Ditch: A Cult's Last Meal Imagine finding a pristine birthday cake in a flooded ditch, four miles from the nearest road, with "HAPPY NEW YEAR" written in red gel. This strange discovery in June 2009 led investigators to a...
Imagine finding a pristine birthday cake in a flooded ditch, four miles from the nearest road, with "HAPPY NEW YEAR" written in red gel. This strange discovery in June 2009 led investigators to a cult and a woman who simply walked away. What was the cake's true purpose, and what dark secrets did it hide?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling discovery of a birthday cake that became a crucial clue in a cult investigation. We delve into the story of Lisa Crawford, a woman who joined the Renwick Hollow community, and the meticulous routine that masked a sinister plot.

Date: June 2009
Location: Cutter County, Montana
Person: Lisa Crawford
Cult Leader: Kelly Jones
Property: Renwick Hollow

- A birthday cake with "HAPPY NEW YEAR" in red gel was found in a ditch four miles from a paved road.
- Lisa Crawford, 51, worked accounts payable and had a consistent 5:45 AM Wednesday call with her daughter, Meg.
- Kelly Jones led lectures on "integrative eschatology" and leased a twelve-acre property called Renwick Hollow.
- By September 2007, eight people had moved onto the Renwick Hollow property.
- Kelly Jones kept a private ledger tracking members' "window of absence" for financial transfers.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1404falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cult-s-last-supper-empty-plates-dry-tablecloth--73181917
Imagine a table set for eight, complete with china plates, folded cloth napkins, and silverware in perfect order, yet no food, no people, and a dry tablecloth despite a night of rain. This eerie scene was discovered by a utility worker in the gravel yard of an abandoned warehouse, hinting at a vanished community and a staged farewell meal. What dark secrets did this empty table conceal about the cult leader who orchestrated it?

In this episode, we uncover the unsettling story of Charles Zeller, a man who built and then abandoned a community of nineteen people, leaving behind a meticulously arranged, uneaten meal. We explore how Lori Simpson, a woman with an organized and stable life, was drawn into Zeller's orbit through a deceptive display of competence, not charisma, and how his elaborate scheme mirrored a previous operation.

Person: Charles Zeller
Date: May 14, 2009
Location: Vantage Creek Road, Cobb County, Georgia
Event: Discovery of an empty, set table

- Nicole Mills, a utility worker, found the table set for eight in an abandoned warehouse complex.
- The community at Vantage Creek Road consisted of nineteen people.
- Lori Simpson, 43, met Charles Zeller in September 2007.
- Zeller's LLC, Meridian Growers Alliance, was not legally registered in Georgia until October 2008.
- In 2001, Charles Zeller, under the name David Marsh, ran a similar agricultural community in western Tennessee.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181917Tue, 22 Sep 2026 23:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Cult's Last Supper: Empty Plates, Dry Tablecloth Imagine a table set for eight, complete with china plates, folded cloth napkins, and silverware in perfect order, yet no food, no people, and a dry tablecloth despite a night of rain. This eerie...
Imagine a table set for eight, complete with china plates, folded cloth napkins, and silverware in perfect order, yet no food, no people, and a dry tablecloth despite a night of rain. This eerie scene was discovered by a utility worker in the gravel yard of an abandoned warehouse, hinting at a vanished community and a staged farewell meal. What dark secrets did this empty table conceal about the cult leader who orchestrated it?

In this episode, we uncover the unsettling story of Charles Zeller, a man who built and then abandoned a community of nineteen people, leaving behind a meticulously arranged, uneaten meal. We explore how Lori Simpson, a woman with an organized and stable life, was drawn into Zeller's orbit through a deceptive display of competence, not charisma, and how his elaborate scheme mirrored a previous operation.

Person: Charles Zeller
Date: May 14, 2009
Location: Vantage Creek Road, Cobb County, Georgia
Event: Discovery of an empty, set table

- Nicole Mills, a utility worker, found the table set for eight in an abandoned warehouse complex.
- The community at Vantage Creek Road consisted of nineteen people.
- Lori Simpson, 43, met Charles Zeller in September 2007.
- Zeller's LLC, Meridian Growers Alliance, was not legally registered in Georgia until October 2008.
- In 2001, Charles Zeller, under the name David Marsh, ran a similar agricultural community in western Tennessee.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1267falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-binder-11-names-marked-indefinite--73181916
Imagine finding a pristine white binder in a drainage culvert, containing a laminated schedule with 22 names, 11 of them marked "CONTACT SUSPENSION STATUS - INDEFINITE." This discovery led to the dismantling of an organization and the freeing of eleven people who were supposedly there by choice. How can someone be held without a lock, a chain, or a physical barrier?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling case of Teresa Fleming, a 28-year-old who enrolled in a wellness program called Still Water at Harmon Ridge. We uncover the subtle mechanisms of control and manipulation that kept her and others from leaving, despite their initial voluntary enrollment.

Person: Teresa Fleming
Location: Harmon Ridge, Tennessee
Organization: Still Water
Date: March 7, 2019
Discovery: White three-ring binder

- A runner found a clean, dry three-ring binder in a drainage culvert at 7:42 AM.
- The binder contained a laminated schedule with 22 names, 11 of which were under "CONTACT SUSPENSION STATUS - INDEFINITE."
- Teresa Fleming, 28, enrolled in Still Water's residential program from March 10 to March 31, 2019.
- Still Water sent Teresa a pre-enrollment email in January 2019, referencing her "Thursday ritual" with her best friend.
- A charge of $4,200 cleared to Harmon Ridge Wellness LLC on March 30, the day before Teresa's scheduled departure.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181916Mon, 21 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Binder: 11 Names Marked Indefinite Imagine finding a pristine white binder in a drainage culvert, containing a laminated schedule with 22 names, 11 of them marked "CONTACT SUSPENSION STATUS - INDEFINITE." This discovery led to the dismantling...
Imagine finding a pristine white binder in a drainage culvert, containing a laminated schedule with 22 names, 11 of them marked "CONTACT SUSPENSION STATUS - INDEFINITE." This discovery led to the dismantling of an organization and the freeing of eleven people who were supposedly there by choice. How can someone be held without a lock, a chain, or a physical barrier?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling case of Teresa Fleming, a 28-year-old who enrolled in a wellness program called Still Water at Harmon Ridge. We uncover the subtle mechanisms of control and manipulation that kept her and others from leaving, despite their initial voluntary enrollment.

Person: Teresa Fleming
Location: Harmon Ridge, Tennessee
Organization: Still Water
Date: March 7, 2019
Discovery: White three-ring binder

- A runner found a clean, dry three-ring binder in a drainage culvert at 7:42 AM.
- The binder contained a laminated schedule with 22 names, 11 of which were under "CONTACT SUSPENSION STATUS - INDEFINITE."
- Teresa Fleming, 28, enrolled in Still Water's residential program from March 10 to March 31, 2019.
- Still Water sent Teresa a pre-enrollment email in January 2019, referencing her "Thursday ritual" with her best friend.
- A charge of $4,200 cleared to Harmon Ridge Wellness LLC on March 30, the day before Teresa's scheduled departure.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1331falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-uncut-cake-and-the-man-who-vanished--73181915
Imagine finding an uncut birthday cake with a blue gel number seven in the mud, 60 yards from a farmhouse, and then seeing 14 silent, unmoving people near the porch. This chilling scene was discovered by a meter reader, leading to a multi-month investigation into a cult-like group. What happened on that property, and who was the man who brought them there?

In this episode, we delve into the unsettling discovery on a Catawba County farm in 2019, where 14 severely dehydrated and malnourished adults were found. We explore the story of Amanda Powell, a steady nurse who, after a divorce, found herself drawn into a "restorative community work" circle led by Stanley Price, a man whose credentials and past were not what they seemed.

Person: Jason Coleman
Date: March 9, 2019
Location: Catawba County
Status: 14 adults found alive, severely dehydrated and malnourished
Amount: Just under $300,000

- A birthday cake with a blue gel number seven was found 60 yards from a farmhouse.
- Jason Coleman, a meter reader for Piedmont Valley Utilities, discovered 14 people near the farmhouse porch.
- Stanley Price, 58, arrived at Lighthouse Fellowship in the spring of 2017.
- Amanda Powell contributed $41,000, her entire divorce settlement, to the group.
- The group's total intake over 22 months reached just under $300,000 from 17 members.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181915Sun, 20 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Uncut Cake and the Man Who Vanished Imagine finding an uncut birthday cake with a blue gel number seven in the mud, 60 yards from a farmhouse, and then seeing 14 silent, unmoving people near the porch. This chilling scene was discovered by a...
Imagine finding an uncut birthday cake with a blue gel number seven in the mud, 60 yards from a farmhouse, and then seeing 14 silent, unmoving people near the porch. This chilling scene was discovered by a meter reader, leading to a multi-month investigation into a cult-like group. What happened on that property, and who was the man who brought them there?

In this episode, we delve into the unsettling discovery on a Catawba County farm in 2019, where 14 severely dehydrated and malnourished adults were found. We explore the story of Amanda Powell, a steady nurse who, after a divorce, found herself drawn into a "restorative community work" circle led by Stanley Price, a man whose credentials and past were not what they seemed.

Person: Jason Coleman
Date: March 9, 2019
Location: Catawba County
Status: 14 adults found alive, severely dehydrated and malnourished
Amount: Just under $300,000

- A birthday cake with a blue gel number seven was found 60 yards from a farmhouse.
- Jason Coleman, a meter reader for Piedmont Valley Utilities, discovered 14 people near the farmhouse porch.
- Stanley Price, 58, arrived at Lighthouse Fellowship in the spring of 2017.
- Amanda Powell contributed $41,000, her entire divorce settlement, to the group.
- The group's total intake over 22 months reached just under $300,000 from 17 members.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1354falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-shoes-they-gave-up-clarity-circle-s-last-exit--73181913
Imagine a room with twenty-three pairs of shoes, perfectly aligned, but no people, no cars, just an ash-grey fire pit and an unsettling silence. What happened to the people who owned those shoes, and why did they leave everything behind?

In this episode, we explore the story of the Clarity Circle, a community led by Melvin Donnelly that promised clarity but slowly removed every path out for its members. We delve into how a former hotel assistant manager persuaded two dozen people to surrender their possessions and their sense of time.

Person: Melvin Donnelly
Location: Aldermoor Road, Indiana
Date: February 8, 2019
Event: Discovery of Clarity Circle members

- Twenty-three pairs of shoes were found aligned in a cold room on the property.
- David Norris discovered the scene after stopping for a soft tire check.
- Approximately twenty-three members were found malnourished and sleep-deprived.
- Melvin Donnelly, the leader, had already left the property on foot.
- Sarah Mason, a 22-year-old volunteer, joined the group in September 2017.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181913Sat, 19 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Shoes They Gave Up: Clarity Circle's Last Exit Imagine a room with twenty-three pairs of shoes, perfectly aligned, but no people, no cars, just an ash-grey fire pit and an unsettling silence. What happened to the people who owned those shoes,...
Imagine a room with twenty-three pairs of shoes, perfectly aligned, but no people, no cars, just an ash-grey fire pit and an unsettling silence. What happened to the people who owned those shoes, and why did they leave everything behind?

In this episode, we explore the story of the Clarity Circle, a community led by Melvin Donnelly that promised clarity but slowly removed every path out for its members. We delve into how a former hotel assistant manager persuaded two dozen people to surrender their possessions and their sense of time.

Person: Melvin Donnelly
Location: Aldermoor Road, Indiana
Date: February 8, 2019
Event: Discovery of Clarity Circle members

- Twenty-three pairs of shoes were found aligned in a cold room on the property.
- David Norris discovered the scene after stopping for a soft tire check.
- Approximately twenty-three members were found malnourished and sleep-deprived.
- Melvin Donnelly, the leader, had already left the property on foot.
- Sarah Mason, a 22-year-old volunteer, joined the group in September 2017.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1392falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-empty-chair-nebraska-s-quiet-cult-disassembly--73181912
A child's wooden school chair, frost-dusted and upright in a frozen Nebraska field, held a sealed canning jar with a folded list of names, tier levels, and dollar amounts. This chilling discovery on January 9, 2019, began a months-long investigation into a quiet cult disassembly. What secrets did this empty chair hold about its former owner and the man who placed it there?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling story of Linda Sharp, a dedicated nurse whose life was meticulously rebuilt before she encountered Clifford Farrell. We delve into the subtle methods Farrell used to draw people into his "intentional living" community on the Holcomb Ranch, and the financial discrepancies that raised red flags for one member.

Event: Discovery of a child's wooden school chair
Date: January 9, 2019
Location: Frozen Nebraska field
Person: Linda Sharp
Person: Clifford Farrell

- A border collie named Pepper found the chair sixty yards off the Ryan White Trail.
- The Enacted County Sheriff's Department was called at 8:47 in the morning.
- Linda Sharp was a 38-year-old licensed practical nurse with eleven years of experience.
- Clifford Farrell purchased the 412-acre Holcomb Ranch Ranch for $430,000 cash.
- Monthly tithe income at the compound exceeded eleven thousand dollars.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181912Fri, 18 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Empty Chair: Nebraska's Quiet Cult Disassembly A child's wooden school chair, frost-dusted and upright in a frozen Nebraska field, held a sealed canning jar with a folded list of names, tier levels, and dollar amounts. This chilling discovery...
A child's wooden school chair, frost-dusted and upright in a frozen Nebraska field, held a sealed canning jar with a folded list of names, tier levels, and dollar amounts. This chilling discovery on January 9, 2019, began a months-long investigation into a quiet cult disassembly. What secrets did this empty chair hold about its former owner and the man who placed it there?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling story of Linda Sharp, a dedicated nurse whose life was meticulously rebuilt before she encountered Clifford Farrell. We delve into the subtle methods Farrell used to draw people into his "intentional living" community on the Holcomb Ranch, and the financial discrepancies that raised red flags for one member.

Event: Discovery of a child's wooden school chair
Date: January 9, 2019
Location: Frozen Nebraska field
Person: Linda Sharp
Person: Clifford Farrell

- A border collie named Pepper found the chair sixty yards off the Ryan White Trail.
- The Enacted County Sheriff's Department was called at 8:47 in the morning.
- Linda Sharp was a 38-year-old licensed practical nurse with eleven years of experience.
- Clifford Farrell purchased the 412-acre Holcomb Ranch Ranch for $430,000 cash.
- Monthly tithe income at the compound exceeded eleven thousand dollars.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1269falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/pine-ledge-the-cult-that-erased-your-outside-world--73181910
Imagine finding a pristine, recently issued badge for a "family camp" that officially hasn't operated in years, floating down a river miles from its supposed location. This bizarre discovery was the first clue to a hidden community that made the outside world disappear for its members. What secrets did Pine Ledge hold?

In this episode, we uncover the unsettling truth behind Pine Ledge, an eighty-three-acre property in eastern Tennessee that was anything but a camp. We explore the journey of Eric Rogers, a man who traded his stable life for a "deep study" community, and the fabricated past of Ross Bauer, the charismatic figure who created it.

Person: Eric Rogers
Person: Ross Bauer
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Event: Discovery of a laminated badge
Date: December 2011

- A laminated badge for "Pine Ledge Family Camp" was found on a fishhook eleven miles downstream from the property.
- The badge was issued on December 9, 2011, two days before its discovery.
- Pine Ledge, officially unoccupied, was a closed community of more than twenty adults.
- Ross Bauer, who acquired Pine Ledge in 2005, had a fabricated biography and a fraud conviction from 1994.
- Eric Rogers, at 61, relocated permanently to Pine Ledge after meeting Bauer in January 2008.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181910Thu, 17 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaPine Ledge: The Cult That Erased Your Outside World Imagine finding a pristine, recently issued badge for a "family camp" that officially hasn't operated in years, floating down a river miles from its supposed location. This bizarre discovery was...
Imagine finding a pristine, recently issued badge for a "family camp" that officially hasn't operated in years, floating down a river miles from its supposed location. This bizarre discovery was the first clue to a hidden community that made the outside world disappear for its members. What secrets did Pine Ledge hold?

In this episode, we uncover the unsettling truth behind Pine Ledge, an eighty-three-acre property in eastern Tennessee that was anything but a camp. We explore the journey of Eric Rogers, a man who traded his stable life for a "deep study" community, and the fabricated past of Ross Bauer, the charismatic figure who created it.

Person: Eric Rogers
Person: Ross Bauer
Location: Eastern Tennessee
Event: Discovery of a laminated badge
Date: December 2011

- A laminated badge for "Pine Ledge Family Camp" was found on a fishhook eleven miles downstream from the property.
- The badge was issued on December 9, 2011, two days before its discovery.
- Pine Ledge, officially unoccupied, was a closed community of more than twenty adults.
- Ross Bauer, who acquired Pine Ledge in 2005, had a fabricated biography and a fraud conviction from 1994.
- Eric Rogers, at 61, relocated permanently to Pine Ledge after meeting Bauer in January 2008.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1393falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-buried-deed-he-mapped-their-weaknesses-first--73181909
Imagine stumbling upon a buried children's lunchbox only to find a notarized property deed with seven signatures inside. This bizarre discovery in a frozen field was just the beginning of a chilling investigation into a supposed co-living community and its charismatic leader. What dark secrets were hidden beneath the surface of this idyllic vision?

In this episode, we uncover the story of Donald Stein, a young man who invested his savings and trust in a co-living project on Alderman Road, unaware of the sinister intentions of its founder, Gregory Russo. We explore how Russo meticulously cataloged the vulnerabilities of his members and systematically dismantled their rights, all while maintaining an illusion of shared purpose.

Person: Warren Anderson
Date: A Tuesday morning in November
Location: Sutter Township, Olmstead County
Item Found: Children's lunchbox with a notarized deed
Document Detail: Deed with seven signatures, dated roughly fourteen months prior

- A surveyor found a metal children's lunchbox, manufactured in the 1980s, sealed in a gallon-size freezer bag.
- Donald Stein saved fourteen thousand dollars over three years before moving to Alderman Road.
- The Alderman Road property was eleven point three acres with a farmhouse, two outbuildings, and a creek.
- The original charter for the community was thirty-one pages and required a seven-ninths supermajority for equity changes.
- Gregory Russo's private records contained a note about Donald Stein: "Schedule-dependent. Low risk through animal obligation."

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181909Wed, 16 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Buried Deed: He Mapped Their Weaknesses First Imagine stumbling upon a buried children's lunchbox only to find a notarized property deed with seven signatures inside. This bizarre discovery in a frozen field was just the beginning of a chilling...
Imagine stumbling upon a buried children's lunchbox only to find a notarized property deed with seven signatures inside. This bizarre discovery in a frozen field was just the beginning of a chilling investigation into a supposed co-living community and its charismatic leader. What dark secrets were hidden beneath the surface of this idyllic vision?

In this episode, we uncover the story of Donald Stein, a young man who invested his savings and trust in a co-living project on Alderman Road, unaware of the sinister intentions of its founder, Gregory Russo. We explore how Russo meticulously cataloged the vulnerabilities of his members and systematically dismantled their rights, all while maintaining an illusion of shared purpose.

Person: Warren Anderson
Date: A Tuesday morning in November
Location: Sutter Township, Olmstead County
Item Found: Children's lunchbox with a notarized deed
Document Detail: Deed with seven signatures, dated roughly fourteen months prior

- A surveyor found a metal children's lunchbox, manufactured in the 1980s, sealed in a gallon-size freezer bag.
- Donald Stein saved fourteen thousand dollars over three years before moving to Alderman Road.
- The Alderman Road property was eleven point three acres with a farmhouse, two outbuildings, and a creek.
- The original charter for the community was thirty-one pages and required a seven-ninths supermajority for equity changes.
- Gregory Russo's private records contained a note about Donald Stein: "Schedule-dependent. Low risk through animal obligation."

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1204falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-stolen-scores-and-the-silent-choir--73181907
Imagine finding a perfectly preserved, handwritten music score in an abandoned barn, untouched by a winter that flooded everything around it. This impossible discovery would eventually unravel the mystery of a missing woman, a vanishing fortune, and a "choir" that was anything but. What dark secrets did the Harlan Valley Chorale hide?

In this episode, we explore the story of Philip Miller and the Harlan Valley Chorale, a group that promised music and drew in dozens of adults who sacrificed their money, privacy, and living arrangements. We uncover how a charismatic leader used stolen excellence to build a deceptive organization, leaving a trail of unanswered questions and a devastating impact on its members.

Person: Philip Miller
Location: Larkin Township, western Pennsylvania
Period: 1997-2001
Event: Harlan Valley Chorale incorporation and dissolution

- Monica Clark, a septic worker, found sixteen bars of handwritten notation in an abandoned barn.
- The Harlan Valley Chorale incorporated in the spring of 1997 and dissolved in late 2001.
- Approximately two dozen adults handed over money and privacy to Philip Miller.
- Denise Graham, a billing coordinator, was 46 when she joined the Chorale in autumn 1997.
- Dues for the Chorale climbed from forty dollars to two hundred and twenty dollars within eight months.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181907Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Stolen Scores and the Silent Choir Imagine finding a perfectly preserved, handwritten music score in an abandoned barn, untouched by a winter that flooded everything around it. This impossible discovery would eventually unravel the mystery of a...
Imagine finding a perfectly preserved, handwritten music score in an abandoned barn, untouched by a winter that flooded everything around it. This impossible discovery would eventually unravel the mystery of a missing woman, a vanishing fortune, and a "choir" that was anything but. What dark secrets did the Harlan Valley Chorale hide?

In this episode, we explore the story of Philip Miller and the Harlan Valley Chorale, a group that promised music and drew in dozens of adults who sacrificed their money, privacy, and living arrangements. We uncover how a charismatic leader used stolen excellence to build a deceptive organization, leaving a trail of unanswered questions and a devastating impact on its members.

Person: Philip Miller
Location: Larkin Township, western Pennsylvania
Period: 1997-2001
Event: Harlan Valley Chorale incorporation and dissolution

- Monica Clark, a septic worker, found sixteen bars of handwritten notation in an abandoned barn.
- The Harlan Valley Chorale incorporated in the spring of 1997 and dissolved in late 2001.
- Approximately two dozen adults handed over money and privacy to Philip Miller.
- Denise Graham, a billing coordinator, was 46 when she joined the Chorale in autumn 1997.
- Dues for the Chorale climbed from forty dollars to two hundred and twenty dollars within eight months.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1410falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-warm-rice-and-the-cult-leader-s-last-meal--73181905
Imagine finding a meal, still faintly warm, on a table in a vacant building with no power, two days after it was placed there. This chilling detail stopped investigators cold in a cult case where the answers are stranger than the questions. How does a cult leader build a closed world out of language and hunger, and what happens when the outside world finally looks in?

In this episode, we uncover the story of Norman Evans, a man whose chronic pain led him to a residential wellness program run by Ronald Cole, a man with no medical license. We explore the strange circumstances surrounding the program's collapse and the lingering questions about its operation.

Person: Norman Evans
Date: July 1996
Location: Linden Acres, Indianapolis
Status: Program collapsed
Event: Discovery of a warm meal

- George Collins found a warm meal on September 11, 1997, at the Linden Acres property.
- The meal, consisting of brown rice and shredded beets, had been placed on the table approximately 48 hours before its discovery.
- The warmth of the rice was solar, absorbed by the corrugated metal building.
- Norman Evans was 31 years old when he joined the program in July 1996, paying a minimum contribution of $3,200.
- Ronald Cole, the program's leader, used a stolen medical license number from a physician who surrendered his credentials in 1991.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181905Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Warm Rice and the Cult Leader's Last Meal Imagine finding a meal, still faintly warm, on a table in a vacant building with no power, two days after it was placed there. This chilling detail stopped investigators cold in a cult case where the...
Imagine finding a meal, still faintly warm, on a table in a vacant building with no power, two days after it was placed there. This chilling detail stopped investigators cold in a cult case where the answers are stranger than the questions. How does a cult leader build a closed world out of language and hunger, and what happens when the outside world finally looks in?

In this episode, we uncover the story of Norman Evans, a man whose chronic pain led him to a residential wellness program run by Ronald Cole, a man with no medical license. We explore the strange circumstances surrounding the program's collapse and the lingering questions about its operation.

Person: Norman Evans
Date: July 1996
Location: Linden Acres, Indianapolis
Status: Program collapsed
Event: Discovery of a warm meal

- George Collins found a warm meal on September 11, 1997, at the Linden Acres property.
- The meal, consisting of brown rice and shredded beets, had been placed on the table approximately 48 hours before its discovery.
- The warmth of the rice was solar, absorbed by the corrugated metal building.
- Norman Evans was 31 years old when he joined the program in July 1996, paying a minimum contribution of $3,200.
- Ronald Cole, the program's leader, used a stolen medical license number from a physician who surrendered his credentials in 1991.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1496falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-floor-he-collected-47-blueprints-why--73181904
A fourteen-year-old girl found a laminated utility badge and a folded blueprint of her school with every exit marked in red. The badge belonged to a man arrested 36 hours earlier, who was not a utility worker but had collected 47 such blueprints of schools, a hospital, a courthouse, and a water treatment plant. What was he planning to do with them?

In this episode, we uncover the story of a night-shift worker in rural Indiana who assembled a closed group, stripped its members of their own language, and spent four years collecting architectural blueprints of an entire county. Even after his conviction, no one has been able to fully explain his intentions.

Person: Gary Doyle
Date: August 11, 2009
Location: Pruett, Indiana
Object: 47 architectural blueprints
Investigator: Raymond Sanders

- Sharon Petersen, 14, found a floor plan of Pruett Consolidated Middle and High School with all exits marked in red.
- Gary Doyle, 51, collected 47 blueprints from various institutions, including schools, a hospital, a courthouse, and a water treatment plant.
- Doyle worked the night shift at Hartwell Fabrication from March 2005, having previously worked as a line worker in Ohio.
- By October 2005, Doyle's informal "brotherhood" group had a name: the Floor.
- The Floor developed its own vocabulary, where "building" meant tired, "Floor clarity" replaced disagreement, and "insufficient grounding" referred to skepticism.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181904Sun, 13 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Floor: He Collected 47 Blueprints. Why? A fourteen-year-old girl found a laminated utility badge and a folded blueprint of her school with every exit marked in red. The badge belonged to a man arrested 36 hours earlier, who was not a utility...
A fourteen-year-old girl found a laminated utility badge and a folded blueprint of her school with every exit marked in red. The badge belonged to a man arrested 36 hours earlier, who was not a utility worker but had collected 47 such blueprints of schools, a hospital, a courthouse, and a water treatment plant. What was he planning to do with them?

In this episode, we uncover the story of a night-shift worker in rural Indiana who assembled a closed group, stripped its members of their own language, and spent four years collecting architectural blueprints of an entire county. Even after his conviction, no one has been able to fully explain his intentions.

Person: Gary Doyle
Date: August 11, 2009
Location: Pruett, Indiana
Object: 47 architectural blueprints
Investigator: Raymond Sanders

- Sharon Petersen, 14, found a floor plan of Pruett Consolidated Middle and High School with all exits marked in red.
- Gary Doyle, 51, collected 47 blueprints from various institutions, including schools, a hospital, a courthouse, and a water treatment plant.
- Doyle worked the night shift at Hartwell Fabrication from March 2005, having previously worked as a line worker in Ohio.
- By October 2005, Doyle's informal "brotherhood" group had a name: the Floor.
- The Floor developed its own vocabulary, where "building" meant tired, "Floor clarity" replaced disagreement, and "insufficient grounding" referred to skepticism.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1360falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-manuscript-found-four-years-inside-a-cult--73181903
Imagine finding a 200-page manuscript, stamped "APPROVED" and dated three weeks into the future, on the seat of a road grader with no one reporting it missing. This mysterious document became the key to unlocking four years inside a closed world built on one man's word. What kind of place produces such a document?

In this episode, we explore the story of Nancy Casey, a meticulous copy editor who, in 2019, moved into a converted grain warehouse in Ardmore, Indiana, known as the Ardmore Collective. We delve into how a chance encounter with an "editorial theorist" led her into a community that would hold her for nearly four years, and the unsettling questions her sister Linda had about the person Nancy became.

Person: Nancy Casey
Date: October 2019
Location: Ardmore, Indiana
Organization: Ardmore Collective
Document: The Interior Gospel: A Complete Reader's Covenant. Revised and Final Edition.

- A road grader operator named Dennis Harris found a 200-page manuscript on his seat on July fourteenth.
- The manuscript was stamped "APPROVED - J. LANE" and dated three weeks in the future.
- Nancy Casey, 44, moved into the Ardmore Collective in October 2019 and stayed for nearly four years.
- The Ardmore Press Collective incorporated as a nonprofit in 2016.
- John Lane, 51, described himself as an editorial theorist and spoke for two and a half hours without notes at a writing workshop.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181903Sat, 12 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Manuscript Found: Four Years Inside a Cult Imagine finding a 200-page manuscript, stamped "APPROVED" and dated three weeks into the future, on the seat of a road grader with no one reporting it missing. This mysterious document became the key...
Imagine finding a 200-page manuscript, stamped "APPROVED" and dated three weeks into the future, on the seat of a road grader with no one reporting it missing. This mysterious document became the key to unlocking four years inside a closed world built on one man's word. What kind of place produces such a document?

In this episode, we explore the story of Nancy Casey, a meticulous copy editor who, in 2019, moved into a converted grain warehouse in Ardmore, Indiana, known as the Ardmore Collective. We delve into how a chance encounter with an "editorial theorist" led her into a community that would hold her for nearly four years, and the unsettling questions her sister Linda had about the person Nancy became.

Person: Nancy Casey
Date: October 2019
Location: Ardmore, Indiana
Organization: Ardmore Collective
Document: The Interior Gospel: A Complete Reader's Covenant. Revised and Final Edition.

- A road grader operator named Dennis Harris found a 200-page manuscript on his seat on July fourteenth.
- The manuscript was stamped "APPROVED - J. LANE" and dated three weeks in the future.
- Nancy Casey, 44, moved into the Ardmore Collective in October 2019 and stayed for nearly four years.
- The Ardmore Press Collective incorporated as a nonprofit in 2016.
- John Lane, 51, described himself as an editorial theorist and spoke for two and a half hours without notes at a writing workshop.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1393falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cake-on-the-hatch-11-buried-1-man-gone--73181901
Imagine finding a birthday cake, perfectly preserved, sitting on a steel hatch in the scorching June heat, thirteen days after it was placed there. This discovery by a utility lineman in eastern Tennessee led to the uncovering of eleven people living underground, but the man responsible was already gone. What secrets lay beneath that hatch?

In this episode, we delve into the story of a sixty-foot concrete shelter built beneath twelve acres of land and the woman whose ordinary Thursday afternoon became the first clue. We explore how a single word, used three times in a letter, outlasted everything Charles Burns thought he controlled.

Date: June 17, 2014
Location: Pratt County, eastern Tennessee
Discovery: White-frosted birthday cake on a steel hatch
People found: Eleven
Missing person: Charles Burns

- A utility lineman discovered a white-frosted birthday cake on a steel hatch on a twelve-acre property.
- The cake, sealed in a plastic clamshell, had "Happy 30th, Christine" written in blue letters.
- Eleven people had been living underground in a sixty-foot concrete shelter.
- Charles Burns, 44, founded the Pratt County Readiness Cooperative and had two civil fraud judgments against him.
- Christine West, 28, met Charles Burns at a community preparedness fair and later joined his Cooperative.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181901Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Cake on the Hatch: 11 Buried, 1 Man Gone Imagine finding a birthday cake, perfectly preserved, sitting on a steel hatch in the scorching June heat, thirteen days after it was placed there. This discovery by a utility lineman in eastern...
Imagine finding a birthday cake, perfectly preserved, sitting on a steel hatch in the scorching June heat, thirteen days after it was placed there. This discovery by a utility lineman in eastern Tennessee led to the uncovering of eleven people living underground, but the man responsible was already gone. What secrets lay beneath that hatch?

In this episode, we delve into the story of a sixty-foot concrete shelter built beneath twelve acres of land and the woman whose ordinary Thursday afternoon became the first clue. We explore how a single word, used three times in a letter, outlasted everything Charles Burns thought he controlled.

Date: June 17, 2014
Location: Pratt County, eastern Tennessee
Discovery: White-frosted birthday cake on a steel hatch
People found: Eleven
Missing person: Charles Burns

- A utility lineman discovered a white-frosted birthday cake on a steel hatch on a twelve-acre property.
- The cake, sealed in a plastic clamshell, had "Happy 30th, Christine" written in blue letters.
- Eleven people had been living underground in a sixty-foot concrete shelter.
- Charles Burns, 44, founded the Pratt County Readiness Cooperative and had two civil fraud judgments against him.
- Christine West, 28, met Charles Burns at a community preparedness fair and later joined his Cooperative.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1489falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-kettle-the-cult-and-your-hidden-bloodline--73181900
Imagine discovering a fully functional kettle in a shed with no power, a mystery that unravels a hidden cult operating in plain sight. This strange finding in Prentiss County exposes the Bloodline Society, a group built on a man's precise understanding of what people want to believe about their past. What secrets about bloodlines and buried history did authorities uncover?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling discovery made by Dale Mills and the subsequent investigation into the Bloodline Society. We delve into how Paul Lane, the leader, meticulously targeted individuals like Marilyn Barrett, a reference librarian with a personal longing for her family history, by exploiting their deepest desires for connection and belonging.

Person: Dale Mills
Date: May 9, 2011
Location: Prentiss County fairgrounds
Organization: The Bloodline Society
Leader: Paul Lane

- Dale Mills discovered a heating kettle in a shed with no power lines.
- Marilyn Barrett, a 53-year-old reference librarian, had worked for 22 years.
- Paul Lane arrived in Aldenmoor in the spring of 2009, aged 41.
- The Bloodline Society charged monthly dues of forty dollars.
- Deborah Ellison paid Paul Lane nine thousand dollars between 2006 and 2008.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181900Thu, 10 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Kettle, The Cult, and Your Hidden Bloodline Imagine discovering a fully functional kettle in a shed with no power, a mystery that unravels a hidden cult operating in plain sight. This strange finding in Prentiss County exposes the Bloodline...
Imagine discovering a fully functional kettle in a shed with no power, a mystery that unravels a hidden cult operating in plain sight. This strange finding in Prentiss County exposes the Bloodline Society, a group built on a man's precise understanding of what people want to believe about their past. What secrets about bloodlines and buried history did authorities uncover?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling discovery made by Dale Mills and the subsequent investigation into the Bloodline Society. We delve into how Paul Lane, the leader, meticulously targeted individuals like Marilyn Barrett, a reference librarian with a personal longing for her family history, by exploiting their deepest desires for connection and belonging.

Person: Dale Mills
Date: May 9, 2011
Location: Prentiss County fairgrounds
Organization: The Bloodline Society
Leader: Paul Lane

- Dale Mills discovered a heating kettle in a shed with no power lines.
- Marilyn Barrett, a 53-year-old reference librarian, had worked for 22 years.
- Paul Lane arrived in Aldenmoor in the spring of 2009, aged 41.
- The Bloodline Society charged monthly dues of forty dollars.
- Deborah Ellison paid Paul Lane nine thousand dollars between 2006 and 2008.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1344falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-barn-eleven-chairs-no-bodies-two-million-dollars--73181898
Imagine a scene: eleven empty chairs in a perfect circle, sealed envelopes on each seat, and a laminated organizational chart slowly turning above them. This chilling tableau was discovered in a barn, but what happened to the people who were supposed to be there, and why was a man named Norman Perry at the center of a two-million-dollar mystery?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling disappearance of a group from a rural Calloway County barn and the man who orchestrated their lives. We delve into the story of John Stroud, a young man drawn into Renew Corps, an organization that promised disaster relief but delivered something far more sinister.

Date: April 14, 2019
Location: Fenwick Road, Calloway County
Organization: Renew Corps
Person: Norman Perry
Discovery: Eleven empty chairs, eleven sealed envelopes

- Nancy Gardner discovered the scene at 6:47 AM on April 14, 2019.
- Norman Perry took over two million dollars in charitable donations.
- John Stroud joined Renew Corps in April 2014 after finding a flyer.
- Renew Corps claimed to have operated since 2005, a false claim.
- In 2014, Renew Corps' income was approximately three hundred forty thousand dollars.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181898Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Barn: Eleven Chairs, No Bodies, Two Million Dollars Imagine a scene: eleven empty chairs in a perfect circle, sealed envelopes on each seat, and a laminated organizational chart slowly turning above them. This chilling tableau was discovered in...
Imagine a scene: eleven empty chairs in a perfect circle, sealed envelopes on each seat, and a laminated organizational chart slowly turning above them. This chilling tableau was discovered in a barn, but what happened to the people who were supposed to be there, and why was a man named Norman Perry at the center of a two-million-dollar mystery?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling disappearance of a group from a rural Calloway County barn and the man who orchestrated their lives. We delve into the story of John Stroud, a young man drawn into Renew Corps, an organization that promised disaster relief but delivered something far more sinister.

Date: April 14, 2019
Location: Fenwick Road, Calloway County
Organization: Renew Corps
Person: Norman Perry
Discovery: Eleven empty chairs, eleven sealed envelopes

- Nancy Gardner discovered the scene at 6:47 AM on April 14, 2019.
- Norman Perry took over two million dollars in charitable donations.
- John Stroud joined Renew Corps in April 2014 after finding a flyer.
- Renew Corps claimed to have operated since 2005, a false claim.
- In 2014, Renew Corps' income was approximately three hundred forty thousand dollars.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1317falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-birds-knew-when-to-leave-inside-schultz-s-empty-house--73181896
Imagine walking into a recovery house to find it completely empty, save for a single birdcage and a chilling note: "The birds know when to leave." This was the scene on March 14, 2019, when Jean Bailey discovered Melvin Schultz and thirteen residents had vanished overnight from Renewing Ground Recovery House. What dark secrets did this cult-like facility hide?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling disappearance of Melvin Schultz and the residents of Renewing Ground, a recovery house that operated for nearly four years. We delve into the story of Jessica Vaughn, a former dental hygienist who sought help there, and uncover the disturbing patterns of Schultz's previous operations.

Date: March 14, 2019
Location: 4418 Ferris Road, Caldwell Township, Renner County, Indiana
Facility: Renewing Ground Recovery House
Founder: Melvin Schultz
Resident: Jessica Vaughn

- Jean Bailey found the house empty on March 14, 2019, with only a wire birdcage and a note.
- Thirteen people lived at Renewing Ground the night Schultz vanished.
- Jessica Vaughn arrived at Renewing Ground in September 2016, after three years of drinking.
- Calvary Heights Church donated two hundred twelve thousand dollars for the house's renovation.
- Melvin Schultz operated four prior facilities between 2003 and 2014, all closing abruptly.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181896Tue, 08 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Birds Knew When To Leave: Inside Schultz's Empty House Imagine walking into a recovery house to find it completely empty, save for a single birdcage and a chilling note: "The birds know when to leave." This was the scene on March 14, 2019, when...
Imagine walking into a recovery house to find it completely empty, save for a single birdcage and a chilling note: "The birds know when to leave." This was the scene on March 14, 2019, when Jean Bailey discovered Melvin Schultz and thirteen residents had vanished overnight from Renewing Ground Recovery House. What dark secrets did this cult-like facility hide?

In this episode, we explore the unsettling disappearance of Melvin Schultz and the residents of Renewing Ground, a recovery house that operated for nearly four years. We delve into the story of Jessica Vaughn, a former dental hygienist who sought help there, and uncover the disturbing patterns of Schultz's previous operations.

Date: March 14, 2019
Location: 4418 Ferris Road, Caldwell Township, Renner County, Indiana
Facility: Renewing Ground Recovery House
Founder: Melvin Schultz
Resident: Jessica Vaughn

- Jean Bailey found the house empty on March 14, 2019, with only a wire birdcage and a note.
- Thirteen people lived at Renewing Ground the night Schultz vanished.
- Jessica Vaughn arrived at Renewing Ground in September 2016, after three years of drinking.
- Calvary Heights Church donated two hundred twelve thousand dollars for the house's renovation.
- Melvin Schultz operated four prior facilities between 2003 and 2014, all closing abruptly.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1199falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-kiln-kept-their-names-a-cult-s-ceramic-secrets--73181895
Imagine finding a perfectly dry, carry-on-sized suitcase in the soaking Oregon wilderness, containing twenty-two ceramic medallions, each with a different name carved into its reverse side. What dark secrets could these mysterious objects hold, and who would place them on a trail that didn't exist just eleven days prior?

In this episode, we uncover the unsettling story behind these ceramic secrets, tracing them back to Rachel Underwood, a successful ceramist who sought creative disruption at the Alderton Mill. We explore how a seemingly utopian artistic collective, led by Randy Quinn, gradually transformed into a controlling environment, culminating in a financial structure that siphoned over three hundred and forty thousand dollars from its members.

Person: Douglas Fenn
Date: February 2019
Location: Neil Hayes Trail, Oregon
Object: Twenty-two ceramic medallions
Organization: Alderton Mill

- Douglas Fenn found a dry, hard-shell suitcase containing 22 ceramic medallions.
- Each medallion was roughly four inches across and had a name carved into its reverse side.
- The trail where the suitcase was found had been cut through wilderness just over a week before.
- Rachel Underwood, a 61-year-old ceramist, joined the Alderton Mill collective in September 2015.
- Over four years, more than $340,000 moved through the collective's bank account, with Randy Quinn as the sole signatory.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181895Mon, 07 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Kiln Kept Their Names: A Cult's Ceramic Secrets Imagine finding a perfectly dry, carry-on-sized suitcase in the soaking Oregon wilderness, containing twenty-two ceramic medallions, each with a different name carved into its reverse side. What...
Imagine finding a perfectly dry, carry-on-sized suitcase in the soaking Oregon wilderness, containing twenty-two ceramic medallions, each with a different name carved into its reverse side. What dark secrets could these mysterious objects hold, and who would place them on a trail that didn't exist just eleven days prior?

In this episode, we uncover the unsettling story behind these ceramic secrets, tracing them back to Rachel Underwood, a successful ceramist who sought creative disruption at the Alderton Mill. We explore how a seemingly utopian artistic collective, led by Randy Quinn, gradually transformed into a controlling environment, culminating in a financial structure that siphoned over three hundred and forty thousand dollars from its members.

Person: Douglas Fenn
Date: February 2019
Location: Neil Hayes Trail, Oregon
Object: Twenty-two ceramic medallions
Organization: Alderton Mill

- Douglas Fenn found a dry, hard-shell suitcase containing 22 ceramic medallions.
- Each medallion was roughly four inches across and had a name carved into its reverse side.
- The trail where the suitcase was found had been cut through wilderness just over a week before.
- Rachel Underwood, a 61-year-old ceramist, joined the Alderton Mill collective in September 2015.
- Over four years, more than $340,000 moved through the collective's bank account, with Randy Quinn as the sole signatory.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1434falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-had-fished-that-stretch-since-he-was-fourteen-years-old--73181894
Imagine finding a laminated card, weighted with a cinder block, at the bottom of a river. This wasn't just trash; it was a "VERIFIED LISTENER - TIER FOUR" card with a woman's name, Jennifer Young, written in blue ink. What dark secret did this card hold, and why was it so deliberately hidden?

In this episode, we uncover the story of Jennifer Young, a woman who gave up her savings, her garden, and seven years of her life to a late-night radio host named George Kowalski. We explore how a seemingly innocuous radio program evolved into a closed community and how Jennifer's name, found at the bottom of a river, ultimately helped unravel everything.

Person: Jennifer Young
Date: January 9, 2014
Location: Cassidy River
Topic: Cults

- A fisherman found a laminated card sealed in a zip-lock bag, weighted with a cinder block, in eleven feet of water.
- The card read: "VERIFIED LISTENER - TIER FOUR - THE KOWALSKI HOUR" with Jennifer Young's name.
- Jennifer Young, born around 1980, was 23 years old in 2003, working an overnight shift.
- She gave away her savings, her garden, and seven years of her life to "The Kowalski Hour."
- Jennifer reached Tier Four in 2008, receiving a laminated card made by Kowalski himself.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181894Sun, 06 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe had fished that stretch since he was fourteen years old Imagine finding a laminated card, weighted with a cinder block, at the bottom of a river. This wasn't just trash; it was a "VERIFIED LISTENER - TIER FOUR" card with a woman's name, Jennifer...
Imagine finding a laminated card, weighted with a cinder block, at the bottom of a river. This wasn't just trash; it was a "VERIFIED LISTENER - TIER FOUR" card with a woman's name, Jennifer Young, written in blue ink. What dark secret did this card hold, and why was it so deliberately hidden?

In this episode, we uncover the story of Jennifer Young, a woman who gave up her savings, her garden, and seven years of her life to a late-night radio host named George Kowalski. We explore how a seemingly innocuous radio program evolved into a closed community and how Jennifer's name, found at the bottom of a river, ultimately helped unravel everything.

Person: Jennifer Young
Date: January 9, 2014
Location: Cassidy River
Topic: Cults

- A fisherman found a laminated card sealed in a zip-lock bag, weighted with a cinder block, in eleven feet of water.
- The card read: "VERIFIED LISTENER - TIER FOUR - THE KOWALSKI HOUR" with Jennifer Young's name.
- Jennifer Young, born around 1980, was 23 years old in 2003, working an overnight shift.
- She gave away her savings, her garden, and seven years of her life to "The Kowalski Hour."
- Jennifer reached Tier Four in 2008, receiving a laminated card made by Kowalski himself.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1300falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-map-of-erased-states-a-cult-s-geography-lesson--73181893
Imagine a classroom map with 23 states completely blacked out, presented to children as a geography lesson. This chilling detail was discovered by a county surveyor, leading to the unraveling of a seven-year educational enterprise built on a fabricated degree and a shell company. What kind of cult would literally erase parts of the map for its students?

In this episode, we explore the Shepherd's Path Learning Network, a seemingly legitimate educational alternative in Ohio that operated for years under the guise of a non-profit. We uncover the true purpose behind its unusual curriculum and the man who orchestrated it, revealing how a father's quiet concern ultimately exposed the hidden dangers within this closed system.

Person: Dennis Simpson
Location: Renner County, Ohio
Date: December 11, 2019
Event: Discovery of the blacked-out map

- The map had 23 states blacked out with permanent marker.
- The Shepherd's Path Learning Network started with 7 families and grew to 31 families and 68 children.
- Families paid a quarterly fee of $380, plus an additional $200 to $600 per quarter.
- Curriculum printing costs for the Network ran under $4,000 a year.
- Edward Donnelly's daughter, Maisie, was two to three years behind grade level in mathematics after five years in the Network.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181893Sat, 05 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Map of Erased States: A Cult's Geography Lesson Imagine a classroom map with 23 states completely blacked out, presented to children as a geography lesson. This chilling detail was discovered by a county surveyor, leading to the unraveling of a...
Imagine a classroom map with 23 states completely blacked out, presented to children as a geography lesson. This chilling detail was discovered by a county surveyor, leading to the unraveling of a seven-year educational enterprise built on a fabricated degree and a shell company. What kind of cult would literally erase parts of the map for its students?

In this episode, we explore the Shepherd's Path Learning Network, a seemingly legitimate educational alternative in Ohio that operated for years under the guise of a non-profit. We uncover the true purpose behind its unusual curriculum and the man who orchestrated it, revealing how a father's quiet concern ultimately exposed the hidden dangers within this closed system.

Person: Dennis Simpson
Location: Renner County, Ohio
Date: December 11, 2019
Event: Discovery of the blacked-out map

- The map had 23 states blacked out with permanent marker.
- The Shepherd's Path Learning Network started with 7 families and grew to 31 families and 68 children.
- Families paid a quarterly fee of $380, plus an additional $200 to $600 per quarter.
- Curriculum printing costs for the Network ran under $4,000 a year.
- Edward Donnelly's daughter, Maisie, was two to three years behind grade level in mathematics after five years in the Network.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1349falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dry-badge-how-a-septic-call-uncovered-a-cult--73181892
Imagine a cult operating for years, hidden in plain sight, until a routine septic call reveals a single, dry badge on a frozen Maine morning. What secrets could a seemingly official, yet forged, document uncover about a group known as the Cold Harbor Compact?

In this episode, we delve into the unsettling discovery made by a septic contractor and the subsequent investigation into a cooperative fishing venture that masked a deeper deception. We explore the journey of Leon Schultz, a man seeking a new path, and how he became entangled with Neil Donnelly, the charismatic leader of the compact, ultimately questioning where all the money was truly going.

Person: Philip Jenkins
Date: October 2014
Location: Harwick Neck peninsula, Maine
Organization: Cold Harbor Compact
Payment: $42,000

- Philip Jenkins, a septic contractor, noticed a dry, laminated badge on a septic riser at 7:52 AM.
- The badge identified Neil Donnelly and carried a forged Maine Department of Marine Resources seal.
- Leon Schultz joined the Cold Harbor Compact in November 2014, moving to a converted sardine cannery.
- In January 2015, each member received $212 from a $42,000 wholesale payment.
- Brenda Solis, a bookkeeper, began secretly photographing documents and building a spreadsheet four months after her arrival.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181892Fri, 04 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Dry Badge: How a Septic Call Uncovered a Cult Imagine a cult operating for years, hidden in plain sight, until a routine septic call reveals a single, dry badge on a frozen Maine morning. What secrets could a seemingly official, yet forged,...
Imagine a cult operating for years, hidden in plain sight, until a routine septic call reveals a single, dry badge on a frozen Maine morning. What secrets could a seemingly official, yet forged, document uncover about a group known as the Cold Harbor Compact?

In this episode, we delve into the unsettling discovery made by a septic contractor and the subsequent investigation into a cooperative fishing venture that masked a deeper deception. We explore the journey of Leon Schultz, a man seeking a new path, and how he became entangled with Neil Donnelly, the charismatic leader of the compact, ultimately questioning where all the money was truly going.

Person: Philip Jenkins
Date: October 2014
Location: Harwick Neck peninsula, Maine
Organization: Cold Harbor Compact
Payment: $42,000

- Philip Jenkins, a septic contractor, noticed a dry, laminated badge on a septic riser at 7:52 AM.
- The badge identified Neil Donnelly and carried a forged Maine Department of Marine Resources seal.
- Leon Schultz joined the Cold Harbor Compact in November 2014, moving to a converted sardine cannery.
- In January 2015, each member received $212 from a $42,000 wholesale payment.
- Brenda Solis, a bookkeeper, began secretly photographing documents and building a spreadsheet four months after her arrival.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1146falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-classroom-no-linguist-could-explain-how-jennifer-escaped-verath--73181890
Fear and fascination meet: a makeshift classroom with six rows of chairs, laminated vocabulary cards, and a chalkboard full of verb forms in a script "resembling nothing from any living tongue" sits on a forty-acre cooperative property in Northern California-yet no teacher is present. How did a former court interpreter who'd saved $44,000 end up inside that room, and what did she pay to get out?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a birdwatcher’s photograph to the financial traces that tied members to the Verdant Language Institute LLC and a leased parcel called Pelham Cooperative, and we track the people and records that forced investigators, a journalist, and a linguist from UC Davis to confront one perplexing question: how did Verath go from conference pitch to residential control?

Person: Jennifer Gray
Event: Photograph of classroom discovered by Eric White
Date: October 2016 (second week, Tuesday morning)
Location: forty-acre Pelham Cooperative, foothills east of Woodland, California
Amount: $44,000 transferred by Jennifer to Verdant Language Institute LLC

- Chairs in the classroom were arranged in six rows when Eric White found them.
- Laminated vocabulary cards were rubber-banded in neat stacks on a side table.
- The chalkboard displayed plural imperatives in a script an expert said resembled no living tongue.
- Jennifer Gray transferred $44,000 to an LLC named Verdant Language Institute with the wire memo reading "tuition."
- Between February and July 2015, Verdant Language Institute LLC received $380,000 in similar transfers from multiple members.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181890Thu, 03 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Classroom No Linguist Could Explain: How Jennifer Escaped Verath Fear and fascination meet: a makeshift classroom with six rows of chairs, laminated vocabulary cards, and a chalkboard full of verb forms in a script "resembling nothing from any...
Fear and fascination meet: a makeshift classroom with six rows of chairs, laminated vocabulary cards, and a chalkboard full of verb forms in a script "resembling nothing from any living tongue" sits on a forty-acre cooperative property in Northern California-yet no teacher is present. How did a former court interpreter who'd saved $44,000 end up inside that room, and what did she pay to get out?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a birdwatcher’s photograph to the financial traces that tied members to the Verdant Language Institute LLC and a leased parcel called Pelham Cooperative, and we track the people and records that forced investigators, a journalist, and a linguist from UC Davis to confront one perplexing question: how did Verath go from conference pitch to residential control?

Person: Jennifer Gray
Event: Photograph of classroom discovered by Eric White
Date: October 2016 (second week, Tuesday morning)
Location: forty-acre Pelham Cooperative, foothills east of Woodland, California
Amount: $44,000 transferred by Jennifer to Verdant Language Institute LLC

- Chairs in the classroom were arranged in six rows when Eric White found them.
- Laminated vocabulary cards were rubber-banded in neat stacks on a side table.
- The chalkboard displayed plural imperatives in a script an expert said resembled no living tongue.
- Jennifer Gray transferred $44,000 to an LLC named Verdant Language Institute with the wire memo reading "tuition."
- Between February and July 2015, Verdant Language Institute LLC received $380,000 in similar transfers from multiple members.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1338falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/they-folded-their-names-like-costumes-where-did-the-actors-go--73181884
Fear that the people you trusted slipped away without a trace: fifteen-year-old Patricia Vogel found fourteen neatly folded sets of civilian clothes tagged with character names outside a barn at 7:42 a.m., and no owners. Who had convinced fourteen adults to hand over their identities, bank accounts, and names - and why were only the clothes left behind?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Meridian Stage Collective and the sequence of events that began when Patricia rode her paper route past the Dellman Fairgrounds. We follow how fourteen adults joined a traveling theater group, signed powers of attorney, adopted role names, and ultimately vanished - but what did a single handwritten ledger and a woman who had escaped years earlier reveal?

Person: Patricia Vogel
Date: September 11, 2009
Location: Dellman Fairgrounds, Okalee County, Indiana
Event: Fourteen sets of folded civilian clothes found tagged with character names
Organization: Meridian Stage Holdings LLC

- At 7:42 a.m. Patricia Vogel called her mother after finding fourteen folded piles of clothes outside a barn door.
- Each pile of clothes was tagged with a character's name rather than a personal name.
- Fourteen members of the Meridian Stage Collective had signed power-of-attorney documents on arrival, granting the company authority over personal accounts.
- The Hartwell Conservatory of Physical Theater, claimed by Stanley Nelson as his training, was found to have no record in Asheville with local institutions confirming it never existed.
- Stanley Nelson had worked at the Dellman property in 2002 rewiring lighting for eleven days and knew camera angles and which doors locked which way.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181884Wed, 02 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThey Folded Their Names Like Costumes - Where Did the Actors Go? Fear that the people you trusted slipped away without a trace: fifteen-year-old Patricia Vogel found fourteen neatly folded sets of civilian clothes tagged with character names...
Fear that the people you trusted slipped away without a trace: fifteen-year-old Patricia Vogel found fourteen neatly folded sets of civilian clothes tagged with character names outside a barn at 7:42 a.m., and no owners. Who had convinced fourteen adults to hand over their identities, bank accounts, and names - and why were only the clothes left behind?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Meridian Stage Collective and the sequence of events that began when Patricia rode her paper route past the Dellman Fairgrounds. We follow how fourteen adults joined a traveling theater group, signed powers of attorney, adopted role names, and ultimately vanished - but what did a single handwritten ledger and a woman who had escaped years earlier reveal?

Person: Patricia Vogel
Date: September 11, 2009
Location: Dellman Fairgrounds, Okalee County, Indiana
Event: Fourteen sets of folded civilian clothes found tagged with character names
Organization: Meridian Stage Holdings LLC

- At 7:42 a.m. Patricia Vogel called her mother after finding fourteen folded piles of clothes outside a barn door.
- Each pile of clothes was tagged with a character's name rather than a personal name.
- Fourteen members of the Meridian Stage Collective had signed power-of-attorney documents on arrival, granting the company authority over personal accounts.
- The Hartwell Conservatory of Physical Theater, claimed by Stanley Nelson as his training, was found to have no record in Asheville with local institutions confirming it never existed.
- Stanley Nelson had worked at the Dellman property in 2002 rewiring lighting for eleven days and knew camera angles and which doors locked which way.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1451falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-ledger-in-the-ditch-how-a-binder-exposed-a-quiet-cult--73181883
A forest-green three-ring binder with 214 handwritten pages was found in a roadside ditch on August 22, 2009 - a ledger that named exact sums and "property surrender - full covenant" entries tied to a forty-acre community twelve miles away. How did a single discarded ledger reveal a practice of "full resource integration" and a leader whose claimed credentials left no public trace?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the binder's discovery to the quiet disappearance of contact between members and their families, and we trace how an investigation into one man's background cracked open a private religious community. What did a library computer search and a ledger in a ditch ultimately expose about authority, assets, and silence?

Person: Terry Patterson
Date: August 22, 2009
Location: Route 7, Linden County, Ohio
Event: discovery of a 214-page handwritten ledger
Person: Clifford Burke

- The binder contained 214 handwritten pages and lay open on wet gravel beside Route 7.
- One ledger entry reads: "property surrender - full covenant - C. Burke - seventy-four thousand, two hundred dollars - no return."
- Clifford Burke signed over a house assessed at $74,200 in February 2007 as part of "full resource integration."
- Brian Edwards claimed 15 years at the Loma Center; investigators found no verifiable record of the Loma Center or "Father Hess."
- Sheila Pratt spent two hours at a Millhaven library computer in May 2008 and found no records corroborating Edwards's claimed credentials.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181883Tue, 01 Sep 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Ledger in the Ditch: How a Binder Exposed a Quiet Cult A forest-green three-ring binder with 214 handwritten pages was found in a roadside ditch on August 22, 2009 - a ledger that named exact sums and "property surrender - full covenant"...
A forest-green three-ring binder with 214 handwritten pages was found in a roadside ditch on August 22, 2009 - a ledger that named exact sums and "property surrender - full covenant" entries tied to a forty-acre community twelve miles away. How did a single discarded ledger reveal a practice of "full resource integration" and a leader whose claimed credentials left no public trace?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the binder's discovery to the quiet disappearance of contact between members and their families, and we trace how an investigation into one man's background cracked open a private religious community. What did a library computer search and a ledger in a ditch ultimately expose about authority, assets, and silence?

Person: Terry Patterson
Date: August 22, 2009
Location: Route 7, Linden County, Ohio
Event: discovery of a 214-page handwritten ledger
Person: Clifford Burke

- The binder contained 214 handwritten pages and lay open on wet gravel beside Route 7.
- One ledger entry reads: "property surrender - full covenant - C. Burke - seventy-four thousand, two hundred dollars - no return."
- Clifford Burke signed over a house assessed at $74,200 in February 2007 as part of "full resource integration."
- Brian Edwards claimed 15 years at the Loma Center; investigators found no verifiable record of the Loma Center or "Father Hess."
- Sheila Pratt spent two hours at a Millhaven library computer in May 2008 and found no records corroborating Edwards's claimed credentials.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1431falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-pink-sneaker-that-exposed-a-grief-con-man--73181882
A single pink size six sneaker sat in a dusted field on Route Seven in Dunmore, Tennessee, and an eighteen-hour dispatch delay let a ledger of emotional manipulation remain hidden - until that shoe surfaced. Inside that ledger were names, dollar amounts, and handwritten psychological notes tracking isolation and grief; who kept it, and why had people trusted him for years under a false name?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that began with a lineman spotting one shoe and trace the formation of a closed grief group led by a man using the name John Lewis. We describe how he moved members from a Tuesday Restoration Circle into a smaller Thursday Inner Circle on a property listed as unoccupied, and why the ledger and the shoe became the break in a long-running deception.

Person: Jessica Walker
Date: July 11, 2019
Location: Route Seven, Dunmore, Tennessee
Person: John Lewis (born Aldrich)
Event: Discovery of handwritten ledger with names, dollar amounts, and psychological notes

- One pink sneaker, size six, was found in the middle of a field on Route Seven on July 11, 2019.
- The property where the Inner Circle met had been listed as unoccupied for eleven months.
- Roy Holmes, a utility lineman, called the substation directly, causing the report to sit in a log for nearly eighteen hours.
- Jessica Walker attended the Restoration Circle starting April 19, 2016, and later joined the Inner Circle on Thursday evenings.
- John Lewis was sixty-one, had no ministerial license in Tennessee, and had been born in Ohio under the name Aldrich.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181882Mon, 31 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Pink Sneaker That Exposed a Grief Con Man A single pink size six sneaker sat in a dusted field on Route Seven in Dunmore, Tennessee, and an eighteen-hour dispatch delay let a ledger of emotional manipulation remain hidden - until that shoe...
A single pink size six sneaker sat in a dusted field on Route Seven in Dunmore, Tennessee, and an eighteen-hour dispatch delay let a ledger of emotional manipulation remain hidden - until that shoe surfaced. Inside that ledger were names, dollar amounts, and handwritten psychological notes tracking isolation and grief; who kept it, and why had people trusted him for years under a false name?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that began with a lineman spotting one shoe and trace the formation of a closed grief group led by a man using the name John Lewis. We describe how he moved members from a Tuesday Restoration Circle into a smaller Thursday Inner Circle on a property listed as unoccupied, and why the ledger and the shoe became the break in a long-running deception.

Person: Jessica Walker
Date: July 11, 2019
Location: Route Seven, Dunmore, Tennessee
Person: John Lewis (born Aldrich)
Event: Discovery of handwritten ledger with names, dollar amounts, and psychological notes

- One pink sneaker, size six, was found in the middle of a field on Route Seven on July 11, 2019.
- The property where the Inner Circle met had been listed as unoccupied for eleven months.
- Roy Holmes, a utility lineman, called the substation directly, causing the report to sit in a log for nearly eighteen hours.
- Jessica Walker attended the Restoration Circle starting April 19, 2016, and later joined the Inner Circle on Thursday evenings.
- John Lewis was sixty-one, had no ministerial license in Tennessee, and had been born in Ohio under the name Aldrich.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1483falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cake-at-the-reservoir-secret-rituals-of-a-fraudulent-messiah--73181881
A birthday cake with "38" in pink sat on the concrete lip of Calloway Reservoir behind a padlocked fence with no footprints and candles unlit - placed there before 4:00 AM on June 13, 2011. Two people carried it in via an unseen maintenance strip through scrub grass; who ordered that ritual and why did thirty people build lives around one man?

In this episode, you will hear how a secular-sounding preparedness group in Pelham grew from a rented room into a sixteen-acre compound, the role of a registered nonprofit and legal agreements in binding members, and the questions that surfaced after the reservoir cake appeared: who was Norman Draper and what did he expect from his followers?

Person: Norman Draper
Event: Cake placed at Calloway Reservoir
Date: June 13, 2011 (before 4:00 AM)
Location: Calloway Reservoir, Fenwick Township
Group: The Threshold Compact / Clarity of Purpose Foundation

- The cake bore the number "38" piped in pink and was discovered by Bruce Boyd three miles into his morning run.
- The reservoir's main entrance was padlocked and a northwest maintenance panel installed in 2008 was not welded shut.
- The Threshold Compact had roughly thirty full-time residents at its peak, ages nineteen to sixty-four.
- Norman Draper presented himself as a former civil defense analyst claiming service 1979-2003 with the National Continuity Assessment Office.
- Members signed a "Stewardship Agreement" transferring personal assets into the Foundation and limited residents to two scheduled phone calls per week.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181881Sun, 30 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Cake at the Reservoir: Secret Rituals of a Fraudulent Messiah A birthday cake with "38" in pink sat on the concrete lip of Calloway Reservoir behind a padlocked fence with no footprints and candles unlit - placed there before 4:00 AM on June...
A birthday cake with "38" in pink sat on the concrete lip of Calloway Reservoir behind a padlocked fence with no footprints and candles unlit - placed there before 4:00 AM on June 13, 2011. Two people carried it in via an unseen maintenance strip through scrub grass; who ordered that ritual and why did thirty people build lives around one man?

In this episode, you will hear how a secular-sounding preparedness group in Pelham grew from a rented room into a sixteen-acre compound, the role of a registered nonprofit and legal agreements in binding members, and the questions that surfaced after the reservoir cake appeared: who was Norman Draper and what did he expect from his followers?

Person: Norman Draper
Event: Cake placed at Calloway Reservoir
Date: June 13, 2011 (before 4:00 AM)
Location: Calloway Reservoir, Fenwick Township
Group: The Threshold Compact / Clarity of Purpose Foundation

- The cake bore the number "38" piped in pink and was discovered by Bruce Boyd three miles into his morning run.
- The reservoir's main entrance was padlocked and a northwest maintenance panel installed in 2008 was not welded shut.
- The Threshold Compact had roughly thirty full-time residents at its peak, ages nineteen to sixty-four.
- Norman Draper presented himself as a former civil defense analyst claiming service 1979-2003 with the National Continuity Assessment Office.
- Members signed a "Stewardship Agreement" transferring personal assets into the Foundation and limited residents to two scheduled phone calls per week.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1497falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-asked-them-to-leave-their-shoes-they-obeyed-then-vanished--73181880
The mornings after the vans left, eleven pairs of shoes sat heels together on a concrete pad fifty miles north - laces tied, never forgotten. A man who slept a full eight hours the night before had his followers go without sleep; twenty-two adults handed over bank accounts, contracts and a commercial kitchen before stepping into new shoes and vanishing - how did he make disciplined people surrender so completely?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of events and the people involved, tracing how a catering contract turned into something else and asking how a community design became an apparatus of control. What happened between a vendor fair in October 2017 and the morning those vans pulled into Delano on May 14, 2019?

Person: Dean Moore
Person: Angela Price
Location: Brackett Lane property (fourteen-bedroom farmhouse)
Date: May 14, 2019
Event: Price Family Catering deliveries began January 2018

- Eleven pairs of shoes were found on a concrete pad fifty miles north, heels together with laces tied.
- Twenty-two adults were instructed to leave their old footwear and then transported in vans on May 14, 2019.
- The Linden Compact contract with Price Family Catering was signed in December 2017, with deliveries beginning January 2018.
- The Brackett Lane property housed approximately thirty residents in a fourteen-bedroom farmhouse.
- Alignment circles ran late at night, typically from 11:00 p.m. until 2:00-3:00 a.m., and attendance was mandatory.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181880Sat, 29 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Asked Them to Leave Their Shoes - They Obeyed, Then Vanished The mornings after the vans left, eleven pairs of shoes sat heels together on a concrete pad fifty miles north - laces tied, never forgotten. A man who slept a full eight hours the...
The mornings after the vans left, eleven pairs of shoes sat heels together on a concrete pad fifty miles north - laces tied, never forgotten. A man who slept a full eight hours the night before had his followers go without sleep; twenty-two adults handed over bank accounts, contracts and a commercial kitchen before stepping into new shoes and vanishing - how did he make disciplined people surrender so completely?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of events and the people involved, tracing how a catering contract turned into something else and asking how a community design became an apparatus of control. What happened between a vendor fair in October 2017 and the morning those vans pulled into Delano on May 14, 2019?

Person: Dean Moore
Person: Angela Price
Location: Brackett Lane property (fourteen-bedroom farmhouse)
Date: May 14, 2019
Event: Price Family Catering deliveries began January 2018

- Eleven pairs of shoes were found on a concrete pad fifty miles north, heels together with laces tied.
- Twenty-two adults were instructed to leave their old footwear and then transported in vans on May 14, 2019.
- The Linden Compact contract with Price Family Catering was signed in December 2017, with deliveries beginning January 2018.
- The Brackett Lane property housed approximately thirty residents in a fourteen-bedroom farmhouse.
- Alignment circles ran late at night, typically from 11:00 p.m. until 2:00-3:00 a.m., and attendance was mandatory.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1454falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-sixty-acre-lie-how-fifty-fake-phones-exposed-a-cult--73181877
Fear that someone you love has been erased from time: a retired teacher paid $4,800 to enter a thirty-day program and emerged believing the wrong date, while a volunteer later found 41 cellphones in retail packaging all pre-programmed to dial a disconnected Bakersfield landline-none of them had ever made a real call. How did a sixty-acre retreat turn into a closed world that stole five days from a man and kept eleven people isolated - and who finally broke it open?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from a letter that sounded unlike its writer to the discovery on April 14, 2019 that revealed Pineward's hidden systems, asking how routine practices and paperwork built a controlling environment and what finally cracked it open.

Person: Troy Boyd
Date: April 14, 2019
Location: Pineward property, sixty acres
Event: Discovery of 41 packaged cellphones
Amount: $4,800

- Troy Boyd paid $4,800 on March 3, 2019 for a thirty-day program with scheduled end date April 2, 2019.
- On April 14, 2019, volunteer Denise Novak found 41 cellphones, each in retail packaging, slit open and re-taped, pre-programmed to dial a single disconnected landline in Bakersfield.
- Eleven people were living full-time on the sixty-acre Pineward property before Troy arrived; he became the twelfth.
- Troy believed the date was April 9 while handwriting notes in the integration room on April 14, showing he had lost five days of awareness.
- The Pineward daily schedule required waking at 5:15 AM, breathing exercises by 5:45 AM, group discussions into the afternoon, evening sessions past 11 PM, and five hours or fewer of sleep per night.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181877Fri, 28 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Sixty-Acre Lie: How Fifty-Fake Phones Exposed a Cult Fear that someone you love has been erased from time: a retired teacher paid $4,800 to enter a thirty-day program and emerged believing the wrong date, while a volunteer later found 41...
Fear that someone you love has been erased from time: a retired teacher paid $4,800 to enter a thirty-day program and emerged believing the wrong date, while a volunteer later found 41 cellphones in retail packaging all pre-programmed to dial a disconnected Bakersfield landline-none of them had ever made a real call. How did a sixty-acre retreat turn into a closed world that stole five days from a man and kept eleven people isolated - and who finally broke it open?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from a letter that sounded unlike its writer to the discovery on April 14, 2019 that revealed Pineward's hidden systems, asking how routine practices and paperwork built a controlling environment and what finally cracked it open.

Person: Troy Boyd
Date: April 14, 2019
Location: Pineward property, sixty acres
Event: Discovery of 41 packaged cellphones
Amount: $4,800

- Troy Boyd paid $4,800 on March 3, 2019 for a thirty-day program with scheduled end date April 2, 2019.
- On April 14, 2019, volunteer Denise Novak found 41 cellphones, each in retail packaging, slit open and re-taped, pre-programmed to dial a single disconnected landline in Bakersfield.
- Eleven people were living full-time on the sixty-acre Pineward property before Troy arrived; he became the twelfth.
- Troy believed the date was April 9 while handwriting notes in the integration room on April 14, showing he had lost five days of awareness.
- The Pineward daily schedule required waking at 5:15 AM, breathing exercises by 5:45 AM, group discussions into the afternoon, evening sessions past 11 PM, and five hours or fewer of sleep per night.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1092falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-jar-at-minner-creek-how-a-cult-hid-a-woman-s-disappearance--73181875
A mason jar sealed and wedged at the waterline of Minner Creek held a laminated ID and a photograph, bone dry despite months of creek levels; the ID name belonged to a woman who had been missing nearly two years - who placed that jar, and why would someone hide the only surviving evidence in a creek to be alternately destroyed and revealed by the water?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a small Missouri town to a rural compound, tracing how a congregation fractured into a closed community and how one woman's disappearance left behind a single, deliberate clue; what does the jar's placement say about what happened inside the Remnant Assembly?

Person: Janet Anderson
Location: Hollen Township farm on Road Seven
Date: March 2011 (jar found); Janet born circa 1986; moved to farm August 2009
Event: Found sealed mason jar at Minner Creek containing laminated ID and photograph
Organization: Remnant Assembly (split from Calvary Word Fellowship)

- The jar was found wedged between two creek roots at the waterline by Randy Barrett's dog Biscuit on a Tuesday morning in March 2011.
- Inside the jar was a laminated ID card and a photograph of a man in a white apron with a name tag reading "Robert M."; both items were bone dry.
- Janet Anderson moved to the farm compound in August 2009 and was assigned member number eleven for her first ninety days.
- Robert Michael Greer used the surname Mason by around 2003 without any recorded legal name change in Missouri counties.
- Between September 2009 and January 2010 Donna Anderson received four unusually short, declarative letters from her daughter, prompting a sheriff's deputy visit in October 2009.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181875Thu, 27 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Jar at Minner Creek: How a Cult Hid a Woman's Disappearance A mason jar sealed and wedged at the waterline of Minner Creek held a laminated ID and a photograph, bone dry despite months of creek levels; the ID name belonged to a woman who had...
A mason jar sealed and wedged at the waterline of Minner Creek held a laminated ID and a photograph, bone dry despite months of creek levels; the ID name belonged to a woman who had been missing nearly two years - who placed that jar, and why would someone hide the only surviving evidence in a creek to be alternately destroyed and revealed by the water?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a small Missouri town to a rural compound, tracing how a congregation fractured into a closed community and how one woman's disappearance left behind a single, deliberate clue; what does the jar's placement say about what happened inside the Remnant Assembly?

Person: Janet Anderson
Location: Hollen Township farm on Road Seven
Date: March 2011 (jar found); Janet born circa 1986; moved to farm August 2009
Event: Found sealed mason jar at Minner Creek containing laminated ID and photograph
Organization: Remnant Assembly (split from Calvary Word Fellowship)

- The jar was found wedged between two creek roots at the waterline by Randy Barrett's dog Biscuit on a Tuesday morning in March 2011.
- Inside the jar was a laminated ID card and a photograph of a man in a white apron with a name tag reading "Robert M."; both items were bone dry.
- Janet Anderson moved to the farm compound in August 2009 and was assigned member number eleven for her first ninety days.
- Robert Michael Greer used the surname Mason by around 2003 without any recorded legal name change in Missouri counties.
- Between September 2009 and January 2010 Donna Anderson received four unusually short, declarative letters from her daughter, prompting a sheriff's deputy visit in October 2009.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1308falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-shoe-in-cutter-creek-how-a-note-broke-a-cult-s-silence--73181874
A brown leather dress shoe with a monogrammed insole and a taped handwritten note drifted into Cutter Creek on February 11, 2019, and the single sentence inside - "He said we would never need money again because we would never need anything again." - became the first clue to a closed residential group on a nine-acre farmhouse. Who placed that note on Birch Hollow Pike bridge, and what were they trying to escape?

In this episode, we trace the shoe's discovery, the sealed note, and the investigations that followed, including the residents' controlled phone calls and complex financial transfers that linked this group to a prior operation. How did a seminar called "Clarity in Transition" lead seventeen people to hand over their finances and daily lives?

Person: Charles Anderson
Date: February 11, 2019
Location: Cutter Creek, eastern bend
Event: Shoe found with taped handwritten note
Person: Neil Hoffman

- A brown leather right dress shoe with a monogrammed insole reading "R.M." was found caught in a half-submerged sycamore branch.
- The handwritten note inside the shoe was sealed under two layers of clear packing tape and read one sentence about never needing money or anything again.
- The shoe was placed by someone standing on Birch Hollow Pike bridge roughly one mile upstream before being thrown into the water.
- Ronald Marshall moved into the Birch Hollow Pike farmhouse in February 2018 and remained there for twenty-two months as one of seventeen residents.
- A seminar titled "Clarity in Transition" in September 2017 was led by Neil Hoffman, who presented himself as a former clinical psychologist but had no state license.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181874Wed, 26 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Shoe in Cutter Creek: How a Note Broke a Cult's Silence A brown leather dress shoe with a monogrammed insole and a taped handwritten note drifted into Cutter Creek on February 11, 2019, and the single sentence inside - "He said we would never...
A brown leather dress shoe with a monogrammed insole and a taped handwritten note drifted into Cutter Creek on February 11, 2019, and the single sentence inside - "He said we would never need money again because we would never need anything again." - became the first clue to a closed residential group on a nine-acre farmhouse. Who placed that note on Birch Hollow Pike bridge, and what were they trying to escape?

In this episode, we trace the shoe's discovery, the sealed note, and the investigations that followed, including the residents' controlled phone calls and complex financial transfers that linked this group to a prior operation. How did a seminar called "Clarity in Transition" lead seventeen people to hand over their finances and daily lives?

Person: Charles Anderson
Date: February 11, 2019
Location: Cutter Creek, eastern bend
Event: Shoe found with taped handwritten note
Person: Neil Hoffman

- A brown leather right dress shoe with a monogrammed insole reading "R.M." was found caught in a half-submerged sycamore branch.
- The handwritten note inside the shoe was sealed under two layers of clear packing tape and read one sentence about never needing money or anything again.
- The shoe was placed by someone standing on Birch Hollow Pike bridge roughly one mile upstream before being thrown into the water.
- Ronald Marshall moved into the Birch Hollow Pike farmhouse in February 2018 and remained there for twenty-two months as one of seventeen residents.
- A seminar titled "Clarity in Transition" in September 2017 was led by Neil Hoffman, who presented himself as a former clinical psychologist but had no state license.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1360falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-piggy-bank-in-the-scrubland-how-a-cult-stole-time--73181869
A cracked ceramic piggy bank was found in frozen scrubland with a note that read "for mama when she gets better" - hidden by eight-year-old Lily Delaney on 1,400 acres run by a group called the Mending Ground that charged a woman with stage-three cancer $400 a month for chamomile-like "Meridian Tonic." How did George Bell build a compound on forged credentials and silence letters sent out by residents?

In this episode, we tell how Nora Myers and her sister Cynthia arrived at the Mending Ground, what life looked like inside the compound, and the steps Cynthia took to document and expose what was happening - and why the question of who profited at the cost of health and freedom matters now.

Person: George Bell
Location: eastern New Mexico scrubland
Event: raid (warrant executed) occurred two years before a county surveyor found the piggy bank in the third week of January
Person: Nora Myers
Topic: tithing and fees (Nora tithed $150 per month; Karen Hosp paid $400 per month)

- The compound sat on 1,400 acres of eastern New Mexico scrubland, nearest town Garfield Junction 18 miles away.
- George Bell purchased the former Kettner family ranch in spring 2011 for $260,000 in cash.
- Bell’s tithing account had accumulated more than $400,000 before the land changed hands.
- Nora Myers began tithing $150 per month and moved to the compound by June 2011; Cynthia Myers moved in mid-November 2011 at age 32.
- Karen Hosp, a resident with stage-three ovarian cancer, paid $400 per month for "Meridian Tonic."

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181869Tue, 25 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Piggy Bank in the Scrubland: How a Cult Stole Time A cracked ceramic piggy bank was found in frozen scrubland with a note that read "for mama when she gets better" - hidden by eight-year-old Lily Delaney on 1,400 acres run by a group called the...
A cracked ceramic piggy bank was found in frozen scrubland with a note that read "for mama when she gets better" - hidden by eight-year-old Lily Delaney on 1,400 acres run by a group called the Mending Ground that charged a woman with stage-three cancer $400 a month for chamomile-like "Meridian Tonic." How did George Bell build a compound on forged credentials and silence letters sent out by residents?

In this episode, we tell how Nora Myers and her sister Cynthia arrived at the Mending Ground, what life looked like inside the compound, and the steps Cynthia took to document and expose what was happening - and why the question of who profited at the cost of health and freedom matters now.

Person: George Bell
Location: eastern New Mexico scrubland
Event: raid (warrant executed) occurred two years before a county surveyor found the piggy bank in the third week of January
Person: Nora Myers
Topic: tithing and fees (Nora tithed $150 per month; Karen Hosp paid $400 per month)

- The compound sat on 1,400 acres of eastern New Mexico scrubland, nearest town Garfield Junction 18 miles away.
- George Bell purchased the former Kettner family ranch in spring 2011 for $260,000 in cash.
- Bell’s tithing account had accumulated more than $400,000 before the land changed hands.
- Nora Myers began tithing $150 per month and moved to the compound by June 2011; Cynthia Myers moved in mid-November 2011 at age 32.
- Karen Hosp, a resident with stage-three ovarian cancer, paid $400 per month for "Meridian Tonic."

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1292falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cake-left-on-sealed-ground-secrets-of-pinecrest-camp--73181867
Fear and controlled morbid curiosity meet in a single image: at 3:00 AM on December 11, 2019, someone carried a three-layer birthday cake with nine unlit candles and blue frosting spelling "Marcus" across a property that had been in police custody for three days - and no child named Marcus had ever lived there. Why leave a cake for a boy who was never present, on sealed ground, and who ordered it from a bakery 47 miles away?

In this episode, we follow the chronology from the first visit to Pinecrest Camp Camp through the financial trail that would haunt its bookkeeper, listening to interviews and ledger entries to trace how a cautious, divorced mother ended up living on the forty-two acre property. What did recurring, unexplained payments to a Knoxville bakery mean, and how did everyday controls at the camp create the conditions for that midnight delivery?

Person: Jessica Henderson
Date: December 11, 2019
Location: Pinecrest Camp Camp, forty-two acres outside Hollis, Tennessee
Person: William Kowalski
Vendor: Linden's Bakery, Knoxville (47 miles from Pinecrest)

- The cake was carried across the sealed crime scene at 3:00 AM on December 11, 2019.
- The cake had three layers, nine unlit candles, and blue frosting spelling the name "Marcus."
- Pinecrest Camp Camp sat on forty-two acres outside the town of Hollis in central Tennessee.
- William Kowalski purchased the property in 2009 for $112,000 and presented himself as a licensed child-development specialist with a master's degree from a Colorado university.
- Jessica Henderson began noting unexplained monthly payments of $60-$90 coded as "program materials" to Linden's Bakery in Knoxville starting in autumn 2016.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181867Mon, 24 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Cake Left on Sealed Ground: Secrets of Pinecrest Camp Fear and controlled morbid curiosity meet in a single image: at 3:00 AM on December 11, 2019, someone carried a three-layer birthday cake with nine unlit candles and blue frosting spelling...
Fear and controlled morbid curiosity meet in a single image: at 3:00 AM on December 11, 2019, someone carried a three-layer birthday cake with nine unlit candles and blue frosting spelling "Marcus" across a property that had been in police custody for three days - and no child named Marcus had ever lived there. Why leave a cake for a boy who was never present, on sealed ground, and who ordered it from a bakery 47 miles away?

In this episode, we follow the chronology from the first visit to Pinecrest Camp Camp through the financial trail that would haunt its bookkeeper, listening to interviews and ledger entries to trace how a cautious, divorced mother ended up living on the forty-two acre property. What did recurring, unexplained payments to a Knoxville bakery mean, and how did everyday controls at the camp create the conditions for that midnight delivery?

Person: Jessica Henderson
Date: December 11, 2019
Location: Pinecrest Camp Camp, forty-two acres outside Hollis, Tennessee
Person: William Kowalski
Vendor: Linden's Bakery, Knoxville (47 miles from Pinecrest)

- The cake was carried across the sealed crime scene at 3:00 AM on December 11, 2019.
- The cake had three layers, nine unlit candles, and blue frosting spelling the name "Marcus."
- Pinecrest Camp Camp sat on forty-two acres outside the town of Hollis in central Tennessee.
- William Kowalski purchased the property in 2009 for $112,000 and presented himself as a licensed child-development specialist with a master's degree from a Colorado university.
- Jessica Henderson began noting unexplained monthly payments of $60-$90 coded as "program materials" to Linden's Bakery in Knoxville starting in autumn 2016.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1164falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/image-child-s-red-lunchbox-on-frost-covered-split-rail-fence-31-f-19-0-cards--73181865
A red lunchbox with nineteen laminated cards showing zero dollars sat on a frost-covered fence at 31°F - an ordinary object that, within 48 hours, would unlock a four-year unraveling of a community and its money. How did nineteen balances become zero, and what did those cards say about the people who trusted them?

In this episode, we follow the discovery, the paperwork, and the people tied to a rural cooperative called Harrow, and we ask how a legal-looking charter and carefully managed meetings quietly remade lives - who benefited, and who paid the price?

Person: Amy Reynolds
Date: early November 2020
Location: Dutton Mill Road, Bloomington, Indiana
Event: discovery of lunchbox with nineteen $0 cards

- The lunchbox was found before 7:00 a.m. and reported to the county sheriff at 7:42 a.m.
- The morning temperature was 31°F on that Tuesday in early November 2020.
- Nineteen laminated cards were fanned inside the lunchbox, each showing a balance of zero dollars.
- Harrow's founding charter was distributed in spring 2017 and had six founding members by October 2017.
- Stanley Stein moved onto the Harrow property in February 2018 after paying $112,000.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181865Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at Obomediaimage: child's red lunchbox on frost-covered split-rail fence, 31°F, 19 $0 cards A red lunchbox with nineteen laminated cards showing zero dollars sat on a frost-covered fence at 31°F - an ordinary object that, within 48 hours, would unlock a...
A red lunchbox with nineteen laminated cards showing zero dollars sat on a frost-covered fence at 31°F - an ordinary object that, within 48 hours, would unlock a four-year unraveling of a community and its money. How did nineteen balances become zero, and what did those cards say about the people who trusted them?

In this episode, we follow the discovery, the paperwork, and the people tied to a rural cooperative called Harrow, and we ask how a legal-looking charter and carefully managed meetings quietly remade lives - who benefited, and who paid the price?

Person: Amy Reynolds
Date: early November 2020
Location: Dutton Mill Road, Bloomington, Indiana
Event: discovery of lunchbox with nineteen $0 cards

- The lunchbox was found before 7:00 a.m. and reported to the county sheriff at 7:42 a.m.
- The morning temperature was 31°F on that Tuesday in early November 2020.
- Nineteen laminated cards were fanned inside the lunchbox, each showing a balance of zero dollars.
- Harrow's founding charter was distributed in spring 2017 and had six founding members by October 2017.
- Stanley Stein moved onto the Harrow property in February 2018 after paying $112,000.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1431falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-choir-that-stole-their-lives-how-a-robe-exposed-ardenvale-s-lies--73181862
A single white choir robe folded on a loading dock contained a sixty-three-page handwritten score titled "THIRD MOVEMENT: THE ACCOUNT OF WHAT YOU OWE" - and within hours the sheriff's department knew it was the key to a house where nine people had surrendered apartments, bank accounts, and basics of life. How did a choral director turn repertoire into rules, and what did that score demand in return?

In this episode, we trace the timeline from a 6:15 a.m. finding on October 18, 2011 to the revelations hidden in the score, following survivors, a cooperating witness, and official records to understand what the document revealed and why one member fled with a blue ceramic mug. What does the score truly account for?

Date: October 18, 2011
Person: Erin Whitfield
Person: Charles Dixon
Person: Denise Snyder
Location: Aldersham Street Victorian house

- At 6:15 a.m. Erin Whitfield found a white choir robe on a loading dock containing a sixty-three-page handwritten score.
- The score's cover read "THIRD MOVEMENT: THE ACCOUNT OF WHAT YOU OWE" and was bound with a single binder clip.
- Nine members had been convinced to give up their apartments, bank accounts, and basic autonomy while living in the Aldersham Street house.
- Denise Snyder transferred her personal bank account into a joint account controlled by the Association in November 2010, with Patricia Voss as witness and Sandra Kopp notarizing.
- The person who left the robe walked out of the house at 4:45 a.m., carrying the score she had hidden for three days and a blue ceramic mug kept under her bed for two years.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181862Sat, 22 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Choir That Stole Their Lives: How a Robe Exposed Ardenvale's Lies A single white choir robe folded on a loading dock contained a sixty-three-page handwritten score titled "THIRD MOVEMENT: THE ACCOUNT OF WHAT YOU OWE" - and within hours the...
A single white choir robe folded on a loading dock contained a sixty-three-page handwritten score titled "THIRD MOVEMENT: THE ACCOUNT OF WHAT YOU OWE" - and within hours the sheriff's department knew it was the key to a house where nine people had surrendered apartments, bank accounts, and basics of life. How did a choral director turn repertoire into rules, and what did that score demand in return?

In this episode, we trace the timeline from a 6:15 a.m. finding on October 18, 2011 to the revelations hidden in the score, following survivors, a cooperating witness, and official records to understand what the document revealed and why one member fled with a blue ceramic mug. What does the score truly account for?

Date: October 18, 2011
Person: Erin Whitfield
Person: Charles Dixon
Person: Denise Snyder
Location: Aldersham Street Victorian house

- At 6:15 a.m. Erin Whitfield found a white choir robe on a loading dock containing a sixty-three-page handwritten score.
- The score's cover read "THIRD MOVEMENT: THE ACCOUNT OF WHAT YOU OWE" and was bound with a single binder clip.
- Nine members had been convinced to give up their apartments, bank accounts, and basic autonomy while living in the Aldersham Street house.
- Denise Snyder transferred her personal bank account into a joint account controlled by the Association in November 2010, with Patricia Voss as witness and Sandra Kopp notarizing.
- The person who left the robe walked out of the house at 4:45 a.m., carrying the score she had hidden for three days and a blue ceramic mug kept under her bed for two years.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1088falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/frozen-jar-hidden-fraud-how-a-fake-doctor-killed-a-follower--73181860
Cold evidence started the case: a jar that should have been solid after six hours in a delivery freezer at 4:40 a.m. at an outside temperature of 28 degrees was liquid, and the discovery led to a search warrant issued the same afternoon for a converted farmhouse less than two miles up Tenwick Road-how did that jar connect to a man with no medical degree who had convinced thirty people he could heal them?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Portell Institute and the people who lived there, believed there, and in one case died there, before anyone outside looked. We follow how Bruce Alan Hunter presented himself, the routines inside the converted farmhouse on Tenwick Road, and the questions that began with a single jar-what happened inside that utility room freezer?

Person: Bruce Alan Hunter
Location: Tenwick Road, Portell County
Event: Search warrant executed the afternoon after 4:53 a.m. call
Followers: Approximately 30 people formed around Hunter
Resident examples: Connie Owens (age 52), Michael Torrance (age 44), Meredith Stoll (age 63)

- The jar was removed from a delivery freezer at 4:40 a.m. and was not frozen after six hours despite an outside temperature of 28 degrees.
- Valerie Adams called the Portell County Sheriff at 4:53 a.m., prompting investigators to obtain a search warrant that same afternoon.
- Bruce Hunter presented credentials claiming an M.D. from Harmon College of Osteopathic Medicine (dissolved 1991) and a Ph.D. from Western States Institute of Applied Sciences; no records found for those claims.
- Approximately 40 people attended Hunter’s initial seminar “Cellular Restoration” and roughly 30 later became followers at the Portell Institute.
- Connie Owens, a 52-year-old surgical recovery nurse with type 2 diabetes and a thyroid disorder, was one of the first eight to move into the institute in spring 2018.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181860Fri, 21 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaFrozen Jar, Hidden Fraud: How a Fake Doctor Killed a Follower Cold evidence started the case: a jar that should have been solid after six hours in a delivery freezer at 4:40 a.m. at an outside temperature of 28 degrees was liquid, and the discovery...
Cold evidence started the case: a jar that should have been solid after six hours in a delivery freezer at 4:40 a.m. at an outside temperature of 28 degrees was liquid, and the discovery led to a search warrant issued the same afternoon for a converted farmhouse less than two miles up Tenwick Road-how did that jar connect to a man with no medical degree who had convinced thirty people he could heal them?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Portell Institute and the people who lived there, believed there, and in one case died there, before anyone outside looked. We follow how Bruce Alan Hunter presented himself, the routines inside the converted farmhouse on Tenwick Road, and the questions that began with a single jar-what happened inside that utility room freezer?

Person: Bruce Alan Hunter
Location: Tenwick Road, Portell County
Event: Search warrant executed the afternoon after 4:53 a.m. call
Followers: Approximately 30 people formed around Hunter
Resident examples: Connie Owens (age 52), Michael Torrance (age 44), Meredith Stoll (age 63)

- The jar was removed from a delivery freezer at 4:40 a.m. and was not frozen after six hours despite an outside temperature of 28 degrees.
- Valerie Adams called the Portell County Sheriff at 4:53 a.m., prompting investigators to obtain a search warrant that same afternoon.
- Bruce Hunter presented credentials claiming an M.D. from Harmon College of Osteopathic Medicine (dissolved 1991) and a Ph.D. from Western States Institute of Applied Sciences; no records found for those claims.
- Approximately 40 people attended Hunter’s initial seminar “Cellular Restoration” and roughly 30 later became followers at the Portell Institute.
- Connie Owens, a 52-year-old surgical recovery nurse with type 2 diabetes and a thyroid disorder, was one of the first eight to move into the institute in spring 2018.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1281falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-night-they-left-the-circle-inside-the-third-shift-covenant--73181858
A deserted ritual: twenty-two folding chairs in a perfect circle, twenty-two sealed envelopes, a three-foot chalked eye inside a gear - and no people. This episode opens on the Vantrell Industries loading dock where deputies found a staged closure of something that had quietly grown for two years; what made twenty-two adults walk out and leave everything behind?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the first strange transfer paperwork to the empty circle in 2019, tracing how one newcomer gathered coworkers into a group with obligations and rituals, and asking how work, debt, and attention turned into allegiance and disappearance. What exactly did the Third Shift Covenant ask of its members, and why did the final meeting end with envelopes and a symbol on concrete?

Person: Eugene Meyer
Date: August 19, 2019
Location: Vantrell Industries loading dock, Fenwick County
Group: Third Shift Covenant
Person: Melissa Young

- 22 folding chairs were arranged in a circle roughly 12 feet across on the loading dock.
- 22 sealed envelopes sat on the chairs, each containing a numbered index card.
- The central chalk symbol was a stylized eye inside a gear, drawn in blue chalk and three feet wide.
- The security camera inside the dock was unplugged and its cable coiled neatly on the floor.
- Melissa Young arrived at Vantrell in August 2017 listed as 38 years old and within six weeks became the mediator for the overnight shift, forming the Third Shift Covenant.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181858Thu, 20 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Night They Left the Circle: Inside the Third Shift Covenant A deserted ritual: twenty-two folding chairs in a perfect circle, twenty-two sealed envelopes, a three-foot chalked eye inside a gear - and no people. This episode opens on the...
A deserted ritual: twenty-two folding chairs in a perfect circle, twenty-two sealed envelopes, a three-foot chalked eye inside a gear - and no people. This episode opens on the Vantrell Industries loading dock where deputies found a staged closure of something that had quietly grown for two years; what made twenty-two adults walk out and leave everything behind?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from the first strange transfer paperwork to the empty circle in 2019, tracing how one newcomer gathered coworkers into a group with obligations and rituals, and asking how work, debt, and attention turned into allegiance and disappearance. What exactly did the Third Shift Covenant ask of its members, and why did the final meeting end with envelopes and a symbol on concrete?

Person: Eugene Meyer
Date: August 19, 2019
Location: Vantrell Industries loading dock, Fenwick County
Group: Third Shift Covenant
Person: Melissa Young

- 22 folding chairs were arranged in a circle roughly 12 feet across on the loading dock.
- 22 sealed envelopes sat on the chairs, each containing a numbered index card.
- The central chalk symbol was a stylized eye inside a gear, drawn in blue chalk and three feet wide.
- The security camera inside the dock was unplugged and its cable coiled neatly on the floor.
- Melissa Young arrived at Vantrell in August 2017 listed as 38 years old and within six weeks became the mediator for the overnight shift, forming the Third Shift Covenant.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1424falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-manuscript-in-the-river-how-a-writing-commune-stole-lives--73181857
A morning run uncovers a waterlogged manuscript with a thumb-sized binder clip and a blue-ballpoint note: do not return to Wenner Road - and that single line triggers the unravelling of a literary collective that claimed authorship of others' work. Forty writers surrendered contracts and two years of their lives to a woman who had done this before; one member escaped at 2:17 a.m. with her manuscript under her arm - how did the Folded Page Collective keep so many voices from ever returning?

In this episode, we follow the discovery on the Sennett River towpath and trace how the Folded Page Collective operated as a residency on Wenner Road, what its membership agreement actually granted, and how Rhonda Walsh kept a hidden journal that recorded the first clues. What did section seven of the contract mean for the writers who signed, and why did so many books disappear into a curatorial library?

Person: Melvin Gallagher
Person: Rhonda Walsh
Person: Amy Reed
Location: Wenner Road farmhouse
Event: Manuscript found on Sennett River towpath

- The manuscript discovered in cattails measured roughly two to three hundred pages and was secured with a binder clip the size of a man's thumb.
- The Sennett River flowed from Fenwick Crossing four miles upstream at a current of four miles per hour, indicating the manuscript had been thrown from that direction.
- Rhonda Walsh paid a $4,200 residency fee and signed a twelve-page membership agreement after being given forty-five minutes to review it.
- Section seven of the membership agreement assigned the Folded Page Collective the rights to all written work produced by a member during residency, including personal correspondence and journals.
- The Wenner Road farmhouse housed nine residents at its peak, and about seventy percent of books placed in the Folded Page Collective's curatorial library never returned.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181857Wed, 19 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Manuscript in the River: How a Writing Commune Stole Lives A morning run uncovers a waterlogged manuscript with a thumb-sized binder clip and a blue-ballpoint note: do not return to Wenner Road - and that single line triggers the unravelling of...
A morning run uncovers a waterlogged manuscript with a thumb-sized binder clip and a blue-ballpoint note: do not return to Wenner Road - and that single line triggers the unravelling of a literary collective that claimed authorship of others' work. Forty writers surrendered contracts and two years of their lives to a woman who had done this before; one member escaped at 2:17 a.m. with her manuscript under her arm - how did the Folded Page Collective keep so many voices from ever returning?

In this episode, we follow the discovery on the Sennett River towpath and trace how the Folded Page Collective operated as a residency on Wenner Road, what its membership agreement actually granted, and how Rhonda Walsh kept a hidden journal that recorded the first clues. What did section seven of the contract mean for the writers who signed, and why did so many books disappear into a curatorial library?

Person: Melvin Gallagher
Person: Rhonda Walsh
Person: Amy Reed
Location: Wenner Road farmhouse
Event: Manuscript found on Sennett River towpath

- The manuscript discovered in cattails measured roughly two to three hundred pages and was secured with a binder clip the size of a man's thumb.
- The Sennett River flowed from Fenwick Crossing four miles upstream at a current of four miles per hour, indicating the manuscript had been thrown from that direction.
- Rhonda Walsh paid a $4,200 residency fee and signed a twelve-page membership agreement after being given forty-five minutes to review it.
- Section seven of the membership agreement assigned the Folded Page Collective the rights to all written work produced by a member during residency, including personal correspondence and journals.
- The Wenner Road farmhouse housed nine residents at its peak, and about seventy percent of books placed in the Folded Page Collective's curatorial library never returned.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1136falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-shoe-on-sycamore-road-how-a-marigold-exposed-a-cult--73181856
A single white sneaker with a teal New Balance logo and a cut-stem marigold inside was found four feet from a utility pole on Sycamore Road, with no footprints or tire marks nearby - a quiet, precise signal that would eventually unravel a four-year story of control and secrecy. How did one shoe and one flower become the first visible sign that led investigators to a converted grain building and a community that had been changed from within?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the morning Marcia Sharp found the shoe to the years leading up to it, tracing how Beverly Whitaker joined Wayne Sullivan’s workshops and how her life was transformed by that involvement. What did Sullivan promise, how did he recruit trust, and what did it cost the people who stayed until others finally looked?

Person: Marcia Sharp
Date: June 14, 2011
Person: Beverly Whitaker
Person: Wayne Sullivan (born Gerald Wayne Puckett)
Location: Sycamore Road, Pratt County, Indiana

- The shoe found was a left white sneaker, size seven, with a teal New Balance logo and laces double-knotted.
- The dried marigold inside the shoe had its stem cut at an angle and was pressed against the toe.
- Beverly Whitaker began attending Sullivan’s workshops in October 2007 and was a regular by January 2008.
- Beverly was 61 years old in autumn 2007 and had volunteered seven consecutive years at the Muncie Area Food Pantry, never missing a scheduled shift.
- Gerald Wayne Puckett had two civil fraud judgments in the mid-1990s before changing his name and presenting himself as Wayne Sullivan.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181856Tue, 18 Aug 2026 23:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Shoe on Sycamore Road: How a Marigold Exposed a Cult A single white sneaker with a teal New Balance logo and a cut-stem marigold inside was found four feet from a utility pole on Sycamore Road, with no footprints or tire marks nearby - a quiet,...
A single white sneaker with a teal New Balance logo and a cut-stem marigold inside was found four feet from a utility pole on Sycamore Road, with no footprints or tire marks nearby - a quiet, precise signal that would eventually unravel a four-year story of control and secrecy. How did one shoe and one flower become the first visible sign that led investigators to a converted grain building and a community that had been changed from within?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the morning Marcia Sharp found the shoe to the years leading up to it, tracing how Beverly Whitaker joined Wayne Sullivan’s workshops and how her life was transformed by that involvement. What did Sullivan promise, how did he recruit trust, and what did it cost the people who stayed until others finally looked?

Person: Marcia Sharp
Date: June 14, 2011
Person: Beverly Whitaker
Person: Wayne Sullivan (born Gerald Wayne Puckett)
Location: Sycamore Road, Pratt County, Indiana

- The shoe found was a left white sneaker, size seven, with a teal New Balance logo and laces double-knotted.
- The dried marigold inside the shoe had its stem cut at an angle and was pressed against the toe.
- Beverly Whitaker began attending Sullivan’s workshops in October 2007 and was a regular by January 2008.
- Beverly was 61 years old in autumn 2007 and had volunteered seven consecutive years at the Muncie Area Food Pantry, never missing a scheduled shift.
- Gerald Wayne Puckett had two civil fraud judgments in the mid-1990s before changing his name and presenting himself as Wayne Sullivan.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1073falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/table-for-eleven-the-baited-feast-of-the-adamic-covenant--73181853
Fear and fascination collide: eleven formal place settings sat untouched in a windowless barn, food left to rot for more than a week, and a bank account drained of nearly $250,000 - so where had the eleven people gone and who engineered the vanishings? The Covenant presented itself as ancestral research, complete with a fabricated Cavendish Institute and staged credibility, but one journalist’s checks began to unravel everything. What did members give up to believe, and who left before the table was ever set?

In this episode, we follow how a group gathered around a leased property in Calloway Township became bound to the Covenant of Adamic Covenant, how the operation presented itself, and how a freelance journalist’s verification work exposed critical fabrications. How did trust turn into control, and what made one woman walk away?

Person: Paul Bailey
Date: May 14, 2019
Location: Calloway Township, central Pennsylvania
Person: Brian Rafferty
Event: Cavendish Institute website registered in 2014 through a Delaware shell company

- Eleven formal place settings found in a windowless barn, with food on every plate that had been sitting there for more than a week.
- The barn sat on an eighteen-acre property located eleven miles outside the city of Renner.
- The Covenant’s bank account was drained of nearly $250,000.
- Brian Rafferty presented himself as affiliated with the Cavendish Institute of Ancestral Studies, which four days of calls to Scottish authorities showed did not exist.
- Angela Whitaker joined the Covenant by autumn 2017 at age 24 after contacting Rafferty via an online genealogy forum.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181853Mon, 17 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaTable for Eleven: The Baited Feast of the Adamic Covenant Fear and fascination collide: eleven formal place settings sat untouched in a windowless barn, food left to rot for more than a week, and a bank account drained of nearly $250,000 - so where...
Fear and fascination collide: eleven formal place settings sat untouched in a windowless barn, food left to rot for more than a week, and a bank account drained of nearly $250,000 - so where had the eleven people gone and who engineered the vanishings? The Covenant presented itself as ancestral research, complete with a fabricated Cavendish Institute and staged credibility, but one journalist’s checks began to unravel everything. What did members give up to believe, and who left before the table was ever set?

In this episode, we follow how a group gathered around a leased property in Calloway Township became bound to the Covenant of Adamic Covenant, how the operation presented itself, and how a freelance journalist’s verification work exposed critical fabrications. How did trust turn into control, and what made one woman walk away?

Person: Paul Bailey
Date: May 14, 2019
Location: Calloway Township, central Pennsylvania
Person: Brian Rafferty
Event: Cavendish Institute website registered in 2014 through a Delaware shell company

- Eleven formal place settings found in a windowless barn, with food on every plate that had been sitting there for more than a week.
- The barn sat on an eighteen-acre property located eleven miles outside the city of Renner.
- The Covenant’s bank account was drained of nearly $250,000.
- Brian Rafferty presented himself as affiliated with the Cavendish Institute of Ancestral Studies, which four days of calls to Scottish authorities showed did not exist.
- Angela Whitaker joined the Covenant by autumn 2017 at age 24 after contacting Rafferty via an online genealogy forum.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1439falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-binder-in-the-brush-how-a-rescue-corps-hid-a-prisoner-for-18-months--73181852
A three-inch binder labeled "SECOND DEPLOYMENT OPERATIONS - SITE COORDINATOR COPY" sat dry in mud after three days of rain, its red section listing a name that should not have been alive - how did a volunteer disaster-response group hide a missing woman for 18 months? What did the red tab conceal that linked a community nonprofit to a sealed room on an eighteen-acre Compound?

In this episode, we follow how the Resilient Ground Response Corps presented itself as a legitimate nonprofit with real deployments, how members were brought to an isolated Compound, and how one binder changed an investigation - could a volunteer agreement and pooled funds explain what happened to Lena Garrity?

Person: Shannon O'Brien
Organization: Resilient Ground Response Corps
Location: Compound, eighteen-acre property thirty miles east of Lakewood Falls
Date found: April 9 (binder landed on Detective Frank Adler's desk)
Case: Lena Garrity - missing approximately thirty months before binder discovery

- A border collie named Biscuit led Scott Campbell sixty feet into the brush to find the binder.
- The binder was three inches thick with color-coded tabs: green, yellow, and red.
- Investigator Frank Adler had twenty years with the Harwick County Sheriff's Office when the binder arrived on his desk.
- Forensic accounting reconstructed more than $300,000 in member contributions flowing into Marvin Murphy's personal account.
- Lena Garrity's parents filed her missing approximately thirty months before the binder was found; her record disappeared about twenty-two months before the binder surfaced.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181852Sun, 16 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Binder in the Brush: How a Rescue Corps Hid a Prisoner for 18 Months A three-inch binder labeled "SECOND DEPLOYMENT OPERATIONS - SITE COORDINATOR COPY" sat dry in mud after three days of rain, its red section listing a name that should not have...
A three-inch binder labeled "SECOND DEPLOYMENT OPERATIONS - SITE COORDINATOR COPY" sat dry in mud after three days of rain, its red section listing a name that should not have been alive - how did a volunteer disaster-response group hide a missing woman for 18 months? What did the red tab conceal that linked a community nonprofit to a sealed room on an eighteen-acre Compound?

In this episode, we follow how the Resilient Ground Response Corps presented itself as a legitimate nonprofit with real deployments, how members were brought to an isolated Compound, and how one binder changed an investigation - could a volunteer agreement and pooled funds explain what happened to Lena Garrity?

Person: Shannon O'Brien
Organization: Resilient Ground Response Corps
Location: Compound, eighteen-acre property thirty miles east of Lakewood Falls
Date found: April 9 (binder landed on Detective Frank Adler's desk)
Case: Lena Garrity - missing approximately thirty months before binder discovery

- A border collie named Biscuit led Scott Campbell sixty feet into the brush to find the binder.
- The binder was three inches thick with color-coded tabs: green, yellow, and red.
- Investigator Frank Adler had twenty years with the Harwick County Sheriff's Office when the binder arrived on his desk.
- Forensic accounting reconstructed more than $300,000 in member contributions flowing into Marvin Murphy's personal account.
- Lena Garrity's parents filed her missing approximately thirty months before the binder was found; her record disappeared about twenty-two months before the binder surfaced.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1455falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-binder-from-the-bridge-how-charles-speaks-broke-twelve-minds--73181851
A waterlogged three-ring binder, weighted with a river stone and thrown from the Kemper Road bridge, resurfaced in Felton Creek on March 4, 2011 - its center labeled "CHARLES SPEAKS" and twelve clock positions charted in blue ballpoint. That binder became Exhibit Fourteen in a trial that sent Charles Speaks to prison for fourteen years, but what did its pages actually map: fraud, coercion, or something colder - a systematic dismantling of twelve minds?

In this episode, you will hear how a converted Victorian called Clear Passage Recovery House opened in spring 2008 with twelve beds and promises of structure, and how routines shifted into unannounced overnight "Clarity Sessions" and anonymous materials that isolated residents. How did intake agreements, fee schedules, and a string of altered letters point toward a deliberately constructed control - and who decided the binder should disappear beneath the bridge?

Person: Charles Speaks
Date: March 4, 2011
Location: Kemper Road bridge / Felton Creek
Event: Exhibit Fourteen recovered
Period: Spring 2008 to 2011

- The binder was found by Monica Clark on March 4, 2011, snagged while she was running a trotline in Felton Creek.
- Clear Passage opened in spring 2008 in a converted Victorian on Aldrich Street with twelve beds.
- Charles Speaks was fifty-one years old when he opened Clear Passage and had claimed eleven years of experience in Tennessee on promotional materials.
- Vicki McCarthy arrived at Clear Passage in October 2009 at age thirty-one and sent eight dated letters home before silence after February 2010.
- Seven of the twelve residents signed amended agreements adding a "community investment contribution" ranging from $1,400 to $2,000 per month.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181851Sat, 15 Aug 2026 23:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Binder from the Bridge: How "Charles Speaks" Broke Twelve Minds A waterlogged three-ring binder, weighted with a river stone and thrown from the Kemper Road bridge, resurfaced in Felton Creek on March 4, 2011 - its center labeled "CHARLES...
A waterlogged three-ring binder, weighted with a river stone and thrown from the Kemper Road bridge, resurfaced in Felton Creek on March 4, 2011 - its center labeled "CHARLES SPEAKS" and twelve clock positions charted in blue ballpoint. That binder became Exhibit Fourteen in a trial that sent Charles Speaks to prison for fourteen years, but what did its pages actually map: fraud, coercion, or something colder - a systematic dismantling of twelve minds?

In this episode, you will hear how a converted Victorian called Clear Passage Recovery House opened in spring 2008 with twelve beds and promises of structure, and how routines shifted into unannounced overnight "Clarity Sessions" and anonymous materials that isolated residents. How did intake agreements, fee schedules, and a string of altered letters point toward a deliberately constructed control - and who decided the binder should disappear beneath the bridge?

Person: Charles Speaks
Date: March 4, 2011
Location: Kemper Road bridge / Felton Creek
Event: Exhibit Fourteen recovered
Period: Spring 2008 to 2011

- The binder was found by Monica Clark on March 4, 2011, snagged while she was running a trotline in Felton Creek.
- Clear Passage opened in spring 2008 in a converted Victorian on Aldrich Street with twelve beds.
- Charles Speaks was fifty-one years old when he opened Clear Passage and had claimed eleven years of experience in Tennessee on promotional materials.
- Vicki McCarthy arrived at Clear Passage in October 2009 at age thirty-one and sent eight dated letters home before silence after February 2010.
- Seven of the twelve residents signed amended agreements adding a "community investment contribution" ranging from $1,400 to $2,000 per month.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1261falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-47-hidden-journals-how-one-phone-call-broke-a-cult-of-art--73181850
A hidden room under a former textile mill contained forty-seven spiral-bound journals, a single timed bulb, and a numbering system that recorded the exact order people arrived - but the nonprofit filings showed $400,000 in revenue and a director paid $12,000 a year. How did a weekly ten-minute phone call from a pay-as-you-go handset become the thread that unraveled Meridian Works Collective?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Meridian Works Collective, the promises it made to struggling artists, the changes that crept into daily life, and the discovery that exposed a secret archive - could a single routine call have held the power to break the collective's control?

Person: Russell Quinn
Person: John Ward
Person: Sheila Ott
Event: discovery of a hidden room
Amount: $400,000 revenue

- The hidden room measured approximately twelve by fourteen feet and was finished with three walls of shelving.
- There were exactly forty-seven spiral-bound journals, each labeled with a first name and an arrival-order number.
- Russell Quinn called his twelve-year-old daughter Megan every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m, for two years without missing a single call.
- Meridian Works Collective's nonprofit filings reported roughly $400,000 in revenue over three fiscal years.
- John Ward's disclosed annual stipend was $12,000 that spring when he was fifty-three.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181850Fri, 14 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe 47 Hidden Journals: How One Phone Call Broke a Cult of Art A hidden room under a former textile mill contained forty-seven spiral-bound journals, a single timed bulb, and a numbering system that recorded the exact order people arrived - but the...
A hidden room under a former textile mill contained forty-seven spiral-bound journals, a single timed bulb, and a numbering system that recorded the exact order people arrived - but the nonprofit filings showed $400,000 in revenue and a director paid $12,000 a year. How did a weekly ten-minute phone call from a pay-as-you-go handset become the thread that unraveled Meridian Works Collective?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Meridian Works Collective, the promises it made to struggling artists, the changes that crept into daily life, and the discovery that exposed a secret archive - could a single routine call have held the power to break the collective's control?

Person: Russell Quinn
Person: John Ward
Person: Sheila Ott
Event: discovery of a hidden room
Amount: $400,000 revenue

- The hidden room measured approximately twelve by fourteen feet and was finished with three walls of shelving.
- There were exactly forty-seven spiral-bound journals, each labeled with a first name and an arrival-order number.
- Russell Quinn called his twelve-year-old daughter Megan every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m, for two years without missing a single call.
- Meridian Works Collective's nonprofit filings reported roughly $400,000 in revenue over three fiscal years.
- John Ward's disclosed annual stipend was $12,000 that spring when he was fifty-three.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1384falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dead-radio-the-garden-notebook-and-the-man-who-walked-away--73181849
A dead transistor radio, tuned to 1190 AM and left on the rim of an open septic tank in eleven-degree air, sat with its batteries dead for at least three days - why would someone set a radio to a station that had gone silent and simply walk away? The radio was found on January 14th at the Nightwatch Compound; how did that small, deliberate object become the first clue to a twelve-acre community that hid twenty-three people inside?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the first strange broadcast to the discovery on the property, tracing the connections that tied a radio, a garden notebook, and one man's decision to an organization led by a late-night host. What did a page in an eleven-year spiral notebook reveal that helped unravel everything Troy Armstrong had built?

Person: Warren Donnelly
Date: January 14
Location: Nightwatch Compound, Morrow Flats
Topic: Nightwatch radio broadcasts on WKMO - 1190 AM
Event: Septic tank discovery of a dead transistor radio

- The transistor radio was found sitting on the concrete rim of an uncovered septic tank on January 14 in eleven-degree air.
- The radio’s telescoping antenna was extended and the dial was locked to 1190 AM, WKMO - Morrow Flats.
- The radio’s batteries had been dead for at least three days when septic contractor Richard Carter found it and called 911.
- WKMO - 1190 AM had gone silent on the morning of January 10, four days before the radio was found.
- Warren Donnelly kept an eleven-year spiral garden notebook and hid a single business name page under a floorboard that later helped dismantle the compound.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181849Thu, 13 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Dead Radio, the Garden Notebook, and the Man Who Walked Away A dead transistor radio, tuned to 1190 AM and left on the rim of an open septic tank in eleven-degree air, sat with its batteries dead for at least three days - why would someone set...
A dead transistor radio, tuned to 1190 AM and left on the rim of an open septic tank in eleven-degree air, sat with its batteries dead for at least three days - why would someone set a radio to a station that had gone silent and simply walk away? The radio was found on January 14th at the Nightwatch Compound; how did that small, deliberate object become the first clue to a twelve-acre community that hid twenty-three people inside?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from the first strange broadcast to the discovery on the property, tracing the connections that tied a radio, a garden notebook, and one man's decision to an organization led by a late-night host. What did a page in an eleven-year spiral notebook reveal that helped unravel everything Troy Armstrong had built?

Person: Warren Donnelly
Date: January 14
Location: Nightwatch Compound, Morrow Flats
Topic: Nightwatch radio broadcasts on WKMO - 1190 AM
Event: Septic tank discovery of a dead transistor radio

- The transistor radio was found sitting on the concrete rim of an uncovered septic tank on January 14 in eleven-degree air.
- The radio’s telescoping antenna was extended and the dial was locked to 1190 AM, WKMO - Morrow Flats.
- The radio’s batteries had been dead for at least three days when septic contractor Richard Carter found it and called 911.
- WKMO - 1190 AM had gone silent on the morning of January 10, four days before the radio was found.
- Warren Donnelly kept an eleven-year spiral garden notebook and hid a single business name page under a floorboard that later helped dismantle the compound.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1384falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/locked-cabinet-in-a-creek-how-a-homeschool-cult-unraveled--73181848
A locked, olive-green filing cabinet stood upright in four inches of moving water in Caulfield Creek, its top drawer open and fanned with index cards in children's handwriting - an image that would slowly unravel eight years of a closed homeschooling community. How did a padlocked cabinet in a creek expose a curriculum stitched from a defunct program, missing credentials, and families who surrendered daily life to one man?

In this episode, we trace the discovery, the people who left and stayed, and the records that revealed how Threshold Educational Resources operated; what did the handwriting, fees, and financial trail reveal about control and compliance?

Person: Patricia Parker
Location: Caulfield Creek
Date: early December 2011 (approximately 8:15 AM)
Topic: Threshold Home Fellowship / Threshold Educational Resources
Amount: $340 monthly fee per family

- The cabinet was four drawers tall, olive green, standing in four inches of moving water.
- The top drawer contained index cards with dates, Bible verses, and children's self-evaluations.
- Approximately 26 families were enrolled at the program's peak, generating roughly $9,000 a month.
- Robert Nelson registered Threshold Educational Resources as a sole proprietorship in Weller County and assembled the curriculum over a single weekend.
- Scott Holt was 26 when he left in October 2010 after living on Dunmore Lane since age 19.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181848Wed, 12 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaLocked Cabinet in a Creek: How a Homeschool Cult Unraveled A locked, olive-green filing cabinet stood upright in four inches of moving water in Caulfield Creek, its top drawer open and fanned with index cards in children's handwriting - an image...
A locked, olive-green filing cabinet stood upright in four inches of moving water in Caulfield Creek, its top drawer open and fanned with index cards in children's handwriting - an image that would slowly unravel eight years of a closed homeschooling community. How did a padlocked cabinet in a creek expose a curriculum stitched from a defunct program, missing credentials, and families who surrendered daily life to one man?

In this episode, we trace the discovery, the people who left and stayed, and the records that revealed how Threshold Educational Resources operated; what did the handwriting, fees, and financial trail reveal about control and compliance?

Person: Patricia Parker
Location: Caulfield Creek
Date: early December 2011 (approximately 8:15 AM)
Topic: Threshold Home Fellowship / Threshold Educational Resources
Amount: $340 monthly fee per family

- The cabinet was four drawers tall, olive green, standing in four inches of moving water.
- The top drawer contained index cards with dates, Bible verses, and children's self-evaluations.
- Approximately 26 families were enrolled at the program's peak, generating roughly $9,000 a month.
- Robert Nelson registered Threshold Educational Resources as a sole proprietorship in Weller County and assembled the curriculum over a single weekend.
- Scott Holt was 26 when he left in October 2010 after living on Dunmore Lane since age 19.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1437falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dry-sneaker-on-slip-19-how-a-small-cult-unraveled--73181847
A single dry, cream-colored size seven sneaker on Slip 19 at 6:45 a.m. on November 8, 2011 broke Calder Point's sleepy rhythms and hinted at something constructed, patient, and secret; how did that dry shoe survive a dock soaked since 2:00 a.m. and point to a four-year scheme? What hidden structure could make a whole harbor trust one man and a bank account they called the Harvest Reserve?

In this episode, we trace the timeline from a stranger's arrival to a local fellowship, following the everyday details and the ledger lines that bound people together, asking how practical savings became a mechanism for control and what the sneaker ultimately revealed.

Person: Rebecca Powell
Date: November 8, 2011
Location: Calder Point municipal dock, Slip nineteen
Person: Mark Crawford
Event: Formation of the Calder Tide Fellowship

- The sneaker was cream-colored, size seven, with laces tied in a neat bow and was perfectly dry while the dock had been soaked since 2:00 a.m.
- Rebecca Powell was fourteen and had run the Calder Point Courier route since she was twelve, knowing every slip from one to forty-four.
- Mark Crawford arrived in spring 2007, presented himself as fifty-one, drove an Oregon-plated pickup, and pulled a fiberglass skiff on a single-axle trailer.
- By autumn 2007 Crawford had organized the Calder Tide Fellowship; by 2009 thirty-one people were meeting regularly at the Shore House.
- The group negotiated a group fuel contract with a Fort Bragg supplier that produced verifiable savings documented on members' receipts and in Connie Hill's notebook.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181847Tue, 11 Aug 2026 23:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Dry Sneaker on Slip 19: How a Small Cult Unraveled A single dry, cream-colored size seven sneaker on Slip 19 at 6:45 a.m. on November 8, 2011 broke Calder Point's sleepy rhythms and hinted at something constructed, patient, and secret; how did...
A single dry, cream-colored size seven sneaker on Slip 19 at 6:45 a.m. on November 8, 2011 broke Calder Point's sleepy rhythms and hinted at something constructed, patient, and secret; how did that dry shoe survive a dock soaked since 2:00 a.m. and point to a four-year scheme? What hidden structure could make a whole harbor trust one man and a bank account they called the Harvest Reserve?

In this episode, we trace the timeline from a stranger's arrival to a local fellowship, following the everyday details and the ledger lines that bound people together, asking how practical savings became a mechanism for control and what the sneaker ultimately revealed.

Person: Rebecca Powell
Date: November 8, 2011
Location: Calder Point municipal dock, Slip nineteen
Person: Mark Crawford
Event: Formation of the Calder Tide Fellowship

- The sneaker was cream-colored, size seven, with laces tied in a neat bow and was perfectly dry while the dock had been soaked since 2:00 a.m.
- Rebecca Powell was fourteen and had run the Calder Point Courier route since she was twelve, knowing every slip from one to forty-four.
- Mark Crawford arrived in spring 2007, presented himself as fifty-one, drove an Oregon-plated pickup, and pulled a fiberglass skiff on a single-axle trailer.
- By autumn 2007 Crawford had organized the Calder Tide Fellowship; by 2009 thirty-one people were meeting regularly at the Shore House.
- The group negotiated a group fuel contract with a Fort Bragg supplier that produced verifiable savings documented on members' receipts and in Connie Hill's notebook.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1446falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-language-that-locked-them-in-inside-the-vorrith-cult--73181846
Cold notebook, warm pages, and a constructed language that became the only speech on thirty acres: twelve adults lived entirely in Vorrith for fourteen months after their leader declared English epistemically imprecise-how did words become the lock that kept them there?

In this episode, you will hear how a university posting turned into an immersive cooperative, who moved onto the leased property three miles east of Ridgecrest County Road, and what rules and restrictions centered on the grammar archive and the immersion covenant-what missing words or grammar did one young woman need to notice to escape?

Person: Megan Vaughn
Date: February 14, 2014
Location: Ridgecrest County Road area, Oregon
Event: Last physical copy of Vorrith found
Topic: Vorrith language immersion

- The notebook was discovered dry and faintly warm after eleven hours of continuous snowfall that left eight inches on Ridgecrest County Road.
- Twelve people signed on to the Clearpath project and moved onto a leased thirty-acre property three miles east of Ridgecrest County Road in summer 2012.
- Gary Schultz, listed as PhD in theoretical linguistics, was 41 in 2012 and led the project, introducing Vorrith and declaring an immersion covenant by August.
- Vorrith had roughly four thousand root words by the time English was restricted and encoded an "epistemic proximity" verb system.
- Phil Mosher transferred $40,000 as a "resonance investment" to an account registered to Sandra Breck, a person he did not know, early in the project.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181846Mon, 10 Aug 2026 23:00:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Language That Locked Them In: Inside the Vorrith Cult Cold notebook, warm pages, and a constructed language that became the only speech on thirty acres: twelve adults lived entirely in Vorrith for fourteen months after their leader declared...
Cold notebook, warm pages, and a constructed language that became the only speech on thirty acres: twelve adults lived entirely in Vorrith for fourteen months after their leader declared English epistemically imprecise-how did words become the lock that kept them there?

In this episode, you will hear how a university posting turned into an immersive cooperative, who moved onto the leased property three miles east of Ridgecrest County Road, and what rules and restrictions centered on the grammar archive and the immersion covenant-what missing words or grammar did one young woman need to notice to escape?

Person: Megan Vaughn
Date: February 14, 2014
Location: Ridgecrest County Road area, Oregon
Event: Last physical copy of Vorrith found
Topic: Vorrith language immersion

- The notebook was discovered dry and faintly warm after eleven hours of continuous snowfall that left eight inches on Ridgecrest County Road.
- Twelve people signed on to the Clearpath project and moved onto a leased thirty-acre property three miles east of Ridgecrest County Road in summer 2012.
- Gary Schultz, listed as PhD in theoretical linguistics, was 41 in 2012 and led the project, introducing Vorrith and declaring an immersion covenant by August.
- Vorrith had roughly four thousand root words by the time English was restricted and encoded an "epistemic proximity" verb system.
- Phil Mosher transferred $40,000 as a "resonance investment" to an account registered to Sandra Breck, a person he did not know, early in the project.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1278falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/they-bolted-the-costumes-twelve-people-vanished-overnight-from-stage--73181844
A deserted compound, a stage with every costume individually bagged and bolted down, and twelve adults gone as if the performance had ended mid-scene-this episode opens on a Tuesday in September 2017 when a lineman found a locked theatrical world and no cast. What did it take to prepare that stage for an absence, and who stayed behind the script long enough to erase a dozen lives?

In this episode, we follow the Meridian Stage Collective from its immersive performances in Millhaven to the compound where its members lived, tracing Raymond Hensley’s path from high school drama teacher to the Steward of a group whose paperwork and routines concealed a different order. How did a living ensemble become a contained production, and why did one man end up walking four miles in the dark to call for help?

Person: Raymond Hensley
Date: September 2017
Location: Millhaven
Event: discovery of empty compound and bolted costume rack
Case: Meridian Stage Collective

- The compound contained seventeen buildings with new lumber and cold fire pits when Valerie Coleman arrived.
- The central stage held an eight-foot heavy-gauge pipe rack with every costume sealed in labeled dry-cleaner's bags.
- The rack was bolted to the stage floor with four lag screws set in poured concrete.
- The Meridian Stage Collective operated for roughly two years and had twelve members at its peak.
- The twelve line items on the collective’s financial filings totaled more than forty thousand dollars.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181844Sun, 09 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThey Bolted the Costumes - Twelve People Vanished Overnight from Stage A deserted compound, a stage with every costume individually bagged and bolted down, and twelve adults gone as if the performance had ended mid-scene-this episode opens on a...
A deserted compound, a stage with every costume individually bagged and bolted down, and twelve adults gone as if the performance had ended mid-scene-this episode opens on a Tuesday in September 2017 when a lineman found a locked theatrical world and no cast. What did it take to prepare that stage for an absence, and who stayed behind the script long enough to erase a dozen lives?

In this episode, we follow the Meridian Stage Collective from its immersive performances in Millhaven to the compound where its members lived, tracing Raymond Hensley’s path from high school drama teacher to the Steward of a group whose paperwork and routines concealed a different order. How did a living ensemble become a contained production, and why did one man end up walking four miles in the dark to call for help?

Person: Raymond Hensley
Date: September 2017
Location: Millhaven
Event: discovery of empty compound and bolted costume rack
Case: Meridian Stage Collective

- The compound contained seventeen buildings with new lumber and cold fire pits when Valerie Coleman arrived.
- The central stage held an eight-foot heavy-gauge pipe rack with every costume sealed in labeled dry-cleaner's bags.
- The rack was bolted to the stage floor with four lag screws set in poured concrete.
- The Meridian Stage Collective operated for roughly two years and had twelve members at its peak.
- The twelve line items on the collective’s financial filings totaled more than forty thousand dollars.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1403falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dry-binder-on-the-path-how-a-fake-guru-stole-900k--73181843
A small impossibility - a bone-dry three-ring binder marked MEMBER LEDGER, COHORT 7, ACTIVE - sat upright on a soaked path and contained the financial records of thirty-three people who had given just over $900,000 to a foundation built on a fake credential. Why did a skeptical, self-sufficient woman hand over $47,000 and two and a half years of her life to a man whose diploma was commercially printed and who had no record at the claimed university?

In this episode, we tell the story of how the Clarity Path Foundation grew from free conversation circles into a fundraising scheme, and how ordinary routines and careful presentation turned into a fourteen-year prison sentence for one man. How did techniques like absence of pressure, a framed diploma, and a voluntary "Resource Alignment" contribution break through the life of someone not seeking salvation?

Person: Duane Roberts
Person: Melvin White
Person: Marie Padgett
Event: Dry binder with member ledger found on path
Amount: $900,000
Amount: $47,000

- The binder was found at 6:45 AM on the eastern gravel path beside Millhaven Reservoir with surrounding gravel soaked but the binder bone dry.
- The binder contained complete financial records for thirty-three people who contributed to the foundation.
- Marie Padgett, age 53 in spring 2007, lost $47,000 and two and a half years of her life to the foundation.
- Melvin White, age 61 when he arrived in Fallgrove, displayed a framed diploma from a Vermont university that the university later had no record of.
- The Foundation introduced "Resource Alignment" in 2008 as a voluntary structured financial contribution, with no minimum or deadline; Marie wrote a $4,000 check.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181843Sat, 08 Aug 2026 23:00:04 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Dry Binder on the Path: How a Fake Guru Stole $900K A small impossibility - a bone-dry three-ring binder marked MEMBER LEDGER, COHORT 7, ACTIVE - sat upright on a soaked path and contained the financial records of thirty-three people who had...
A small impossibility - a bone-dry three-ring binder marked MEMBER LEDGER, COHORT 7, ACTIVE - sat upright on a soaked path and contained the financial records of thirty-three people who had given just over $900,000 to a foundation built on a fake credential. Why did a skeptical, self-sufficient woman hand over $47,000 and two and a half years of her life to a man whose diploma was commercially printed and who had no record at the claimed university?

In this episode, we tell the story of how the Clarity Path Foundation grew from free conversation circles into a fundraising scheme, and how ordinary routines and careful presentation turned into a fourteen-year prison sentence for one man. How did techniques like absence of pressure, a framed diploma, and a voluntary "Resource Alignment" contribution break through the life of someone not seeking salvation?

Person: Duane Roberts
Person: Melvin White
Person: Marie Padgett
Event: Dry binder with member ledger found on path
Amount: $900,000
Amount: $47,000

- The binder was found at 6:45 AM on the eastern gravel path beside Millhaven Reservoir with surrounding gravel soaked but the binder bone dry.
- The binder contained complete financial records for thirty-three people who contributed to the foundation.
- Marie Padgett, age 53 in spring 2007, lost $47,000 and two and a half years of her life to the foundation.
- Melvin White, age 61 when he arrived in Fallgrove, displayed a framed diploma from a Vermont university that the university later had no record of.
- The Foundation introduced "Resource Alignment" in 2008 as a voluntary structured financial contribution, with no minimum or deadline; Marie wrote a $4,000 check.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1193falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cake-the-candles-and-the-grief-cult-that-lied--73181842
The cake with forty-three burning candles sat alone at 8:14 a.m. on a cement loading dock in July, frosting spelled "We Are Always Beginning" - a doctrine left for no one. How did a small grief circle become a cash-moving network with $380,000 routed through shell companies, and why did no one show up for that final ritual?

In this episode, we tell how fourteen bereaved people gathered with a woman calling herself a grief specialist, how meetings moved from a community wellness center into Unit Seven, and how a shredded ledger and an anonymous incorporation hid the money trail; can grief be weaponized when no oversight exists?

Person: Debra Holmes
Person: Eugene Sanders
Location: Unit Seven, a disused cannery on Dunbar Street in Kellerton, Ohio
Date: Summer 2009 (mother's death) to spring 2010 (move into Unit Seven)
Event: A grief support group called The Returning Current meeting in private continuance circles

- The cake had forty-three lit candles and was found at 8:14 a.m, on a cement loading dock in July.
- Fourteen people participated in the group formed over the previous eighteen months.
- Diane Sanders died in August 2009 after seven months of treatment for ovarian cancer.
- The group moved into Unit Seven in spring 2010, paying rent in cash under the name Continuance Partners.
- More than $380,000 moved through a web of shell companies before investigators could trace any of it.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181842Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Cake, The Candles, and the Grief Cult That Lied The cake with forty-three burning candles sat alone at 8:14 a.m. on a cement loading dock in July, frosting spelled "We Are Always Beginning" - a doctrine left for no one. How did a small grief...
The cake with forty-three burning candles sat alone at 8:14 a.m. on a cement loading dock in July, frosting spelled "We Are Always Beginning" - a doctrine left for no one. How did a small grief circle become a cash-moving network with $380,000 routed through shell companies, and why did no one show up for that final ritual?

In this episode, we tell how fourteen bereaved people gathered with a woman calling herself a grief specialist, how meetings moved from a community wellness center into Unit Seven, and how a shredded ledger and an anonymous incorporation hid the money trail; can grief be weaponized when no oversight exists?

Person: Debra Holmes
Person: Eugene Sanders
Location: Unit Seven, a disused cannery on Dunbar Street in Kellerton, Ohio
Date: Summer 2009 (mother's death) to spring 2010 (move into Unit Seven)
Event: A grief support group called The Returning Current meeting in private continuance circles

- The cake had forty-three lit candles and was found at 8:14 a.m, on a cement loading dock in July.
- Fourteen people participated in the group formed over the previous eighteen months.
- Diane Sanders died in August 2009 after seven months of treatment for ovarian cancer.
- The group moved into Unit Seven in spring 2010, paying rent in cash under the name Continuance Partners.
- More than $380,000 moved through a web of shell companies before investigators could trace any of it.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1116falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-photo-left-on-the-table-proof-someone-returned-to-the-cult--73181841
A clean framed photo sat on a dust-covered table in an empty dining room as if placed there within the last two days - the frame showed 31 people holding extinguished candles and a hand-scrawled message: "He was right. We were here." Who returned to leave that photograph at Shepherd's Fold, and why did they write those seven words?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a late-night phone call that led Laura Rafferty to a meeting in Grainer and into a community called Shepherd's Fold, describe Gregory Smith's message of "temporal dissonance" and the group's life on an 18-acre parcel owned by Calvary Ridge Church, and ask whether the photograph is proof that one of the members came back to the empty property.

Person: Gregory Smith
Person: Laura Rafferty
Location: Grainer
Event: Photograph found on June 14, 2011
Organization: Temporal Accord Society

- The photograph showed 31 people standing in a field at sunrise holding candles with smoke rising from each wick.
- Seven words were written on the mat border in black marker: "He was right. We were here."
- Russell Bell, a volunteer with Calvary Ridge Church, found the framed photo on June 14, 2011.
- Shepherd's Fold leased an 18-acre parcel outside Grainer that was owned by Calvary Ridge Church.
- Gregory Smith was 53 in the year he spoke to the group above a feed store and had claimed a nonexistent doctorate from the Velden Institute for Behavioral Science.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181841Thu, 06 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Photo Left on the Table: Proof Someone Returned to the Cult A clean framed photo sat on a dust-covered table in an empty dining room as if placed there within the last two days - the frame showed 31 people holding extinguished candles and a...
A clean framed photo sat on a dust-covered table in an empty dining room as if placed there within the last two days - the frame showed 31 people holding extinguished candles and a hand-scrawled message: "He was right. We were here." Who returned to leave that photograph at Shepherd's Fold, and why did they write those seven words?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a late-night phone call that led Laura Rafferty to a meeting in Grainer and into a community called Shepherd's Fold, describe Gregory Smith's message of "temporal dissonance" and the group's life on an 18-acre parcel owned by Calvary Ridge Church, and ask whether the photograph is proof that one of the members came back to the empty property.

Person: Gregory Smith
Person: Laura Rafferty
Location: Grainer
Event: Photograph found on June 14, 2011
Organization: Temporal Accord Society

- The photograph showed 31 people standing in a field at sunrise holding candles with smoke rising from each wick.
- Seven words were written on the mat border in black marker: "He was right. We were here."
- Russell Bell, a volunteer with Calvary Ridge Church, found the framed photo on June 14, 2011.
- Shepherd's Fold leased an 18-acre parcel outside Grainer that was owned by Calvary Ridge Church.
- Gregory Smith was 53 in the year he spoke to the group above a feed store and had claimed a nonexistent doctorate from the Velden Institute for Behavioral Science.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1271falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-hardware-heist-how-a-quiet-renewal-circle-took-paula-barrett--73181840
A slow, ordinary confidence swept through Creswell: seed, clarity, renewal - words used so casually that no one asked why a checkbook register from Barrett Family Hardware was found dry in a drainage ditch eleven miles from town. Sixty-two thousand dollars vanished, a woman stopped writing in her garden notebook after April 29, 2017, and a man named Kevin Foster had quietly built a Thursday-night group that changed everything. How did polite language and scheduled meetings become the mechanism for a disappearance and a theft?

In this episode, we follow the timeline laid out in local records and witness accounts to show what happened from the first meeting of the Renewal Circle to the moment anomalies appeared in paperwork and balances. The episode covers the circle’s growth, Foster’s role, the money that moved, and the first concrete irregularities that alerted members - but who really orchestrated it all?

Person: Paula Barrett
Date: April 29, 2017
Event: Last garden notebook entry
Location: Belford Road drainage ditch (checkbook register found)
Amount: $62,000

- Paula Barrett was 32 years old in spring 2017 and kept two personal notebooks: a store ordering notebook and a garden notebook with four raised beds and twelve rows.
- A ziplock bag containing Barrett Family Hardware’s checkbook register was found dry in a drainage ditch on the second Saturday of May 2019, eleven miles from the nearest bank branch.
- Kevin Foster, age 44, introduced himself in late April 2017, attended Barrett Family Hardware as a customer, and twice encountered Paula (including when he drove her home after a breakdown).
- The Renewal Circle began with nine people in early May 2017 and grew to fourteen by September 2017, meeting on Thursday nights in a rented room above a dry goods supplier on Hartwell Avenue.
- Keith Doss, age 68, contributed $2,000 to the group’s common fund and later discovered a vehicle title listing a 2012 model with a VIN tracing to a 2009.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181840Wed, 05 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Hardware Heist: How a Quiet "Renewal Circle" Took Paula Barrett A slow, ordinary confidence swept through Creswell: seed, clarity, renewal - words used so casually that no one asked why a checkbook register from Barrett Family Hardware was...
A slow, ordinary confidence swept through Creswell: seed, clarity, renewal - words used so casually that no one asked why a checkbook register from Barrett Family Hardware was found dry in a drainage ditch eleven miles from town. Sixty-two thousand dollars vanished, a woman stopped writing in her garden notebook after April 29, 2017, and a man named Kevin Foster had quietly built a Thursday-night group that changed everything. How did polite language and scheduled meetings become the mechanism for a disappearance and a theft?

In this episode, we follow the timeline laid out in local records and witness accounts to show what happened from the first meeting of the Renewal Circle to the moment anomalies appeared in paperwork and balances. The episode covers the circle’s growth, Foster’s role, the money that moved, and the first concrete irregularities that alerted members - but who really orchestrated it all?

Person: Paula Barrett
Date: April 29, 2017
Event: Last garden notebook entry
Location: Belford Road drainage ditch (checkbook register found)
Amount: $62,000

- Paula Barrett was 32 years old in spring 2017 and kept two personal notebooks: a store ordering notebook and a garden notebook with four raised beds and twelve rows.
- A ziplock bag containing Barrett Family Hardware’s checkbook register was found dry in a drainage ditch on the second Saturday of May 2019, eleven miles from the nearest bank branch.
- Kevin Foster, age 44, introduced himself in late April 2017, attended Barrett Family Hardware as a customer, and twice encountered Paula (including when he drove her home after a breakdown).
- The Renewal Circle began with nine people in early May 2017 and grew to fourteen by September 2017, meeting on Thursday nights in a rented room above a dry goods supplier on Hartwell Avenue.
- Keith Doss, age 68, contributed $2,000 to the group’s common fund and later discovered a vehicle title listing a 2012 model with a VIN tracing to a 2009.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1098falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dry-cardigan-how-a-willow-exposed-a-water-cult-s-secret--73181839
A dry pale-green cardigan hung from a willow over the Perris River after two days of heavy rain and dew, noticed by a local fisherman - but what deputies found at the river led them to an 83-acre Tennessee property where extended stays, withheld car keys, and manipulated botanical blends formed a system. How did a simple drainage assessment and a locked office box become the hinge of a scheme that collected $900,000 in recurring fees?

In this episode, we tell what unfolded from a drainage evaluation to repeated 21-day immersive stays, tracing the pattern of assessments, diagnoses, and automatic billing that kept guests longer than planned and their vehicles inaccessible. What was the role of Perriston Wellness Partners’ intake procedures, the Depth Assessment, and the substances in the tea in keeping people there?

Person: William Johnson
Date: April 14, 2019
Location: Perris River bend, east-central Tennessee
Event: Dry cardigan observed leading to investigation of Perriston Wellness Partners
Amount: $900,000 collected over 27 months

- Ryan Green, a 51-year-old civil engineer, missed weekly dinners with his brother after arriving for a stay in June 2018 and never returned on schedule.
- Perriston Wellness Partners operated on an 83-acre former cattle property with eight cabins and a hydrotherapy suite.
- Intake paperwork (page nine) required guests to sign over their vehicle keys, which were placed in a locked office box requiring a co-signed written request to retrieve.
- Billing records showed a pattern of charges initiated 2-4 days after each Depth Assessment, then recurring automatically in 21-day cycles for every guest without interruption.
- Laboratory analysis later found valerian root and kava in the “botanical support blend” tea at concentrations higher than disclosed.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181839Tue, 04 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Dry Cardigan: How a Willow Exposed a Water Cult's Secret A dry pale-green cardigan hung from a willow over the Perris River after two days of heavy rain and dew, noticed by a local fisherman - but what deputies found at the river led them to an...
A dry pale-green cardigan hung from a willow over the Perris River after two days of heavy rain and dew, noticed by a local fisherman - but what deputies found at the river led them to an 83-acre Tennessee property where extended stays, withheld car keys, and manipulated botanical blends formed a system. How did a simple drainage assessment and a locked office box become the hinge of a scheme that collected $900,000 in recurring fees?

In this episode, we tell what unfolded from a drainage evaluation to repeated 21-day immersive stays, tracing the pattern of assessments, diagnoses, and automatic billing that kept guests longer than planned and their vehicles inaccessible. What was the role of Perriston Wellness Partners’ intake procedures, the Depth Assessment, and the substances in the tea in keeping people there?

Person: William Johnson
Date: April 14, 2019
Location: Perris River bend, east-central Tennessee
Event: Dry cardigan observed leading to investigation of Perriston Wellness Partners
Amount: $900,000 collected over 27 months

- Ryan Green, a 51-year-old civil engineer, missed weekly dinners with his brother after arriving for a stay in June 2018 and never returned on schedule.
- Perriston Wellness Partners operated on an 83-acre former cattle property with eight cabins and a hydrotherapy suite.
- Intake paperwork (page nine) required guests to sign over their vehicle keys, which were placed in a locked office box requiring a co-signed written request to retrieve.
- Billing records showed a pattern of charges initiated 2-4 days after each Depth Assessment, then recurring automatically in 21-day cycles for every guest without interruption.
- Laboratory analysis later found valerian root and kava in the “botanical support blend” tea at concentrations higher than disclosed.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1245falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-one-place-setting-how-a-dinner-table-broke-a-cult-s-silence--73181838
A single dinner plate and a glass of water left full in an empty field triggered an investigation that uncovered sixteen people living under one man's direction on a rented 110-acre property - and a disciplinary file from 1993 linked to a different name. How did a routine morning boundary check lead to a dismantling of a carefully built system, and what did that full glass really mean?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from the March 14, 2019 sighting on Pruett Road to the arrival of a manila envelope at a local paper two days later, and the questions those discoveries raised about leadership, control, and prior records.

Date: March 14, 2019
Location: Pruett Road, Galvey County
Group size: 16 people (12 adults, 4 children)
Property size: 110 acres
Document date: 1993

- A county surveyor named Wendy Walker found one set table with one plate and one full glass of water in an empty eastern field on March 14, 2019.
- Sixteen people had spent nearly a year on the Pruett Road property under the direction of one man by March 2019.
- The lease for the property was signed through an LLC registered by Patrick Sohl and the rent was $1,800 a month.
- Helen Voss transferred $62,000 to the LLC between August 2018 and March 2019, leaving both of her accounts nearly empty by March 2019.
- On March 16, 2019, Paula Owens at the Arkansas River Valley Courier received a manila envelope containing a photograph and a disciplinary file dated 1993 from a Bible college in Searcy, Arkansas, with the name Marcus Colvin.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181838Mon, 03 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe One-Place-Setting: How a Dinner Table Broke a Cult's Silence A single dinner plate and a glass of water left full in an empty field triggered an investigation that uncovered sixteen people living under one man's direction on a rented 110-acre...
A single dinner plate and a glass of water left full in an empty field triggered an investigation that uncovered sixteen people living under one man's direction on a rented 110-acre property - and a disciplinary file from 1993 linked to a different name. How did a routine morning boundary check lead to a dismantling of a carefully built system, and what did that full glass really mean?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from the March 14, 2019 sighting on Pruett Road to the arrival of a manila envelope at a local paper two days later, and the questions those discoveries raised about leadership, control, and prior records.

Date: March 14, 2019
Location: Pruett Road, Galvey County
Group size: 16 people (12 adults, 4 children)
Property size: 110 acres
Document date: 1993

- A county surveyor named Wendy Walker found one set table with one plate and one full glass of water in an empty eastern field on March 14, 2019.
- Sixteen people had spent nearly a year on the Pruett Road property under the direction of one man by March 2019.
- The lease for the property was signed through an LLC registered by Patrick Sohl and the rent was $1,800 a month.
- Helen Voss transferred $62,000 to the LLC between August 2018 and March 2019, leaving both of her accounts nearly empty by March 2019.
- On March 16, 2019, Paula Owens at the Arkansas River Valley Courier received a manila envelope containing a photograph and a disciplinary file dated 1993 from a Bible college in Searcy, Arkansas, with the name Marcus Colvin.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1412falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-eleven-binders-how-a-charm-turned-into-confinement--73181837
A cold garage, eleven three-ring binders labeled with first names, and handwriting that would become Exhibit Seven at trial-what looks like careful organization hides a system that turned steady people into isolated members of a closed group. How did a supply-chain coordinator who logged fourteen months of volunteer shifts end up surrendering rent, money, and contacts to a man calling his group the Progress Table?

In this episode, we follow the discovery of those binders and trace how a routine-seeming organization led to communal living, large financial transfers, and a sealed house on Elkhart Road-raising the question of where persuasion ends and confinement begins.

Person: Carl Sullivan
Person: Mark Sharp
Location: Elkhart Road, Pallton, Indiana
Date: February 11, 2019
Event: Eleven three-ring binders found in a padlocked, unheated garage

- Eleven names were written on the binders: CARL, DENISE, MARCUS, PATRICE, OWEN, JUNE, STEVEN, ROBIN, FELIX, DIANE, PAUL.
- Carl Sullivan moved to Pallton around mid-2016 at age 26 and worked as a supply-chain coordinator.
- By March 2018 Carl attended every session of the Progress Table; by July 2018 he stopped his food shelf volunteer shifts.
- Between March and November 2018 Carl transferred $9,040 to Mark Sharp, logged as "Investment in Clarity of Purpose."
- Carl's binder contained 240 pages of handwriting and became Exhibit Seven at trial.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181837Sun, 02 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Eleven Binders: How a Charm Turned Into Confinement A cold garage, eleven three-ring binders labeled with first names, and handwriting that would become Exhibit Seven at trial-what looks like careful organization hides a system that turned...
A cold garage, eleven three-ring binders labeled with first names, and handwriting that would become Exhibit Seven at trial-what looks like careful organization hides a system that turned steady people into isolated members of a closed group. How did a supply-chain coordinator who logged fourteen months of volunteer shifts end up surrendering rent, money, and contacts to a man calling his group the Progress Table?

In this episode, we follow the discovery of those binders and trace how a routine-seeming organization led to communal living, large financial transfers, and a sealed house on Elkhart Road-raising the question of where persuasion ends and confinement begins.

Person: Carl Sullivan
Person: Mark Sharp
Location: Elkhart Road, Pallton, Indiana
Date: February 11, 2019
Event: Eleven three-ring binders found in a padlocked, unheated garage

- Eleven names were written on the binders: CARL, DENISE, MARCUS, PATRICE, OWEN, JUNE, STEVEN, ROBIN, FELIX, DIANE, PAUL.
- Carl Sullivan moved to Pallton around mid-2016 at age 26 and worked as a supply-chain coordinator.
- By March 2018 Carl attended every session of the Progress Table; by July 2018 he stopped his food shelf volunteer shifts.
- Between March and November 2018 Carl transferred $9,040 to Mark Sharp, logged as "Investment in Clarity of Purpose."
- Carl's binder contained 240 pages of handwriting and became Exhibit Seven at trial.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1259falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-jar-on-the-fence-how-eleven-vanished-into-a-cult--73181836
Cold air at nineteen degrees Fahrenheit, a glass jar with liquid water and a single marigold sitting on a fence post - a small, inexplicable object that led to an empty compound where eleven people once lived and no violence was found. How did a forty-seven-year-old named Brian Larsen persuade ordinary adults to hand over savings, health decisions, and mail until the place looked like a stage set after the actors left?

In this episode, we tell how the discovery on the Camas County boundary unfolded into a months-long inquiry into a group called The Proving Ground, and we trace the steps from a Tuesday morning at Patsy’s Diner in Medford to a six-hundred-acre ranch renamed The Proving Ground - how routine meetings, specific language, and a daily schedule tightened control and raised the question: what happened inside the First Clearing?

Person: Brian Larsen
Event: Jar found on fence post at 19°F with liquid water and a marigold
Location: Camas County
People: Eleven residents left the property size: Six hundred acres

- The jar was discovered by Alice Bishop while walking the east boundary before sunrise and photographed before she called the county sheriff.
- The air temperature at the fence post was nineteen degrees Fahrenheit, yet the water inside the jar remained liquid and the glass was intact.
- Brian Larsen, age forty-seven, returned to the property in the cold and left the jar sometime between the last resident leaving and Alice’s discovery.
- Eleven people had lived on the property known as Ketterman Ranch, later renamed The Proving Ground, and by the time of discovery there were none.
- The Proving Ground’s routine included a morning session called the First Clearing that met every day at five and involved two hours of structured confession in a room with no clocks.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181836Sat, 01 Aug 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Jar on the Fence: How Eleven Vanished Into a Cult Cold air at nineteen degrees Fahrenheit, a glass jar with liquid water and a single marigold sitting on a fence post - a small, inexplicable object that led to an empty compound where eleven...
Cold air at nineteen degrees Fahrenheit, a glass jar with liquid water and a single marigold sitting on a fence post - a small, inexplicable object that led to an empty compound where eleven people once lived and no violence was found. How did a forty-seven-year-old named Brian Larsen persuade ordinary adults to hand over savings, health decisions, and mail until the place looked like a stage set after the actors left?

In this episode, we tell how the discovery on the Camas County boundary unfolded into a months-long inquiry into a group called The Proving Ground, and we trace the steps from a Tuesday morning at Patsy’s Diner in Medford to a six-hundred-acre ranch renamed The Proving Ground - how routine meetings, specific language, and a daily schedule tightened control and raised the question: what happened inside the First Clearing?

Person: Brian Larsen
Event: Jar found on fence post at 19°F with liquid water and a marigold
Location: Camas County
People: Eleven residents left the property size: Six hundred acres

- The jar was discovered by Alice Bishop while walking the east boundary before sunrise and photographed before she called the county sheriff.
- The air temperature at the fence post was nineteen degrees Fahrenheit, yet the water inside the jar remained liquid and the glass was intact.
- Brian Larsen, age forty-seven, returned to the property in the cold and left the jar sometime between the last resident leaving and Alice’s discovery.
- Eleven people had lived on the property known as Ketterman Ranch, later renamed The Proving Ground, and by the time of discovery there were none.
- The Proving Ground’s routine included a morning session called the First Clearing that met every day at five and involved two hours of structured confession in a room with no clocks.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1399falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-flagpole-cake-how-lantern-point-s-community-vanished-overnight--73181835
A quiet morning delivery turned into the last physical trace of a vanished group: a birthday cake perched nine feet up on a flagpole with twelve unlit candles and boot tracks ending six feet short of the base - what happened to the thirty people who lived at Lantern Point, and why was one woman left behind? This episode follows the strange gap between official paperwork and the life inside the fence that ended in a night evacuation and a single unfinished journal entry.

In this episode, we lay out the timeline and the evidence found after the December 9, 2011 discovery, presenting the people, documents, and sequences that led to the sudden disappearance and the unanswered question about the missing resident.

Person: Jerry Price
Person: Brenda Baker
Person: Michelle Pruitt
Date: December 9, 2011
Location: Dearborn County, Indiana

- A birthday cake was found on a flagpole nine feet off the ground with twelve unlit candles.
- Boot tracks in the frost led to the flagpole and stopped six feet short of its base.
- Jerry Price bought Lantern Point in spring 2008, paying in cash and claiming fraudulent credentials.
- Lantern Point ran a normal camp in summer 2009, then transitioned to a closed residential "Year-Round Vision" with about thirty residents.
- Thirty people left the property at night within days of a November 2011 newspaper story; one woman, Claire Ostrowski, remained inside with a journal whose final entry was cut off mid-sentence.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181835Fri, 31 Jul 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Flagpole Cake: How Lantern Point's "Community" Vanished Overnight A quiet morning delivery turned into the last physical trace of a vanished group: a birthday cake perched nine feet up on a flagpole with twelve unlit candles and boot tracks...
A quiet morning delivery turned into the last physical trace of a vanished group: a birthday cake perched nine feet up on a flagpole with twelve unlit candles and boot tracks ending six feet short of the base - what happened to the thirty people who lived at Lantern Point, and why was one woman left behind? This episode follows the strange gap between official paperwork and the life inside the fence that ended in a night evacuation and a single unfinished journal entry.

In this episode, we lay out the timeline and the evidence found after the December 9, 2011 discovery, presenting the people, documents, and sequences that led to the sudden disappearance and the unanswered question about the missing resident.

Person: Jerry Price
Person: Brenda Baker
Person: Michelle Pruitt
Date: December 9, 2011
Location: Dearborn County, Indiana

- A birthday cake was found on a flagpole nine feet off the ground with twelve unlit candles.
- Boot tracks in the frost led to the flagpole and stopped six feet short of its base.
- Jerry Price bought Lantern Point in spring 2008, paying in cash and claiming fraudulent credentials.
- Lantern Point ran a normal camp in summer 2009, then transitioned to a closed residential "Year-Round Vision" with about thirty residents.
- Thirty people left the property at night within days of a November 2011 newspaper story; one woman, Claire Ostrowski, remained inside with a journal whose final entry was cut off mid-sentence.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1444falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/laminated-deed-dated-sept-2019-transferring-property-to-dissolved-entity--73181834
A buried deed pulled from a frozen culvert proved to be dated September 2019 and transferred forty-two acres to an entity legally dissolved six weeks earlier - signed with a notary seal whose owner says she never witnessed the signature. How did a deed with a false chain of custody and a claimed notary witness end up in the mud, and who stood to gain from burying it?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a utility-pole flyer in spring 2017 to life at Dunmore Creek and the discovery of the deed, mapping the shifts in control, communication, and legal papers that led to the buried document. What does the cottage-industry language of the recruitment flyer, the community’s strict routines, and the altered correspondence reveal about the motive behind that deed?

Person: Jeffrey Whitfield
Person: John Ward
Date: September 2019
Location: Dunmore Creek, Harlan Township / Wexler County
Event: Deed found November 14, 2019

- The deed transferred forty-two acres of Wexler County land and was dated September 2019.
- The recipient entity on the deed had been legally dissolved six weeks before the deed’s date.
- The notary seal on the deed matched a licensed notary in Dellwood, forty miles east, who later said she had no memory of witnessing the signature.
- Jeffrey Whitfield paid an $11,000 buy-in to the Dunmore Creek community in June 2017.
- The Dunmore Creek founding charter was a 23-page spiral-bound document with a two-year vesting period for redeemable equity.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181834Thu, 30 Jul 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaLaminated deed, dated Sept 2019, transferring property to dissolved entity A buried deed pulled from a frozen culvert proved to be dated September 2019 and transferred forty-two acres to an entity legally dissolved six weeks earlier - signed with a...
A buried deed pulled from a frozen culvert proved to be dated September 2019 and transferred forty-two acres to an entity legally dissolved six weeks earlier - signed with a notary seal whose owner says she never witnessed the signature. How did a deed with a false chain of custody and a claimed notary witness end up in the mud, and who stood to gain from burying it?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a utility-pole flyer in spring 2017 to life at Dunmore Creek and the discovery of the deed, mapping the shifts in control, communication, and legal papers that led to the buried document. What does the cottage-industry language of the recruitment flyer, the community’s strict routines, and the altered correspondence reveal about the motive behind that deed?

Person: Jeffrey Whitfield
Person: John Ward
Date: September 2019
Location: Dunmore Creek, Harlan Township / Wexler County
Event: Deed found November 14, 2019

- The deed transferred forty-two acres of Wexler County land and was dated September 2019.
- The recipient entity on the deed had been legally dissolved six weeks before the deed’s date.
- The notary seal on the deed matched a licensed notary in Dellwood, forty miles east, who later said she had no memory of witnessing the signature.
- Jeffrey Whitfield paid an $11,000 buy-in to the Dunmore Creek community in June 2017.
- The Dunmore Creek founding charter was a 23-page spiral-bound document with a two-year vesting period for redeemable equity.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1452falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-piano-map-how-a-musical-cult-crossed-every-exit-except-one--73181831
Curiosity turns cold when you learn the escape routes had been crossed out in red on a piano lid - every door, every gap in the fence, all but a single trail to a locked shed. Forty-three adults lived inside that boundary; by the time investigators entered the Granger Mill Road property in October 2022, the place was empty and the piano held glass jar rings pressed into its wood. How did a music group that began in a church end with arrested leadership and a map that no one knew existed?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of the Stiller Branch Ensemble from a twelve-person church rehearsal to a compound on Granger Mill Road and the practices that reshaped members' lives. We detail the formation, the finances, the internal language of control, and the unanswered questions about what members surrendered for belonging.

Person: April Turner
Event: investigators entered property in October 2022
Location: Granger Mill Road, Caldwell Flats, Tennessee
Person: Randy Stein
Topic: stewardship contributions averaged $8,000-$14,000 per year

- Forty-three adults were living on the Granger Mill Road property six days before investigators entered in October 2022.
- April Turner was 51 when she attended the first rehearsal and 55 when she moved onto the property in spring 2015.
- The Stiller Branch Ensemble began with twelve people at First Methodist Church and grew to 31 members by 2015.
- The nonprofit filings showed 63% of the budget for three consecutive years went to "compositional materials and archival preservation."
- Members' stewardship contributions averaged between $8,000 and $14,000 per year.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181831Wed, 29 Jul 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Piano Map: How a Musical Cult Crossed Every Exit Except One Curiosity turns cold when you learn the escape routes had been crossed out in red on a piano lid - every door, every gap in the fence, all but a single trail to a locked shed....
Curiosity turns cold when you learn the escape routes had been crossed out in red on a piano lid - every door, every gap in the fence, all but a single trail to a locked shed. Forty-three adults lived inside that boundary; by the time investigators entered the Granger Mill Road property in October 2022, the place was empty and the piano held glass jar rings pressed into its wood. How did a music group that began in a church end with arrested leadership and a map that no one knew existed?

In this episode, we follow the timeline of the Stiller Branch Ensemble from a twelve-person church rehearsal to a compound on Granger Mill Road and the practices that reshaped members' lives. We detail the formation, the finances, the internal language of control, and the unanswered questions about what members surrendered for belonging.

Person: April Turner
Event: investigators entered property in October 2022
Location: Granger Mill Road, Caldwell Flats, Tennessee
Person: Randy Stein
Topic: stewardship contributions averaged $8,000-$14,000 per year

- Forty-three adults were living on the Granger Mill Road property six days before investigators entered in October 2022.
- April Turner was 51 when she attended the first rehearsal and 55 when she moved onto the property in spring 2015.
- The Stiller Branch Ensemble began with twelve people at First Methodist Church and grew to 31 members by 2015.
- The nonprofit filings showed 63% of the budget for three consecutive years went to "compositional materials and archival preservation."
- Members' stewardship contributions averaged between $8,000 and $14,000 per year.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1424falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-lunchbox-on-pelham-creek-meridian-s-quiet-dangerous-covenant--73181829
The quiet discovery of a child's red lunchbox on a rural trail contained a hospital-grade IV, 47 laminated organ-system cards, and caloric restrictions in red ink - a fragment that would unravel a secretive wellness group with financial control over members. Who left that lunchbox on the bridge, and how did a document called the Wellness Covenant let one man turn pooled funds into a secluded compound?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a morning on Pelham Creek to the founding of the Meridian Home, outlining the Meridian Home, the Wellness Covenant's hidden clause, and the financial trail that bought a twelve-acre parcel outside Garvey. How did routine trust become control, and what did it leave behind?

Person: Paul Gardner
Person: Lori Morris
Date: September 6, 2011
Location: Pelham Creek bridge, Garvey area
Event: Discovery of red lunchbox with IV line and 47 laminated index cards

- The lunchbox contained forty-seven laminated index cards mapping different human organ systems.
- An unused hospital-grade intravenous line was found in sealed sterile packaging and traced to a medical supplier dissolved fourteen months earlier.
- The Wellness Covenant had four paragraphs; paragraph four granted Gardner signing authority over members' health-related financial accounts.
- By summer 2010 Gardner was drawing from twenty-three individual accounts simultaneously to pay lease payments.
- The lease payments funded a twelve-acre parcel outside the town of Garvey known as the Meridian Home.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181829Tue, 28 Jul 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Lunchbox on Pelham Creek: Meridian's Quiet, Dangerous Covenant The quiet discovery of a child's red lunchbox on a rural trail contained a hospital-grade IV, 47 laminated organ-system cards, and caloric restrictions in red ink - a fragment that...
The quiet discovery of a child's red lunchbox on a rural trail contained a hospital-grade IV, 47 laminated organ-system cards, and caloric restrictions in red ink - a fragment that would unravel a secretive wellness group with financial control over members. Who left that lunchbox on the bridge, and how did a document called the Wellness Covenant let one man turn pooled funds into a secluded compound?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a morning on Pelham Creek to the founding of the Meridian Home, outlining the Meridian Home, the Wellness Covenant's hidden clause, and the financial trail that bought a twelve-acre parcel outside Garvey. How did routine trust become control, and what did it leave behind?

Person: Paul Gardner
Person: Lori Morris
Date: September 6, 2011
Location: Pelham Creek bridge, Garvey area
Event: Discovery of red lunchbox with IV line and 47 laminated index cards

- The lunchbox contained forty-seven laminated index cards mapping different human organ systems.
- An unused hospital-grade intravenous line was found in sealed sterile packaging and traced to a medical supplier dissolved fourteen months earlier.
- The Wellness Covenant had four paragraphs; paragraph four granted Gardner signing authority over members' health-related financial accounts.
- By summer 2010 Gardner was drawing from twenty-three individual accounts simultaneously to pay lease payments.
- The lease payments funded a twelve-acre parcel outside the town of Garvey known as the Meridian Home.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1324falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/eleven-gloves-one-clock-the-overnight-cult-that-stopped-time--73181828
A lone time clock stamped a future time and eleven white cotton gloves pointed inward on a concrete pad - a scene photographed by a longtime overnight worker that should not have been possible. The image belonged to the end of a two-year story about a group called the Pelham Brotherhood: who founded it, who joined, and what it cost them - but how did a supervisor with a fabricated past build that kind of trust?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events inside Harwick Mold and Assembly’s overnight shift, from the arrival of a new supervisor to the rituals and absences that followed, and we follow the central question that image raises: what happened during the real shift that led to eleven chairs and a clock set for a date three weeks ahead?

Date: the second Tuesday of August, 2017
Location: 4400 Pelham Road, Dellwood, Tennessee
Person: Brian Quinn
Case: Pelham Brotherhood
Period: overnight shift, spring 2015-2017

- The photograph was taken by Brian Quinn three hours into his morning route on the second Tuesday of August, 2017.
- Eleven wooden chairs were arranged in a perfect circle, each holding one white cotton work glove with fingers pointing inward.
- A Stromberg time clock on a plastic folding table contained a punch card stamped 3:14 AM on a date three weeks in the future.
- Frank O’Brien was hired as floor supervisor in fall 2014 at age forty-nine and had a personnel file listing prior work at Carver Industrial Partners in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
- By spring 2015 O’Brien began forming the Pelham Brotherhood, giving it a gear-and-compass-rose seal and the motto “Fide et Labore,” while his claimed family and union history could not be verified.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181828Mon, 27 Jul 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaEleven Gloves, One Clock: The Overnight Cult That Stopped Time A lone time clock stamped a future time and eleven white cotton gloves pointed inward on a concrete pad - a scene photographed by a longtime overnight worker that should not have been...
A lone time clock stamped a future time and eleven white cotton gloves pointed inward on a concrete pad - a scene photographed by a longtime overnight worker that should not have been possible. The image belonged to the end of a two-year story about a group called the Pelham Brotherhood: who founded it, who joined, and what it cost them - but how did a supervisor with a fabricated past build that kind of trust?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events inside Harwick Mold and Assembly’s overnight shift, from the arrival of a new supervisor to the rituals and absences that followed, and we follow the central question that image raises: what happened during the real shift that led to eleven chairs and a clock set for a date three weeks ahead?

Date: the second Tuesday of August, 2017
Location: 4400 Pelham Road, Dellwood, Tennessee
Person: Brian Quinn
Case: Pelham Brotherhood
Period: overnight shift, spring 2015-2017

- The photograph was taken by Brian Quinn three hours into his morning route on the second Tuesday of August, 2017.
- Eleven wooden chairs were arranged in a perfect circle, each holding one white cotton work glove with fingers pointing inward.
- A Stromberg time clock on a plastic folding table contained a punch card stamped 3:14 AM on a date three weeks in the future.
- Frank O’Brien was hired as floor supervisor in fall 2014 at age forty-nine and had a personnel file listing prior work at Carver Industrial Partners in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
- By spring 2015 O’Brien began forming the Pelham Brotherhood, giving it a gear-and-compass-rose seal and the motto “Fide et Labore,” while his claimed family and union history could not be verified.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1417falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-buried-her-draft-the-man-who-rewrote-a-life--73181827
A single pre-addressed mailing label, dated July 9, bought two years before the woman it named arrived, was found buried under fresh concrete in a Harwick, Illinois writing retreat - and that one sticker began to unravel nearly four years of control. How did a program promising editorial refuge become a sealed world where a 214-page manuscript was never allowed to leave?

In this episode, we follow the account of a writer who joined the Clearword Collective and the details that made the place feel wrong: curated books stopping at one year, letters filtered by a leader, restricted communication, and a pattern of recruitment that targeted committed but unestablished authors. What did the Clearword process accomplish, and who decided the end of Wendy Wright’s story?

Person: Wendy Wright
Location: Harwick, Illinois
Event: Discovery of mailing label buried under concrete
Topic: Clearword Collective residential writing program
Document: Manuscript of 214 pages

- Wendy Wright arrived in Harwick in late April and found eight members already in residence.
- The participation fee was $800 per month, withdrawn automatically each month.
- Wendy’s manuscript measured 214 pages and was kept inside the building under Bennett’s control.
- Letters sent home were reviewed by Bennett before being sealed, and Wendy’s mother retained those letters.
- The mailing label found in a coffee can was dated July 9 and had been purchased two years before Wendy arrived.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181827Sun, 26 Jul 2026 23:00:02 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Buried Her Draft - The Man Who Rewrote a Life A single pre-addressed mailing label, dated July 9, bought two years before the woman it named arrived, was found buried under fresh concrete in a Harwick, Illinois writing retreat - and that one...
A single pre-addressed mailing label, dated July 9, bought two years before the woman it named arrived, was found buried under fresh concrete in a Harwick, Illinois writing retreat - and that one sticker began to unravel nearly four years of control. How did a program promising editorial refuge become a sealed world where a 214-page manuscript was never allowed to leave?

In this episode, we follow the account of a writer who joined the Clearword Collective and the details that made the place feel wrong: curated books stopping at one year, letters filtered by a leader, restricted communication, and a pattern of recruitment that targeted committed but unestablished authors. What did the Clearword process accomplish, and who decided the end of Wendy Wright’s story?

Person: Wendy Wright
Location: Harwick, Illinois
Event: Discovery of mailing label buried under concrete
Topic: Clearword Collective residential writing program
Document: Manuscript of 214 pages

- Wendy Wright arrived in Harwick in late April and found eight members already in residence.
- The participation fee was $800 per month, withdrawn automatically each month.
- Wendy’s manuscript measured 214 pages and was kept inside the building under Bennett’s control.
- Letters sent home were reviewed by Bennett before being sealed, and Wendy’s mother retained those letters.
- The mailing label found in a coffee can was dated July 9 and had been purchased two years before Wendy arrived.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1316falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-desert-cake-how-a-missing-volunteer-exposed-a-hidden-cult--73181826
A lone birthday cake with eleven cellophane-wrapped candles was found forty yards below a ridgeline, one and a half miles from the nearest road, with no footprints, no card, and no name-what secret did that desert offering try to reveal? When the cake led a reporter to a buried compound called the Prepared Living Facility, she uncovered transfers of approximately $94,000 and a woman who had vanished after volunteering every Tuesday for six years-how far did the disappearances and dollar signs reach?

In this episode, you will hear how a dog groomer’s call to the Millhaven Courier-Register set a reporter on a nine-day path that connected an abandoned cake to a missing volunteer, a man named Gary Casey, and a compound of six prefab reinforced shelters; can a single object in the wash explain why Wendy Harris stopped answering her daughter’s messages?

Person: Wendy Harris
Date found: June 14, 2019
Location: Alice Berry Trail wash, near Millhaven, Oregon
Amount transferred: approximately $94,000
Facility: Prepared Living Facility (forty acres northeast of Millhaven; six prefab reinforced shelters)

- The cake had white frosting, pink sugar roses, and eleven cellophane-wrapped candles pressed in a loose circle.
- The cake was assessed by a forensic food scientist to have been placed between June 12 and June 13, 2019.
- Wendy Harris had volunteered every Tuesday at the Community Kitchen on Birch Street for six years and stopped appearing in September 2017.
- Financial records show Wendy Harris transferred approximately $94,000 in November 2017 into a fund controlled by Gary Casey.
- The Prepared Living Facility was described as forty acres northeast of Millhaven with six prefab reinforced shelters sunk roughly four feet into caliche soil.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181826Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:55 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Desert Cake: How a Missing Volunteer Exposed a Hidden Cult A lone birthday cake with eleven cellophane-wrapped candles was found forty yards below a ridgeline, one and a half miles from the nearest road, with no footprints, no card, and no...
A lone birthday cake with eleven cellophane-wrapped candles was found forty yards below a ridgeline, one and a half miles from the nearest road, with no footprints, no card, and no name-what secret did that desert offering try to reveal? When the cake led a reporter to a buried compound called the Prepared Living Facility, she uncovered transfers of approximately $94,000 and a woman who had vanished after volunteering every Tuesday for six years-how far did the disappearances and dollar signs reach?

In this episode, you will hear how a dog groomer’s call to the Millhaven Courier-Register set a reporter on a nine-day path that connected an abandoned cake to a missing volunteer, a man named Gary Casey, and a compound of six prefab reinforced shelters; can a single object in the wash explain why Wendy Harris stopped answering her daughter’s messages?

Person: Wendy Harris
Date found: June 14, 2019
Location: Alice Berry Trail wash, near Millhaven, Oregon
Amount transferred: approximately $94,000
Facility: Prepared Living Facility (forty acres northeast of Millhaven; six prefab reinforced shelters)

- The cake had white frosting, pink sugar roses, and eleven cellophane-wrapped candles pressed in a loose circle.
- The cake was assessed by a forensic food scientist to have been placed between June 12 and June 13, 2019.
- Wendy Harris had volunteered every Tuesday at the Community Kitchen on Birch Street for six years and stopped appearing in September 2017.
- Financial records show Wendy Harris transferred approximately $94,000 in November 2017 into a fund controlled by Gary Casey.
- The Prepared Living Facility was described as forty acres northeast of Millhaven with six prefab reinforced shelters sunk roughly four feet into caliche soil.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1322falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-backpack-in-the-river-that-proved-a-cult-conman-s-lies--73181824
A child’s backpack sealed in plastic, weighted with a river stone and clipped to a trotline led to a leather-bound ledger that became Exhibit Fourteen in a Missouri criminal trial - and it revealed that claimed DNA results were never analyzed. Who inside the group decided to make the ledger surface, and why did they trust the river to deliver the proof?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from a fisherwoman’s discovery on May 14, 2019, through the ledger’s role in convicting a man for fraud and financial exploitation, and we trace how a community’s paid ancestry claims were manufactured. How did a system designed to create certainty instead leave a paper trail that broke it?

Person: Gina Farrell
Date: May 14, 2019
Location: Calloway River, Dellard, Missouri
Event: Discovery of backpack containing ledger
Status: Ledger admitted as Exhibit Fourteen in criminal trial

- The backpack was found sealed in plastic and electrical tape, weighted with a river stone, four feet below the surface.
- The ledger inside was leather-bound and handwritten with every page in the same hand.
- Wendy Draper paid over $14,000 into Hearthline by early 2017 and attended more than 40 Bloodline Circles.
- Hearthline charged a $400 lineage processing fee and a $65 monthly membership fee.
- Wade Hall’s presentation at the Dellard Public Library in March 2015 was attended by thirty-one people.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181824Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:51 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Backpack in the River That Proved a Cult Conman's Lies A child’s backpack sealed in plastic, weighted with a river stone and clipped to a trotline led to a leather-bound ledger that became Exhibit Fourteen in a Missouri criminal trial - and it...
A child’s backpack sealed in plastic, weighted with a river stone and clipped to a trotline led to a leather-bound ledger that became Exhibit Fourteen in a Missouri criminal trial - and it revealed that claimed DNA results were never analyzed. Who inside the group decided to make the ledger surface, and why did they trust the river to deliver the proof?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from a fisherwoman’s discovery on May 14, 2019, through the ledger’s role in convicting a man for fraud and financial exploitation, and we trace how a community’s paid ancestry claims were manufactured. How did a system designed to create certainty instead leave a paper trail that broke it?

Person: Gina Farrell
Date: May 14, 2019
Location: Calloway River, Dellard, Missouri
Event: Discovery of backpack containing ledger
Status: Ledger admitted as Exhibit Fourteen in criminal trial

- The backpack was found sealed in plastic and electrical tape, weighted with a river stone, four feet below the surface.
- The ledger inside was leather-bound and handwritten with every page in the same hand.
- Wendy Draper paid over $14,000 into Hearthline by early 2017 and attended more than 40 Bloodline Circles.
- Hearthline charged a $400 lineage processing fee and a $65 monthly membership fee.
- Wade Hall’s presentation at the Dellard Public Library in March 2015 was attended by thirty-one people.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1302falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-badge-on-the-douglas-fir-how-a-fake-rescue-group-fooled-a-town--73181823
A laminated FEMA badge was nailed to a Douglas fir four and a half feet off the ground, facing the tree line - three-quarters of a mile from the nearest decommissioned road - and no one could explain why. How did a slip of paper, a yellow flyer and a mailed newsletter turn into a fake rescue group that left a badge on a tree and thousands of dollars unaccounted for?

In this episode, we follow Susan Olson's report of an oddity on April 9, 2019, then trace the Brixton Relief Volunteer Corps from a hobby-shop flyer in spring 2017 through recruitment, undisclosed consent clauses, a newsletter mailing, and diverted funds - and ask who was really behind the group's operations.

Person: Susan Olson
Date: April 9, 2019
Location: eastern Brixton Township
Event: flyer posted in spring 2017
Amount: approximately $9,000 raised

- A FEMA badge was laminated and nailed to a Douglas fir with four roofing nails at 4.5 feet off the ground.
- The tree with the badge stood three-quarters of a mile from the nearest decommissioned road.
- Susan Olson photographed the badge from six angles before reporting it to the sheriff's office.
- By June 2017 the Brixton Relief Volunteer Corps had 22 members training on weekends.
- The first newsletter mailing reached 47 family members and raised about $9,000 that was routed through Frank Diaz to Ross Long.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181823Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:48 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Badge on the Douglas Fir: How a Fake Rescue Group Fooled a Town A laminated FEMA badge was nailed to a Douglas fir four and a half feet off the ground, facing the tree line - three-quarters of a mile from the nearest decommissioned road - and...
A laminated FEMA badge was nailed to a Douglas fir four and a half feet off the ground, facing the tree line - three-quarters of a mile from the nearest decommissioned road - and no one could explain why. How did a slip of paper, a yellow flyer and a mailed newsletter turn into a fake rescue group that left a badge on a tree and thousands of dollars unaccounted for?

In this episode, we follow Susan Olson's report of an oddity on April 9, 2019, then trace the Brixton Relief Volunteer Corps from a hobby-shop flyer in spring 2017 through recruitment, undisclosed consent clauses, a newsletter mailing, and diverted funds - and ask who was really behind the group's operations.

Person: Susan Olson
Date: April 9, 2019
Location: eastern Brixton Township
Event: flyer posted in spring 2017
Amount: approximately $9,000 raised

- A FEMA badge was laminated and nailed to a Douglas fir with four roofing nails at 4.5 feet off the ground.
- The tree with the badge stood three-quarters of a mile from the nearest decommissioned road.
- Susan Olson photographed the badge from six angles before reporting it to the sheriff's office.
- By June 2017 the Brixton Relief Volunteer Corps had 22 members training on weekends.
- The first newsletter mailing reached 47 family members and raised about $9,000 that was routed through Frank Diaz to Ross Long.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1326falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-remembered-everything-how-sycamore-s-leader-turned-care-into-theft--73181822
A quiet house on Kellerman Road hid a scheme built from handwritten confessions: hundreds of annotated “Clarity Work” pages mapping residents’ assets, fears, and medical needs, and sealed membership cards later found in a septic tank. How did a daily practice of care become a steady funnel of money and secrets-and who paid the true cost?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events at Sycamore House Recovery, how Mark Burke used daily self-examinations and group language to elicit repeated voluntary payments, and the records that later revealed unexplained sums. What did the annotated pages show that allowed this to happen?

Person: Mark Burke
Person: Wendy Coleman
Location: Kellerman Road, Harmon County, Missouri
Event: Found eleven laminated membership cards in a sealed ziplock bag in March 2013
Topic: Covenant pledge contributions reported as $68,000 in 2009 and $122,000 in 2010

- Eleven laminated membership cards, weighted with a padlock and sealed in a ziplock bag, were recovered from a secondary septic chamber in March 2013.
- Wendy Coleman contributed $11,000 to the covenant pledge over 14 months after joining in February 2008.
- Monthly tuition at Sycamore House Recovery was $800 according to the community listing.
- Sycamore House’s program, the Covenant of Clear Water, consisted of eleven principles and a daily practice called Clarity Work.
- Resident contributions recorded in the nonprofit filings increased from $68,000 in 2009 to $122,000 in 2010.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181822Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:43 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Remembered Everything: How Sycamore's Leader Turned Care Into Theft A quiet house on Kellerman Road hid a scheme built from handwritten confessions: hundreds of annotated “Clarity Work” pages mapping residents’ assets, fears, and medical needs,...
A quiet house on Kellerman Road hid a scheme built from handwritten confessions: hundreds of annotated “Clarity Work” pages mapping residents’ assets, fears, and medical needs, and sealed membership cards later found in a septic tank. How did a daily practice of care become a steady funnel of money and secrets-and who paid the true cost?

In this episode, we lay out the sequence of events at Sycamore House Recovery, how Mark Burke used daily self-examinations and group language to elicit repeated voluntary payments, and the records that later revealed unexplained sums. What did the annotated pages show that allowed this to happen?

Person: Mark Burke
Person: Wendy Coleman
Location: Kellerman Road, Harmon County, Missouri
Event: Found eleven laminated membership cards in a sealed ziplock bag in March 2013
Topic: Covenant pledge contributions reported as $68,000 in 2009 and $122,000 in 2010

- Eleven laminated membership cards, weighted with a padlock and sealed in a ziplock bag, were recovered from a secondary septic chamber in March 2013.
- Wendy Coleman contributed $11,000 to the covenant pledge over 14 months after joining in February 2008.
- Monthly tuition at Sycamore House Recovery was $800 according to the community listing.
- Sycamore House’s program, the Covenant of Clear Water, consisted of eleven principles and a daily practice called Clarity Work.
- Resident contributions recorded in the nonprofit filings increased from $68,000 in 2009 to $122,000 in 2010.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1275falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-palette-in-the-sycamore-how-an-artist-vanished-at-irongate--73181821
Cold paint, no frost, and a palette wedged three miles from an abandoned wire-fabrication plant - cadmium yellow still wet on a morning that had been below 19°F for eleven days. A twenty-two-year-old art student had been missing from his mother's life for nearly two years; how did a routine residency turn into a vanished artist and a palette in a sycamore?

In this episode, we lay out the timeline from the first Wednesday calls to the last confirmed sightings at the Irongate Arts Collective and follow the details that led investigators and a freelance journalist to question the residency's claims. What happened inside the 22,000-square-foot converted factory that made stipends arrive like clockwork while personal ties unraveled?

Person: Dennis Weaver
Location: Irongate Arts Collective, converted wire-fabrication plant near Dellhaven, Ohio
Date: Palette found on the morning of February 11
Status: Missing; last contact with mother stopped in March after arriving in April
Event: Palette with cadmium yellow and titanium white found with no frost despite subfreezing temperatures

- Dennis Weaver was 22 years old when he signed the residency contract in April and moved into the Irongate space.
- The plant offered 22,000 square feet of studio space with north light.
- The Irongate Foundation reported $612 in total assets on its 990 filing and approximately $18,000 revenue the prior year.
- Stipends and communal meals were delivered on schedule during the first month of residency.
- Residents were asked to leave phones at a communal charging station during "focus weeks" introduced by James Alan Jones, occurring roughly every three weeks.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181821Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:39 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Palette in the Sycamore: How an Artist Vanished at Irongate Cold paint, no frost, and a palette wedged three miles from an abandoned wire-fabrication plant - cadmium yellow still wet on a morning that had been below 19°F for eleven days. A...
Cold paint, no frost, and a palette wedged three miles from an abandoned wire-fabrication plant - cadmium yellow still wet on a morning that had been below 19°F for eleven days. A twenty-two-year-old art student had been missing from his mother's life for nearly two years; how did a routine residency turn into a vanished artist and a palette in a sycamore?

In this episode, we lay out the timeline from the first Wednesday calls to the last confirmed sightings at the Irongate Arts Collective and follow the details that led investigators and a freelance journalist to question the residency's claims. What happened inside the 22,000-square-foot converted factory that made stipends arrive like clockwork while personal ties unraveled?

Person: Dennis Weaver
Location: Irongate Arts Collective, converted wire-fabrication plant near Dellhaven, Ohio
Date: Palette found on the morning of February 11
Status: Missing; last contact with mother stopped in March after arriving in April
Event: Palette with cadmium yellow and titanium white found with no frost despite subfreezing temperatures

- Dennis Weaver was 22 years old when he signed the residency contract in April and moved into the Irongate space.
- The plant offered 22,000 square feet of studio space with north light.
- The Irongate Foundation reported $612 in total assets on its 990 filing and approximately $18,000 revenue the prior year.
- Stipends and communal meals were delivered on schedule during the first month of residency.
- Residents were asked to leave phones at a communal charging station during "focus weeks" introduced by James Alan Jones, occurring roughly every three weeks.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1300falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-last-broadcast-how-a-midnight-voice-erased-thirty-lives--73181820
A cold aluminum tower hummed at 4:47 a.m. in a cul-de-sac while a laminated card declared, "THE VOICE BELONGS TO NO ONE NOW." A late-night AM program that began in a strip-mall basement quietly pulled thirty people into a closed world-so how did a radio voice become a blueprint for erasure?

In this episode, we recount the rise of Clearsound Ministries and the late-night program The Clearwater Hour, following its host Dale Duncan from strip-mall studios through meetings in multiple states to a week in January 2014 when the world he built collapsed. How did callers like Tracy Hoffman move from tuning in at 11 p.m. to joining private signal sessions and paying into a laddered system that changed their lives?

Person: Dale Duncan
Program: The Clearwater Hour
Event: Collapse in a single January week in 2014
Person: Tracy Hoffman
Location: Dellman, Oregon

- At 4:47 a.m. a fifteen-year-old named Kimberly Webb found an eleven-foot telescoped aluminum tower radiating heat tied with a laminated card in the Fenwick Loop cul-de-sac.
- Dale Duncan broadcast The Clearwater Hour seven nights a week from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., speaking from a basement studio beneath a tax office in a Dellman strip mall.
- By May 2005 Tracy Hoffman, age 29, became a caller and by August 2005 attended her first monthly "signal session" at a VFW hall led by Duncan.
- Duncan claimed three years as a licensed transmission engineer in Billings, Montana and two years at a community radio project called KFHL; FCC and KFHL records showed no license or appearance under his name.
- Duncan offered a paid tier called "Tuned" for $40 a month giving access to a private call-in line answered personally and unpredictably by him.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181820Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:35 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Last Broadcast: How a Midnight Voice Erased Thirty Lives A cold aluminum tower hummed at 4:47 a.m. in a cul-de-sac while a laminated card declared, "THE VOICE BELONGS TO NO ONE NOW." A late-night AM program that began in a strip-mall basement...
A cold aluminum tower hummed at 4:47 a.m. in a cul-de-sac while a laminated card declared, "THE VOICE BELONGS TO NO ONE NOW." A late-night AM program that began in a strip-mall basement quietly pulled thirty people into a closed world-so how did a radio voice become a blueprint for erasure?

In this episode, we recount the rise of Clearsound Ministries and the late-night program The Clearwater Hour, following its host Dale Duncan from strip-mall studios through meetings in multiple states to a week in January 2014 when the world he built collapsed. How did callers like Tracy Hoffman move from tuning in at 11 p.m. to joining private signal sessions and paying into a laddered system that changed their lives?

Person: Dale Duncan
Program: The Clearwater Hour
Event: Collapse in a single January week in 2014
Person: Tracy Hoffman
Location: Dellman, Oregon

- At 4:47 a.m. a fifteen-year-old named Kimberly Webb found an eleven-foot telescoped aluminum tower radiating heat tied with a laminated card in the Fenwick Loop cul-de-sac.
- Dale Duncan broadcast The Clearwater Hour seven nights a week from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., speaking from a basement studio beneath a tax office in a Dellman strip mall.
- By May 2005 Tracy Hoffman, age 29, became a caller and by August 2005 attended her first monthly "signal session" at a VFW hall led by Duncan.
- Duncan claimed three years as a licensed transmission engineer in Billings, Montana and two years at a community radio project called KFHL; FCC and KFHL records showed no license or appearance under his name.
- Duncan offered a paid tier called "Tuned" for $40 a month giving access to a private call-in line answered personally and unpredictably by him.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1344falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-crayon-trail-how-23-kids-vanished-into-a-false-school--73181816
A frozen Montana road revealed 47 boxes of Crayola crayons - 64 colors, new and sealed - scattered before dawn; they came from an 83-acre property where 23 children had been taught from photocopies for three years. How did a place that called itself a school end up with unopened curricula in a locked storage room, and what broke the routine that hid it for so long?

In this episode, we follow the events on the Denton property and the people who joined a cooperative that promised a different kind of learning. The episode traces the timeline from Patricia Pruitt’s first visit through changes in curriculum and daily routines, asking whether the community was building a school or something else.

Person: Patricia Pruitt
Person: Russell Slater
Person: Paul Niven
Location: Denton property, Pitcher Creek Road, Caulfield County, Montana
Date: December 9, 2019

- 47 boxes of Crayola crayons (64 colors), new and sealed, found on Pitcher Creek Road at 6:51 AM on December 9, 2019
- 83-acre Denton property housed 23 children aged four through sixteen between spring 2016 and summer 2018
- Patricia paid a first month's fee of $450 to join the cooperative in spring 2016
- Eleven families lived and learned on the Denton property during the community’s operation
- A locked smaller building on the property contained unopened boxed workbooks, math manipulatives in cellophane, and art materials organized by grade level

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181816Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:31 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Crayon Trail: How 23 Kids Vanished Into a False School A frozen Montana road revealed 47 boxes of Crayola crayons - 64 colors, new and sealed - scattered before dawn; they came from an 83-acre property where 23 children had been taught from...
A frozen Montana road revealed 47 boxes of Crayola crayons - 64 colors, new and sealed - scattered before dawn; they came from an 83-acre property where 23 children had been taught from photocopies for three years. How did a place that called itself a school end up with unopened curricula in a locked storage room, and what broke the routine that hid it for so long?

In this episode, we follow the events on the Denton property and the people who joined a cooperative that promised a different kind of learning. The episode traces the timeline from Patricia Pruitt’s first visit through changes in curriculum and daily routines, asking whether the community was building a school or something else.

Person: Patricia Pruitt
Person: Russell Slater
Person: Paul Niven
Location: Denton property, Pitcher Creek Road, Caulfield County, Montana
Date: December 9, 2019

- 47 boxes of Crayola crayons (64 colors), new and sealed, found on Pitcher Creek Road at 6:51 AM on December 9, 2019
- 83-acre Denton property housed 23 children aged four through sixteen between spring 2016 and summer 2018
- Patricia paid a first month's fee of $450 to join the cooperative in spring 2016
- Eleven families lived and learned on the Denton property during the community’s operation
- A locked smaller building on the property contained unopened boxed workbooks, math manipulatives in cellophane, and art materials organized by grade level

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1300falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-ledger-on-pelican-spit-how-a-coastal-coven-enslaved-neighbors--73181815
A utility worker found a dry ledger on a concrete pad seventeen miles from the nearest town, open to a column titled "OWED TO COVENANT" and listing a largest entry of $4,200 in red ink-why had someone risked abandoning a secret debt record in the cold? What did a Delaware-registered shell company and a fabricated lobsterman have to do with months of hidden ledgers and signatures people later said they never remembered signing?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discoveries from the ledger on the Pelican Spit substation to the coastal town of Dunmore, Maine, and trace how a small community’s cooperative facade concealed personal debts and a privately held shell company-how did those ledgers get created and who benefited?

Person: Denise Henderson
Date: November 14, 2009
Location: Pelican Spit substation, seventeen miles from the nearest town
Organization: Coastal Coven Holdings LLC (registered in Delaware)
Amount: $4,200

- The ledger was found on a concrete pad behind a locked fence gate with pages dry after four days without rain.
- Denise Henderson photographed every page before she touched it and called the county sheriff's non-emergency line.
- Alice Petersen paid an initial buy-in of $900 in November 2008 described as a refundable cooperative share.
- By February 2009 Alice’s $900 was redesignated non-refundable and a personal harvest debt balance of $3,400 appeared on her account.
- Todd West was described as a forty-one-year-old third-generation Stonington lobsterman but had no documented fishing license prior to 2006 and his prior work was in retail and warehouse jobs.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181815Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:27 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Ledger on Pelican Spit: How a Coastal Coven Enslaved Neighbors A utility worker found a dry ledger on a concrete pad seventeen miles from the nearest town, open to a column titled "OWED TO COVENANT" and listing a largest entry of $4,200 in red...
A utility worker found a dry ledger on a concrete pad seventeen miles from the nearest town, open to a column titled "OWED TO COVENANT" and listing a largest entry of $4,200 in red ink-why had someone risked abandoning a secret debt record in the cold? What did a Delaware-registered shell company and a fabricated lobsterman have to do with months of hidden ledgers and signatures people later said they never remembered signing?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discoveries from the ledger on the Pelican Spit substation to the coastal town of Dunmore, Maine, and trace how a small community’s cooperative facade concealed personal debts and a privately held shell company-how did those ledgers get created and who benefited?

Person: Denise Henderson
Date: November 14, 2009
Location: Pelican Spit substation, seventeen miles from the nearest town
Organization: Coastal Coven Holdings LLC (registered in Delaware)
Amount: $4,200

- The ledger was found on a concrete pad behind a locked fence gate with pages dry after four days without rain.
- Denise Henderson photographed every page before she touched it and called the county sheriff's non-emergency line.
- Alice Petersen paid an initial buy-in of $900 in November 2008 described as a refundable cooperative share.
- By February 2009 Alice’s $900 was redesignated non-refundable and a personal harvest debt balance of $3,400 appeared on her account.
- Todd West was described as a forty-one-year-old third-generation Stonington lobsterman but had no documented fishing license prior to 2006 and his prior work was in retail and warehouse jobs.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1397falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-notebook-the-new-language-and-the-social-worker-who-disappeared--73181813
A child's composition notebook found face-up in scrub grass contained an entire invented alphabet and a laminated Idaho driver's license for 47-year-old social worker Sherry A. Vogel - and every page pointed to a deliberate system of control. How did a reliable Nampa caseworker who had worked eleven years in social services end up inside a locked compound speaking a language no one else recognized?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from a chance discovery on October 9, 2019, back through Sherry Vogel’s life and the arrival of Clifford Hughes in the Treasure Valley, to understand the practices that transformed everyday people into members of the Institute. What role did a language engineered to erase certain concepts play in isolating fourteen adults?

Person: Sherry A. Vogel
Date: October 9, 2019
Location: Sutter Flats
Event: Discovery of notebook and laminated Idaho driver's license
Person: Clifford Hughes

- Sherry Vogel was 47 years old and had worked for the same social services agency in Nampa for eleven years.
- Sherry deposited $31,400 from her divorce settlement and later transferred $31,400 to the Institute after she arrived.
- Clifford Hughes arrived in the Treasure Valley in spring 2016 at age 52 and rented suite 4-C in a professional building in Nampa.
- By spring 2017, fourteen people drove out to Sutter Flats and did not come back; the Institute occupied a 12-acre former summer camp.
- In 2010-2011 Hughes ran a residential group in Olympia, Washington, leading to a civil complaint in Thurston County and an out-of-court resolution.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181813Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:23 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Notebook, the New Language, and the Social Worker Who Disappeared A child's composition notebook found face-up in scrub grass contained an entire invented alphabet and a laminated Idaho driver's license for 47-year-old social worker Sherry A....
A child's composition notebook found face-up in scrub grass contained an entire invented alphabet and a laminated Idaho driver's license for 47-year-old social worker Sherry A. Vogel - and every page pointed to a deliberate system of control. How did a reliable Nampa caseworker who had worked eleven years in social services end up inside a locked compound speaking a language no one else recognized?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events from a chance discovery on October 9, 2019, back through Sherry Vogel’s life and the arrival of Clifford Hughes in the Treasure Valley, to understand the practices that transformed everyday people into members of the Institute. What role did a language engineered to erase certain concepts play in isolating fourteen adults?

Person: Sherry A. Vogel
Date: October 9, 2019
Location: Sutter Flats
Event: Discovery of notebook and laminated Idaho driver's license
Person: Clifford Hughes

- Sherry Vogel was 47 years old and had worked for the same social services agency in Nampa for eleven years.
- Sherry deposited $31,400 from her divorce settlement and later transferred $31,400 to the Institute after she arrived.
- Clifford Hughes arrived in the Treasure Valley in spring 2016 at age 52 and rented suite 4-C in a professional building in Nampa.
- By spring 2017, fourteen people drove out to Sutter Flats and did not come back; the Institute occupied a 12-acre former summer camp.
- In 2010-2011 Hughes ran a residential group in Olympia, Washington, leading to a civil complaint in Thurston County and an out-of-court resolution.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1238falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-burgundy-gown-the-wet-earth-and-the-stage-that-enslaved--73181812
A burgundy dress hung dry on a fence post while the earth beneath it held two shin-prints, a forehead divot and two palm-marks where someone had knelt long enough to press a body into soil-despite nineteen days without rain. What kind of performance leaves a human-shaped imprint in the dirt, and who was keeping ledger entries that would crack the illusion?

In this episode, we tell the episode's account of how a man turned theater into a sustained life and how one woman kept a secret ledger that would become evidence. You will hear how Kelly Whitaker joined the Meridian Stage Collective, what she recorded in her spiral notebook, and the moment she watched a wooden hatch open in the farmhouse basement.

Person: Kelly Whitaker
Age: 31 in April 2013
Person: Eric Walsh
Role: Keeper (Kelly's role in the collective)
Stipend: $200 per month (later reduced to $100, then $50)

- A burgundy dress hung on a fence post after nineteen days without rain.
- The ground beneath the dress showed two shin-prints, a forehead divot, and two palm-marks.
- Kelly moved into the leased farmhouse by June 2013 and slept four to five hours a night by August 2013.
- A recurring transfer of $340 per month was listed to Harmon Theatrical Supply at a Breckenridge, Ohio address.
- By March 2014 Kelly observed Eric Walsh emerging from a wooden hatch in the basement wall.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181812Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:19 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Burgundy Gown, the Wet Earth, and the Stage That Enslaved A burgundy dress hung dry on a fence post while the earth beneath it held two shin-prints, a forehead divot and two palm-marks where someone had knelt long enough to press a body into...
A burgundy dress hung dry on a fence post while the earth beneath it held two shin-prints, a forehead divot and two palm-marks where someone had knelt long enough to press a body into soil-despite nineteen days without rain. What kind of performance leaves a human-shaped imprint in the dirt, and who was keeping ledger entries that would crack the illusion?

In this episode, we tell the episode's account of how a man turned theater into a sustained life and how one woman kept a secret ledger that would become evidence. You will hear how Kelly Whitaker joined the Meridian Stage Collective, what she recorded in her spiral notebook, and the moment she watched a wooden hatch open in the farmhouse basement.

Person: Kelly Whitaker
Age: 31 in April 2013
Person: Eric Walsh
Role: Keeper (Kelly's role in the collective)
Stipend: $200 per month (later reduced to $100, then $50)

- A burgundy dress hung on a fence post after nineteen days without rain.
- The ground beneath the dress showed two shin-prints, a forehead divot, and two palm-marks.
- Kelly moved into the leased farmhouse by June 2013 and slept four to five hours a night by August 2013.
- A recurring transfer of $340 per month was listed to Harmon Theatrical Supply at a Breckenridge, Ohio address.
- By March 2014 Kelly observed Eric Walsh emerging from a wooden hatch in the basement wall.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1295falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-night-fifty-people-vanished-the-ledger-that-exposed-pinecroft--73181811
They found a farmhouse with beds made, breakfast dishes in the rack, a child’s red lunchbox on the floor - and fifty people gone; thirty-seven three-ring binders labeled 1993-2011 and two sealed boxes marked FOR GRANT were left behind. How did a county bookkeeper's quiet tallying and a hidden phone become the thread that unraveled a community where phones were taken at check-in and most members signed financial power of attorney within sixty days?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events on August 14, 2011 and the years leading up to it, tracing daily routines, the Morning Anchor, and the ledger entries that finally shifted suspicion. What did a recurring $4,000 monthly transfer reveal when photographed from inside a hollowed-out paperback, and who was the journalist named on the boxes?

Person: Gina Reed
Person: Glenn Richardson
Date: August 14, 2011
Location: Sutter Mill Road, nine miles east of Coleridge, Tennessee
Event: Thirty-seven three-ring binders and two banker's boxes labeled FOR GRANT found in farmhouse

- Fifty people lived at Pinecroft on the morning it was found empty.
- Thirty-seven three-ring binders were stacked in a back room labeled by year from 1993 to 2011.
- Two sealed banker's boxes sat beside the binders, each marked with the four words: FOR GRANT.
- Phones were collected at check-in and returned one day each month under Pinecroft rules.
- A recurring $4,000 monthly transfer appeared in spring 2011 coded as routine maintenance.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181811Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:16 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Night Fifty People Vanished: The Ledger That Exposed Pinecroft They found a farmhouse with beds made, breakfast dishes in the rack, a child’s red lunchbox on the floor - and fifty people gone; thirty-seven three-ring binders labeled 1993-2011...
They found a farmhouse with beds made, breakfast dishes in the rack, a child’s red lunchbox on the floor - and fifty people gone; thirty-seven three-ring binders labeled 1993-2011 and two sealed boxes marked FOR GRANT were left behind. How did a county bookkeeper's quiet tallying and a hidden phone become the thread that unraveled a community where phones were taken at check-in and most members signed financial power of attorney within sixty days?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events on August 14, 2011 and the years leading up to it, tracing daily routines, the Morning Anchor, and the ledger entries that finally shifted suspicion. What did a recurring $4,000 monthly transfer reveal when photographed from inside a hollowed-out paperback, and who was the journalist named on the boxes?

Person: Gina Reed
Person: Glenn Richardson
Date: August 14, 2011
Location: Sutter Mill Road, nine miles east of Coleridge, Tennessee
Event: Thirty-seven three-ring binders and two banker's boxes labeled FOR GRANT found in farmhouse

- Fifty people lived at Pinecroft on the morning it was found empty.
- Thirty-seven three-ring binders were stacked in a back room labeled by year from 1993 to 2011.
- Two sealed banker's boxes sat beside the binders, each marked with the four words: FOR GRANT.
- Phones were collected at check-in and returned one day each month under Pinecroft rules.
- A recurring $4,000 monthly transfer appeared in spring 2011 coded as routine maintenance.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1468falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-man-who-targeted-grief-how-the-reclaimed-bought-lives--73181810
A dry spiral notebook found in a soaked gorge held 112 handwritten pages, a doctrinal framework, and a ledger with twelve names - one belonging to Diane Hayes - raising the question: how did a man named Roger Rice turn grief into a system of control and payment? What did the Quiet Agreement cost those who joined the Reclaimed, and how did a neat ledger in a Ziploc unravel an entire community?

In this episode, you’ll hear the sequence of events from the notebook’s discovery at Portsmith Gorge State Recreation Area to the formation of the Reclaimed and the contradictions in Roger Rice’s story. We follow Diane Hayes’s path from grief support meetings to the Quiet Agreement and the inconsistencies that led journalists and investigators to dig deeper.

Person: Diane Hayes
Location: Portsmith Gorge State Recreation Area
Date: June 2, 2018 (last entry in Edgar's log)
Pages: 112 handwritten pages in the notebook
Names listed: 12 in the notebook ledger

- The notebook was found dry inside a Ziploc bag on July 14, 2019, after six days of rain left two inches of standing water at the basalt site.
- Diane Hayes’s last tortoise-care log entry was dated June 2, 2018, and her care logs spanned hundreds of entries across multiple notebooks.
- Roger Rice told the grief group he spent 12 years at a named contemplative retreat center in northern New Mexico, a claim the center later said left no record of him.
- By February 2019, colleagues observed Diane had lost visible weight and became distractible; she told a co-worker she was “better than I’ve ever been” about three weeks after meeting Rice.
- The notebook’s ledger listed twelve names of people who “handed pieces of their lives” to Roger Rice, including Diane Hayes.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181810Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:11 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Man Who Targeted Grief: How the Reclaimed Bought Lives A dry spiral notebook found in a soaked gorge held 112 handwritten pages, a doctrinal framework, and a ledger with twelve names - one belonging to Diane Hayes - raising the question: how...
A dry spiral notebook found in a soaked gorge held 112 handwritten pages, a doctrinal framework, and a ledger with twelve names - one belonging to Diane Hayes - raising the question: how did a man named Roger Rice turn grief into a system of control and payment? What did the Quiet Agreement cost those who joined the Reclaimed, and how did a neat ledger in a Ziploc unravel an entire community?

In this episode, you’ll hear the sequence of events from the notebook’s discovery at Portsmith Gorge State Recreation Area to the formation of the Reclaimed and the contradictions in Roger Rice’s story. We follow Diane Hayes’s path from grief support meetings to the Quiet Agreement and the inconsistencies that led journalists and investigators to dig deeper.

Person: Diane Hayes
Location: Portsmith Gorge State Recreation Area
Date: June 2, 2018 (last entry in Edgar's log)
Pages: 112 handwritten pages in the notebook
Names listed: 12 in the notebook ledger

- The notebook was found dry inside a Ziploc bag on July 14, 2019, after six days of rain left two inches of standing water at the basalt site.
- Diane Hayes’s last tortoise-care log entry was dated June 2, 2018, and her care logs spanned hundreds of entries across multiple notebooks.
- Roger Rice told the grief group he spent 12 years at a named contemplative retreat center in northern New Mexico, a claim the center later said left no record of him.
- By February 2019, colleagues observed Diane had lost visible weight and became distractible; she told a co-worker she was “better than I’ve ever been” about three weeks after meeting Rice.
- The notebook’s ledger listed twelve names of people who “handed pieces of their lives” to Roger Rice, including Diane Hayes.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1359falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-chandelier-on-the-willow-how-a-cult-vanished-its-leader--73181808
A brass chandelier with twelve intact glass drops dangling from a willow led a fisherman to an unraveling: it had hung inside a house tied to a group called the Covenant of the Still Hour for roughly eighteen months before disappearing, and within nine days of the summer solstice the group's leader was gone - what happened inside that Threshold to make ordinary people hand over $19,000, stop calling family, and follow a date into silence?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Threshold community and the people who joined it, how a leader called William Whitfield structured communal life around a predicted "Still Hour," and how small actions - a chandelier, recorded reception sessions, the transfer of funds - set a series of events in motion that ended with the leader's disappearance. What did the members give up to prepare for a completion that never materialized?

Person: William Whitfield (formerly William Whitmore)
Person: Kimberly Jensen, age 27 in spring 2013
Event: Summer solstice "Still Hour" of 2014
Amount: $19,000 transferred by Kimberly across two payments
Duration: Chandelier hung in entryway for roughly 18 months

- On June 19, 2014 at 5:47 AM a fisherman named Larry Simmons found a brass chandelier hanging from a willow on Carver Creek.
- Twelve glass drops on the chandelier corresponded to the twelve people living at the Threshold as the Covenant of the Still Hour.
- Kimberly Jensen moved into the Threshold in September 2013 after attending a June 2013 gathering where Whitfield presented.
- Kimberley transferred a total of $19,000 to Cedarpoint Resources in October and December 2013.
- Reception sessions began with members waking before 4 AM for 90-minute recorded voice loops in preparation for a "completion" tied to the summer solstice of 2014.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181808Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:07 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Chandelier on the Willow: How a Cult Vanished Its Leader A brass chandelier with twelve intact glass drops dangling from a willow led a fisherman to an unraveling: it had hung inside a house tied to a group called the Covenant of the Still Hour...
A brass chandelier with twelve intact glass drops dangling from a willow led a fisherman to an unraveling: it had hung inside a house tied to a group called the Covenant of the Still Hour for roughly eighteen months before disappearing, and within nine days of the summer solstice the group's leader was gone - what happened inside that Threshold to make ordinary people hand over $19,000, stop calling family, and follow a date into silence?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Threshold community and the people who joined it, how a leader called William Whitfield structured communal life around a predicted "Still Hour," and how small actions - a chandelier, recorded reception sessions, the transfer of funds - set a series of events in motion that ended with the leader's disappearance. What did the members give up to prepare for a completion that never materialized?

Person: William Whitfield (formerly William Whitmore)
Person: Kimberly Jensen, age 27 in spring 2013
Event: Summer solstice "Still Hour" of 2014
Amount: $19,000 transferred by Kimberly across two payments
Duration: Chandelier hung in entryway for roughly 18 months

- On June 19, 2014 at 5:47 AM a fisherman named Larry Simmons found a brass chandelier hanging from a willow on Carver Creek.
- Twelve glass drops on the chandelier corresponded to the twelve people living at the Threshold as the Covenant of the Still Hour.
- Kimberly Jensen moved into the Threshold in September 2013 after attending a June 2013 gathering where Whitfield presented.
- Kimberley transferred a total of $19,000 to Cedarpoint Resources in October and December 2013.
- Reception sessions began with members waking before 4 AM for 90-minute recorded voice loops in preparation for a "completion" tied to the summer solstice of 2014.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1342falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-greenhouse-secret-how-a-cooperative-stole-marilyn-s-life--73181807
The discovery of a warehouse-sized greenhouse with 2,300 seedling trays and a single left gardening glove marked the start of a disappearance that erased a woman’s livelihood and trust. How did a supposed cooperative convince a careful, 53-year-old nursery owner to sign away $41,000 and walk into a scheme she could not see coming?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from the county surveyor’s morning discovery to the community meetings where a man named George Weber ingratiated himself with growers, and the financial transfer that began the unraveling - what really happened between Marilyn Patterson and the Collective?

Person: Marilyn Patterson
Location: Meade County, Oregon
Date: May 11, 2009
Amount: $41,000
Person: George Weber

- At 8:47 AM on May 11, 2009, county surveyor Sandra Porter found the unauthorized greenhouse.
- The greenhouse contained 2,300 seedling trays under corrugated plastic panels.
- Lumber framing bore inventory stamps matching a theft report filed 14 months earlier.
- Marilyn Patterson transferred $41,000 of personal savings into the Collective’s LLC in March 2006.
- George Weber arrived in the Rogue Valley in spring 2005 and attended at least four community dinners between October and December 2005.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181807Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:53:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Greenhouse Secret: How a Cooperative Stole Marilyn's Life The discovery of a warehouse-sized greenhouse with 2,300 seedling trays and a single left gardening glove marked the start of a disappearance that erased a woman’s livelihood and trust....
The discovery of a warehouse-sized greenhouse with 2,300 seedling trays and a single left gardening glove marked the start of a disappearance that erased a woman’s livelihood and trust. How did a supposed cooperative convince a careful, 53-year-old nursery owner to sign away $41,000 and walk into a scheme she could not see coming?

In this episode, you’ll hear the timeline from the county surveyor’s morning discovery to the community meetings where a man named George Weber ingratiated himself with growers, and the financial transfer that began the unraveling - what really happened between Marilyn Patterson and the Collective?

Person: Marilyn Patterson
Location: Meade County, Oregon
Date: May 11, 2009
Amount: $41,000
Person: George Weber

- At 8:47 AM on May 11, 2009, county surveyor Sandra Porter found the unauthorized greenhouse.
- The greenhouse contained 2,300 seedling trays under corrugated plastic panels.
- Lumber framing bore inventory stamps matching a theft report filed 14 months earlier.
- Marilyn Patterson transferred $41,000 of personal savings into the Collective’s LLC in March 2006.
- George Weber arrived in the Rogue Valley in spring 2005 and attended at least four community dinners between October and December 2005.

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© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1302falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/locked-in-without-locks-the-fork-the-card-and-philip-o-brien--73181806
A single white plastic fork, a laminated meal-plan card tied with a rubber band, and the stamped words DEPARTURE APPROVED: MARCH FOURTEENTH-thirty-six days before the card was planted in mud. Why did the only message Philip O'Brien could send fit on a fork handle, and how did a licensed program keep a willing 22-year-old past his approved checkout with no locked doors?

In this episode, we tell how a family sent Philip to a fourteen-day residential program that stretched into months, the staff changes and rules that followed, and the moment a septic contractor found what would become Exhibit One. How did routine intake, sleep changes, and a recommendation to extend combine to trap him past March 14?

Person: Philip O'Brien
Date: January 9, 2011 (arrival)
Location: Evergreen Hollow Renewal Center, forty-three acres in Maben County
Person: Scott Allen Porter, age 46
Event: Meal-plan card stamped "DEPARTURE APPROVED: MARCH FOURTEENTH" found April 19, 2011

- Philip O'Brien turned twenty-two in October 2010 and arrived at Evergreen Hollow on January 9, 2011.
- The initial program was a fourteen-day stay costing $840 for the first term.
- Porter recommended a thirty-day extension with a fee of $2,200, signed by Marie O'Brien on February 1, 2011.
- Phones were collected weekly and returned Friday evenings under a policy called "signal fasting."
- On April 19, 2011 at 7:42 a.m., Teresa Griffin found a white plastic fork in mud beside the largest tulip poplar with Philip's laminated meal-plan card tied by a rubber band.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181806Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:59 +0000Creator at ObomediaLocked In Without Locks: The Fork, the Card, and Philip O'Brien A single white plastic fork, a laminated meal-plan card tied with a rubber band, and the stamped words DEPARTURE APPROVED: MARCH FOURTEENTH-thirty-six days before the card was planted...
A single white plastic fork, a laminated meal-plan card tied with a rubber band, and the stamped words DEPARTURE APPROVED: MARCH FOURTEENTH-thirty-six days before the card was planted in mud. Why did the only message Philip O'Brien could send fit on a fork handle, and how did a licensed program keep a willing 22-year-old past his approved checkout with no locked doors?

In this episode, we tell how a family sent Philip to a fourteen-day residential program that stretched into months, the staff changes and rules that followed, and the moment a septic contractor found what would become Exhibit One. How did routine intake, sleep changes, and a recommendation to extend combine to trap him past March 14?

Person: Philip O'Brien
Date: January 9, 2011 (arrival)
Location: Evergreen Hollow Renewal Center, forty-three acres in Maben County
Person: Scott Allen Porter, age 46
Event: Meal-plan card stamped "DEPARTURE APPROVED: MARCH FOURTEENTH" found April 19, 2011

- Philip O'Brien turned twenty-two in October 2010 and arrived at Evergreen Hollow on January 9, 2011.
- The initial program was a fourteen-day stay costing $840 for the first term.
- Porter recommended a thirty-day extension with a fee of $2,200, signed by Marie O'Brien on February 1, 2011.
- Phones were collected weekly and returned Friday evenings under a policy called "signal fasting."
- On April 19, 2011 at 7:42 a.m., Teresa Griffin found a white plastic fork in mud beside the largest tulip poplar with Philip's laminated meal-plan card tied by a rubber band.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1284falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-filing-cabinet-in-the-creek-secrets-81-victims-hid--73181804
A cream-colored steel filing cabinet, found in fourteen inches of creek water with a cut padlock, contained eighty-one laminated cards each with a first name, photograph and number - and a sealed envelope whose note read, "For whoever finds this. He was lying the whole time." Who put those documents in the creek, and why did one woman carry that cabinet four hundred yards across frozen ground in the dark?

In this episode, we tell the story of a closed community on a sixty-acre farm in east-central Merritt County, the man who called himself Steven Berry, and the thirty-seven-year-old woman who removed the cabinet from Alderman Flats; what was inside the drawers raises the question of who Berry really was and what members surrendered to join him.

Person: Steven Berry
Person: Melissa Wagner
Location: Alderman Flats, Sycamore Fork
Event: Filing cabinet found in creek in March 2017
Property: Sixty-acre farm leased from Douglas Pruett

- Found on a Tuesday morning in the second week of March 2017, a filing cabinet sat in fourteen inches of cold water at Alderman Flats.
- The cabinet contained eighty-one laminated cards, each with a first name, a photograph, and a number, plus one sealed envelope wrapped in a torn paper bag and double-sealed in freezer bags.
- The envelope's note read: "For whoever finds this. He was lying the whole time."
- The sixty-acre property was leased from farmer Douglas Pruett for $1,400 a month, paid by money order on the first of each month.
- Melissa Wagner, born September 1979 and age thirty-seven, walked four hundred yards across frozen winter ground at night to carry the cabinet out because she believed no one else would.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181804Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:55 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Filing Cabinet in the Creek: Secrets 81 Victims Hid A cream-colored steel filing cabinet, found in fourteen inches of creek water with a cut padlock, contained eighty-one laminated cards each with a first name, photograph and number - and a...
A cream-colored steel filing cabinet, found in fourteen inches of creek water with a cut padlock, contained eighty-one laminated cards each with a first name, photograph and number - and a sealed envelope whose note read, "For whoever finds this. He was lying the whole time." Who put those documents in the creek, and why did one woman carry that cabinet four hundred yards across frozen ground in the dark?

In this episode, we tell the story of a closed community on a sixty-acre farm in east-central Merritt County, the man who called himself Steven Berry, and the thirty-seven-year-old woman who removed the cabinet from Alderman Flats; what was inside the drawers raises the question of who Berry really was and what members surrendered to join him.

Person: Steven Berry
Person: Melissa Wagner
Location: Alderman Flats, Sycamore Fork
Event: Filing cabinet found in creek in March 2017
Property: Sixty-acre farm leased from Douglas Pruett

- Found on a Tuesday morning in the second week of March 2017, a filing cabinet sat in fourteen inches of cold water at Alderman Flats.
- The cabinet contained eighty-one laminated cards, each with a first name, a photograph, and a number, plus one sealed envelope wrapped in a torn paper bag and double-sealed in freezer bags.
- The envelope's note read: "For whoever finds this. He was lying the whole time."
- The sixty-acre property was leased from farmer Douglas Pruett for $1,400 a month, paid by money order on the first of each month.
- Melissa Wagner, born September 1979 and age thirty-seven, walked four hundred yards across frozen winter ground at night to carry the cabinet out because she believed no one else would.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1333falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-seven-cups-in-the-trunk-how-a-quiet-circle-became-a-lie--73181803
A 14-year-old papergirl found a dark green Buick with its trunk wide open and seven ceramic cups arranged on a lazy Susan in a perfect circle - each cup painted with a small red sun and one marked with a name in black marker. Why were the cups untouched in frost at 6:42 a.m. on February 11, and what did a single labeled cup reveal about the quiet network behind them?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that led from routine Tuesday volunteer shifts to a house-based group charging monthly tiers, and we trace how one member's steady habits were redirected into something called the Mirror Protocol. What did Gary Bell promise with Reflective Integration, and how did that promise change the everyday life of a 61-year-old former dental hygienist?

Person: Denise Adams
Date: February 11
Location: Collier Heights, Fennwick, Ohio
Person: Lauren Long
Person: Gary Bell

- At 6:42 a.m. a 14-year-old paper carrier found a dark green Buick LeSabre with its trunk open and frost on the trunk lid.
- Inside the trunk were seven ceramic cups arranged on a wooden table with a lazy Susan, each cup painted with a small red sun.
- One cup had a name written in black marker on a strip of masking tape at its base.
- Lauren Long, age 61, stopped attending her weekly four-year volunteer shift after joining the group and became a core member by month six.
- Gary Bell charged membership tiers of $90, $400, and $900 per month after moving the group from a hotel to a house and taught a process called the Mirror Protocol.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181803Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:52 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Seven Cups in the Trunk: How a Quiet Circle Became a Lie A 14-year-old papergirl found a dark green Buick with its trunk wide open and seven ceramic cups arranged on a lazy Susan in a perfect circle - each cup painted with a small red sun and...
A 14-year-old papergirl found a dark green Buick with its trunk wide open and seven ceramic cups arranged on a lazy Susan in a perfect circle - each cup painted with a small red sun and one marked with a name in black marker. Why were the cups untouched in frost at 6:42 a.m. on February 11, and what did a single labeled cup reveal about the quiet network behind them?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events that led from routine Tuesday volunteer shifts to a house-based group charging monthly tiers, and we trace how one member's steady habits were redirected into something called the Mirror Protocol. What did Gary Bell promise with Reflective Integration, and how did that promise change the everyday life of a 61-year-old former dental hygienist?

Person: Denise Adams
Date: February 11
Location: Collier Heights, Fennwick, Ohio
Person: Lauren Long
Person: Gary Bell

- At 6:42 a.m. a 14-year-old paper carrier found a dark green Buick LeSabre with its trunk open and frost on the trunk lid.
- Inside the trunk were seven ceramic cups arranged on a wooden table with a lazy Susan, each cup painted with a small red sun.
- One cup had a name written in black marker on a strip of masking tape at its base.
- Lauren Long, age 61, stopped attending her weekly four-year volunteer shift after joining the group and became a core member by month six.
- Gary Bell charged membership tiers of $90, $400, and $900 per month after moving the group from a hotel to a house and taught a process called the Mirror Protocol.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1395falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/buried-shoe-silent-compound-how-laura-escaped-meridian-road--73181802
A dry note folded inside a child's size-four canvas sneaker appeared under 28 centimeters of packed snow after six days of storm - ink sharp, paper uncreased, four blue words: Please find Laura Turner. That single discovery unspooled a ledger entry, a disputed advisory board, and a winter escape that left a woman walking six hours along a frozen high-desert road; how did a shoe, a note, and a snowdrift become the only trail out of a closed compound?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discoveries and documents that connect a Medford diner, a residential intake, and a remote four-hundred-acre property; we outline the daily routines, the restrictions recorded in a ledger, and the moment Laura Turner chose to leave - what did she risk to make that walk and why did she leave a shoe as a message?

Date: January 14, 2011
Location: Meridian Road, eastern Oregon
Event: Discovery of child's sneaker containing note
Person: Laura Turner
Place: Ashford Ranch / Clearwater Assembly compound

- The sneaker was white, size four, with a cartoon sun stitched on the toe and had been under 28 centimeters of packed snow for six days.
- The paper inside the shoe contained four words written in blue ballpoint: "Please find Laura Turner."
- Laura walked out of the compound at approximately 8:00 PM on January 7, 2011, in nine degrees Fahrenheit with no phone and no car.
- Clearwater Assembly occupied 400 acres of high-desert chaparral and had acquired Ashford Ranch in October 2008.
- Laura signed a residential intake agreement in August 2009 and handed over a promissory note for $4,200.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181802Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:47 +0000Creator at ObomediaBuried Shoe, Silent Compound: How Laura Escaped Meridian Road A dry note folded inside a child's size-four canvas sneaker appeared under 28 centimeters of packed snow after six days of storm - ink sharp, paper uncreased, four blue words: Please...
A dry note folded inside a child's size-four canvas sneaker appeared under 28 centimeters of packed snow after six days of storm - ink sharp, paper uncreased, four blue words: Please find Laura Turner. That single discovery unspooled a ledger entry, a disputed advisory board, and a winter escape that left a woman walking six hours along a frozen high-desert road; how did a shoe, a note, and a snowdrift become the only trail out of a closed compound?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of discoveries and documents that connect a Medford diner, a residential intake, and a remote four-hundred-acre property; we outline the daily routines, the restrictions recorded in a ledger, and the moment Laura Turner chose to leave - what did she risk to make that walk and why did she leave a shoe as a message?

Date: January 14, 2011
Location: Meridian Road, eastern Oregon
Event: Discovery of child's sneaker containing note
Person: Laura Turner
Place: Ashford Ranch / Clearwater Assembly compound

- The sneaker was white, size four, with a cartoon sun stitched on the toe and had been under 28 centimeters of packed snow for six days.
- The paper inside the shoe contained four words written in blue ballpoint: "Please find Laura Turner."
- Laura walked out of the compound at approximately 8:00 PM on January 7, 2011, in nine degrees Fahrenheit with no phone and no car.
- Clearwater Assembly occupied 400 acres of high-desert chaparral and had acquired Ashford Ranch in October 2008.
- Laura signed a residential intake agreement in August 2009 and handed over a promissory note for $4,200.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1301falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/frozen-feast-silent-cabins-the-man-who-built-pineward-s-prison--73181801
A frozen table for fourteen sat in a meadow with cloth napkins folded into perfect triangles while thirteen people lived in cabins nearby and no one called for three days - why were they waiting in the cold instead of calling for help? Pineward Camp's founder used a lapsed therapy license number and built a trust that hid where money went; what did he create that kept people silent?

In this episode, we tell how a utility worker found the scene and what followed as investigators pieced together the years-long operation at Pineward Camp - from recruitment at a library game night to the financial and social structures that kept members isolated - and ask how a community became a prison.

Person: Vernon Callahan
Person: Valerie Rafferty
Person: Jean Gray
Location: Sutter Mill Road, nineteen miles east of Caldwell, Missouri
Date: December 11, 2022

- Temperature was twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit on the morning Valerie Rafferty discovered the outdoor table.
- The table had fourteen place settings and was reset every morning after nights below freezing for three consecutive days.
- Thirteen people were living in the cabins on the forty-two-acre property when the scene was discovered.
- Callahan transferred $340,000 from the Sutter Mill Educational Trust into his personal accounts over nine years.
- Jean Gray moved into Pineward in March 2012 and contributed approximately $14,000 of her savings within four months.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181801Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:44 +0000Creator at ObomediaFrozen Feast, Silent Cabins: The Man Who Built Pineward's Prison A frozen table for fourteen sat in a meadow with cloth napkins folded into perfect triangles while thirteen people lived in cabins nearby and no one called for three days - why were...
A frozen table for fourteen sat in a meadow with cloth napkins folded into perfect triangles while thirteen people lived in cabins nearby and no one called for three days - why were they waiting in the cold instead of calling for help? Pineward Camp's founder used a lapsed therapy license number and built a trust that hid where money went; what did he create that kept people silent?

In this episode, we tell how a utility worker found the scene and what followed as investigators pieced together the years-long operation at Pineward Camp - from recruitment at a library game night to the financial and social structures that kept members isolated - and ask how a community became a prison.

Person: Vernon Callahan
Person: Valerie Rafferty
Person: Jean Gray
Location: Sutter Mill Road, nineteen miles east of Caldwell, Missouri
Date: December 11, 2022

- Temperature was twenty-two degrees Fahrenheit on the morning Valerie Rafferty discovered the outdoor table.
- The table had fourteen place settings and was reset every morning after nights below freezing for three consecutive days.
- Thirteen people were living in the cabins on the forty-two-acre property when the scene was discovered.
- Callahan transferred $340,000 from the Sutter Mill Educational Trust into his personal accounts over nine years.
- Jean Gray moved into Pineward in March 2012 and contributed approximately $14,000 of her savings within four months.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1434falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-lunchbox-that-exposed-a-cooperative-s-hidden-ledger-and-lies--73181800
A single pink lunchbox on frost-covered ground broke a three-year silence and contained the only paper records proving a member was told she had nothing to take when she tried to leave. Who kept those records hidden, and what did the ledger inside reveal about the cooperative's money and promises?

In this episode, we follow the discovery on November 14, 2019 and trace how a residential cooperative’s language of "steward," "protocol," and "alignment" masked centralized control, missing buyouts, and mysterious transfers - could a community’s paperwork tell the whole story?

Person: Kimberly Slater
Date: November 14, 2019
Location: Harwick property, eleven acres east of Crestfall
Person: Ryan Barnes
Person: Gordon Graham

- A pink lunchbox was found at 6:18 AM on November 14, 2019 with undisturbed frost and no footprints.
- Ryan Barnes ran a daily loop for 412 consecutive mornings before stopping that day.
- Gordon Graham incorporated the Harwick Residential Cooperative in fall 2016 at age 44.
- Ryan Barnes contributed $8,000 from his retirement and moved to the property in September 2017.
- The cooperative had 14 residents by October 2017 and held evening "alignment sessions" at 5:30 PM.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181800Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:39 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Lunchbox That Exposed a Cooperative's Hidden Ledger and Lies A single pink lunchbox on frost-covered ground broke a three-year silence and contained the only paper records proving a member was told she had nothing to take when she tried to...
A single pink lunchbox on frost-covered ground broke a three-year silence and contained the only paper records proving a member was told she had nothing to take when she tried to leave. Who kept those records hidden, and what did the ledger inside reveal about the cooperative's money and promises?

In this episode, we follow the discovery on November 14, 2019 and trace how a residential cooperative’s language of "steward," "protocol," and "alignment" masked centralized control, missing buyouts, and mysterious transfers - could a community’s paperwork tell the whole story?

Person: Kimberly Slater
Date: November 14, 2019
Location: Harwick property, eleven acres east of Crestfall
Person: Ryan Barnes
Person: Gordon Graham

- A pink lunchbox was found at 6:18 AM on November 14, 2019 with undisturbed frost and no footprints.
- Ryan Barnes ran a daily loop for 412 consecutive mornings before stopping that day.
- Gordon Graham incorporated the Harwick Residential Cooperative in fall 2016 at age 44.
- Ryan Barnes contributed $8,000 from his retirement and moved to the property in September 2017.
- The cooperative had 14 residents by October 2017 and held evening "alignment sessions" at 5:30 PM.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1358falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-choir-that-lied-how-a-conductor-turned-faith-into-fraud--73181799
A music stand with a single dry manuscript page sat alone in an alley beside a building vacated by court order, the scene that ended four years of rehearsals, confessions, and two hundred and eighty thousand dollars spent - but why was the most important evidence not the paper in the alley? Discover how a choir’s pursuit of musical perfection became a controlled, costly deception that culminated in a federal courtroom.

In this episode, we follow Cynthia Barrett from her weekday bookkeeper routine into a demanding ensemble led by Chad O'Connor, charting the group's schedules, rules, and the slow tightening of control that turned ordinary singers into a closed circle of late-night confessions. What did O'Connor promise, and how did his past and the group's rituals lead thirty-one people into collapse?

Person: Cynthia Barrett
Person: Chad O'Connor
Location: 4417 Decker Street
Date: October 9, 2019
Cost: $280,000

- Cynthia Barrett worked twenty-one years as a bookkeeper and called her daughter Brianna every Wednesday at 10:15 p.m, for 40-60 minutes.
- The building at 4417 Decker Street was vacated by court order eleven days before the music stand was found.
- The ensemble began meeting in January 2016 with rehearsals at 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., plus un-timed score study sessions.
- The group eventually numbered thirty-one people and the project lasted four years.
- Chad O'Connor's last documented role before Millhaven was as a music copyist at a community orchestra in Bloomington in 2013, contradicting his claims of recent European conservatory training.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181799Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:35 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Choir That Lied: How a Conductor Turned Faith Into Fraud A music stand with a single dry manuscript page sat alone in an alley beside a building vacated by court order, the scene that ended four years of rehearsals, confessions, and two hundred...
A music stand with a single dry manuscript page sat alone in an alley beside a building vacated by court order, the scene that ended four years of rehearsals, confessions, and two hundred and eighty thousand dollars spent - but why was the most important evidence not the paper in the alley? Discover how a choir’s pursuit of musical perfection became a controlled, costly deception that culminated in a federal courtroom.

In this episode, we follow Cynthia Barrett from her weekday bookkeeper routine into a demanding ensemble led by Chad O'Connor, charting the group's schedules, rules, and the slow tightening of control that turned ordinary singers into a closed circle of late-night confessions. What did O'Connor promise, and how did his past and the group's rituals lead thirty-one people into collapse?

Person: Cynthia Barrett
Person: Chad O'Connor
Location: 4417 Decker Street
Date: October 9, 2019
Cost: $280,000

- Cynthia Barrett worked twenty-one years as a bookkeeper and called her daughter Brianna every Wednesday at 10:15 p.m, for 40-60 minutes.
- The building at 4417 Decker Street was vacated by court order eleven days before the music stand was found.
- The ensemble began meeting in January 2016 with rehearsals at 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., plus un-timed score study sessions.
- The group eventually numbered thirty-one people and the project lasted four years.
- Chad O'Connor's last documented role before Millhaven was as a music copyist at a community orchestra in Bloomington in 2013, contradicting his claims of recent European conservatory training.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1415falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-jar-room-how-a-fake-dr-turned-faith-into-poison--73181798
The smell of chlorine and a chemical edge led a volunteer to a converted barn where fourteen glass jars, each labeled "submitted in full surrender," sat in a row-each jar tied to a different person. A man who tracked his life in notebooks paid $1,800 to join a residential program led by a speaker who used a fake "Dr." credential-what was really in those jars and what they were for?

In this episode, we follow the path from a Holiday Inn seminar to a gray-painted dairy barn called Restoration House and the people who enrolled in a protocol promising metabolic restoration. How did a manufactured doctorate and a nonprofit name become the authority that convinced participants to move in and pay again?

Person: Terry Hall
Event: Holiday Inn seminar on metabolic restoration and cellular detoxification
Location: Pryor Flats (Restoration House)
Date: 2017 (Terry was 44 in spring 2017) and 2018 (residential move by autumn 2018)
Status: Barn found empty and cleaned; fourteen jars documented

- Gail Miller discovered fourteen glass jars in a converted barn, each with a handwritten date, number, and the phrase "submitted in full surrender."
- Terry Hall paid $1,800 for the residential phase after attending a seminar and paid a prior $1,800 to enroll.
- Robert Jenkins listed himself as "Dr. Robert Jenkins, PhD" and affiliated with the Institute for Integrative Cellular Medicine on the seminar flyer.
- In 2008 Jenkins testified under oath in a civil deposition that he held no graduate degree beyond a 1993 bachelor's in exercise science.
- By autumn 2018 Jenkins had leased a converted dairy barn, moved eleven full-time participants into Restoration House, and painted a handmade sign reading Restoration House.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181798Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:31 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Jar Room: How a Fake "Dr." Turned Faith Into Poison The smell of chlorine and a chemical edge led a volunteer to a converted barn where fourteen glass jars, each labeled "submitted in full surrender," sat in a row-each jar tied to a different...
The smell of chlorine and a chemical edge led a volunteer to a converted barn where fourteen glass jars, each labeled "submitted in full surrender," sat in a row-each jar tied to a different person. A man who tracked his life in notebooks paid $1,800 to join a residential program led by a speaker who used a fake "Dr." credential-what was really in those jars and what they were for?

In this episode, we follow the path from a Holiday Inn seminar to a gray-painted dairy barn called Restoration House and the people who enrolled in a protocol promising metabolic restoration. How did a manufactured doctorate and a nonprofit name become the authority that convinced participants to move in and pay again?

Person: Terry Hall
Event: Holiday Inn seminar on metabolic restoration and cellular detoxification
Location: Pryor Flats (Restoration House)
Date: 2017 (Terry was 44 in spring 2017) and 2018 (residential move by autumn 2018)
Status: Barn found empty and cleaned; fourteen jars documented

- Gail Miller discovered fourteen glass jars in a converted barn, each with a handwritten date, number, and the phrase "submitted in full surrender."
- Terry Hall paid $1,800 for the residential phase after attending a seminar and paid a prior $1,800 to enroll.
- Robert Jenkins listed himself as "Dr. Robert Jenkins, PhD" and affiliated with the Institute for Integrative Cellular Medicine on the seminar flyer.
- In 2008 Jenkins testified under oath in a civil deposition that he held no graduate degree beyond a 1993 bachelor's in exercise science.
- By autumn 2018 Jenkins had leased a converted dairy barn, moved eleven full-time participants into Restoration House, and painted a handmade sign reading Restoration House.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1374falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-man-who-made-night-workers-worship-him-and-disappear--73181797
Night-shift workers giving wages, evenings, and relationships to a man whose past was fabricated: a laminated badge, a locked ledger, and a safety vest with the wrong name were left on a rock outside Kellerton - so what happened between a dinner invitation and eleven people vanishing into a private “Brotherhood”? Which ordinary acts of trust turned into something no one saw coming?

In this episode, we follow the events that began on a Tuesday morning in August 2011 and trace back to a sequence of night-shift routines, a stranger who arrived with a Tri-State Meter Services badge, and a name for a group that redefined the identity of its members - how did Norman Webb turn familiarity into control?

Date: August 2011
Location: Kellerton, Illinois
Person: Norman Webb
Person: Karen Harris
Event: formation of the Brotherhood of the Second Shift

- On a Tuesday morning in August 2011 a dog walker found a laminated badge for Norman Webb, a spiral ledger locked with a padlock, and an orange safety vest bearing the name Karen Harris on a limestone shelf.
- Karen Harris was 27 years old in fall 2009 and had worked the night shift at Kellerton Plastics for just over three years, routinely visiting her grandmother in Burnham every Wednesday, making that drive 46 times in 2009.
- Norman Webb made four visits to Kellerton Plastics over six weeks starting in October 2009, presenting a laminated Tri-State Meter Services badge and claiming to be a technician.
- After the fourth visit Webb invited six night-shift workers to a dinner where he listened closely and persuaded attendees they were part of a special identity, later naming the group the Brotherhood of the Second Shift.
- Webb provided a printed curriculum mixing stoic philosophy and a self-published pamphlet he said was written during three years working rail yards outside Spokane - an origin story later shown to be false by employment records.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181797Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:28 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Man Who Made Night Workers Worship Him - And Disappear Night-shift workers giving wages, evenings, and relationships to a man whose past was fabricated: a laminated badge, a locked ledger, and a safety vest with the wrong name were left on a...
Night-shift workers giving wages, evenings, and relationships to a man whose past was fabricated: a laminated badge, a locked ledger, and a safety vest with the wrong name were left on a rock outside Kellerton - so what happened between a dinner invitation and eleven people vanishing into a private “Brotherhood”? Which ordinary acts of trust turned into something no one saw coming?

In this episode, we follow the events that began on a Tuesday morning in August 2011 and trace back to a sequence of night-shift routines, a stranger who arrived with a Tri-State Meter Services badge, and a name for a group that redefined the identity of its members - how did Norman Webb turn familiarity into control?

Date: August 2011
Location: Kellerton, Illinois
Person: Norman Webb
Person: Karen Harris
Event: formation of the Brotherhood of the Second Shift

- On a Tuesday morning in August 2011 a dog walker found a laminated badge for Norman Webb, a spiral ledger locked with a padlock, and an orange safety vest bearing the name Karen Harris on a limestone shelf.
- Karen Harris was 27 years old in fall 2009 and had worked the night shift at Kellerton Plastics for just over three years, routinely visiting her grandmother in Burnham every Wednesday, making that drive 46 times in 2009.
- Norman Webb made four visits to Kellerton Plastics over six weeks starting in October 2009, presenting a laminated Tri-State Meter Services badge and claiming to be a technician.
- After the fourth visit Webb invited six night-shift workers to a dinner where he listened closely and persuaded attendees they were part of a special identity, later naming the group the Brotherhood of the Second Shift.
- Webb provided a printed curriculum mixing stoic philosophy and a self-published pamphlet he said was written during three years working rail yards outside Spokane - an origin story later shown to be false by employment records.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1442falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-manuscripts-in-the-creek-how-a-writer-lost-his-voice-to-linden-press--73181795
A fisherwoman found a wooden crate in Cutter Creek on July 11 containing eleven numbered manuscripts, sealed and completely dry - someone had preserved and then sunk them. How did a quiet eighty-acre writer community come to have its members surrender phones, savings, and, in some cases, their voices to a single man?

In this episode, we follow the discovery and trace the lived structure of the Linden Press Collective, the routines and rules members accepted, and the financial and editorial details that began to unsettle long-term residents. What did those eleven manuscripts reveal about control, money, and authorship at the Collective?

Person: Ralph Brown
Person: Scott West
Event: Manuscripts found in Cutter Creek on July 11
Location: Linden Press Collective, eighty-acre parcel eleven miles north of Hale Crossing in Renwick County
Amount: Program fee $900 per month per member

- Eleven manuscripts were recovered inside a wooden crate, each labeled by number and sealed in plastic sleeves.
- The Collective had twenty-two members living on the property when Scott West arrived.
- Members paid a program fee of $900 per month, producing roughly $20,000 monthly in contributions.
- Documented supply invoices showed $412 in expenses during one delivery, contrasting with the $20,000 inflow.
- The Collective allowed internet access two hours a day on Tuesdays and Fridays on a single shared computer supervised by Kevin Marsh.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181795Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:24 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Manuscripts in the Creek: How a Writer Lost His Voice to Linden Press A fisherwoman found a wooden crate in Cutter Creek on July 11 containing eleven numbered manuscripts, sealed and completely dry - someone had preserved and then sunk them....
A fisherwoman found a wooden crate in Cutter Creek on July 11 containing eleven numbered manuscripts, sealed and completely dry - someone had preserved and then sunk them. How did a quiet eighty-acre writer community come to have its members surrender phones, savings, and, in some cases, their voices to a single man?

In this episode, we follow the discovery and trace the lived structure of the Linden Press Collective, the routines and rules members accepted, and the financial and editorial details that began to unsettle long-term residents. What did those eleven manuscripts reveal about control, money, and authorship at the Collective?

Person: Ralph Brown
Person: Scott West
Event: Manuscripts found in Cutter Creek on July 11
Location: Linden Press Collective, eighty-acre parcel eleven miles north of Hale Crossing in Renwick County
Amount: Program fee $900 per month per member

- Eleven manuscripts were recovered inside a wooden crate, each labeled by number and sealed in plastic sleeves.
- The Collective had twenty-two members living on the property when Scott West arrived.
- Members paid a program fee of $900 per month, producing roughly $20,000 monthly in contributions.
- Documented supply invoices showed $412 in expenses during one delivery, contrasting with the $20,000 inflow.
- The Collective allowed internet access two hours a day on Tuesdays and Fridays on a single shared computer supervised by Kevin Marsh.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1349falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/found-in-cedar-grove-the-notebook-that-exposed-a-hidden-cult--73181794
A notebook found eight inches off the ground in a cedar grove held four words in capital letters - PLEASE CALL POLICE - and a cramped, dated entry that led a county surveyor to call the sheriff. The pages revealed a hidden network: a nonprofit with an apparently nonexistent board member, construction permits filed as a storm shelter, and twelve people kept underground - but how long had this quietly run before anyone looked?

In this episode, we follow the discovery in early June 2019 and trace how a preparedness community morphed into a closed Core, the financial transfers that funded secret construction, and the path that took a committed volunteer librarian underground; what was Grant Jones really building, and why did the permits describe it as a storm shelter?

Person: Amy Vaughn
Date: early June 2019
Location: cedar grove near Calhoun
Event: notebook found with message PLEASE CALL POLICE
Amount: more than $240,000 transferred into Prepared Ground LLC over ~30 months

- The notebook was discovered eight inches off the ground on a morning in early June 2019.
- The handwriting inside the notebook was dated four days earlier than the discovery.
- Amy Vaughn was twenty-two years old and had volunteered at the Calhoun library for three years.
- The Prepared Ground registered as a nonprofit in 2015 with a board member named Thomas Reidy, a name with no Polk County records.
- Twelve people were brought home after being kept underground, including Amy who lost fourteen pounds.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181794Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:19 +0000Creator at ObomediaFound in Cedar Grove: The Notebook That Exposed a Hidden Cult A notebook found eight inches off the ground in a cedar grove held four words in capital letters - PLEASE CALL POLICE - and a cramped, dated entry that led a county surveyor to call the...
A notebook found eight inches off the ground in a cedar grove held four words in capital letters - PLEASE CALL POLICE - and a cramped, dated entry that led a county surveyor to call the sheriff. The pages revealed a hidden network: a nonprofit with an apparently nonexistent board member, construction permits filed as a storm shelter, and twelve people kept underground - but how long had this quietly run before anyone looked?

In this episode, we follow the discovery in early June 2019 and trace how a preparedness community morphed into a closed Core, the financial transfers that funded secret construction, and the path that took a committed volunteer librarian underground; what was Grant Jones really building, and why did the permits describe it as a storm shelter?

Person: Amy Vaughn
Date: early June 2019
Location: cedar grove near Calhoun
Event: notebook found with message PLEASE CALL POLICE
Amount: more than $240,000 transferred into Prepared Ground LLC over ~30 months

- The notebook was discovered eight inches off the ground on a morning in early June 2019.
- The handwriting inside the notebook was dated four days earlier than the discovery.
- Amy Vaughn was twenty-two years old and had volunteered at the Calhoun library for three years.
- The Prepared Ground registered as a nonprofit in 2015 with a board member named Thomas Reidy, a name with no Polk County records.
- Twelve people were brought home after being kept underground, including Amy who lost fourteen pounds.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1230falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/they-left-a-table-for-fourteen-the-kinship-circle-vanished--73181793
A farmhouse in Portsmith, Indiana, was found with a table set for fourteen-plates, forks, full glasses, and soft dinner rolls-yet every chair was empty and beds were made; how did an entire household vanish after deliberately preparing to leave that morning? The discovery links to a private genealogy fellowship, a monthly archive fee of $300, and a stewardship tithe that drained members' incomes-what pushed careful, fact-minded people to move in and then disappear?

In this episode, we tell how Heather Dalton, a meticulous genealogy researcher, met Gary Ford at a local fair and soon moved into a forty-two-acre farmhouse with thirteen adults and one teenager as part of the Kinship Circle; we follow the daily rhythms, the payments, and the documents that led to a collective departure and the unanswered question about where they went.

Person: Heather Dalton
Person: Gary Ford
Location: County Road 7, Portsmith, Indiana
Event: Table set for fourteen found on a Tuesday morning in May 2011
Amount: $300 monthly archive fee per member

- Heather Dalton received a twelve-page letter tracing her Aldrich ancestry and attended Kinship Circle meetings by March 2009.
- Members paid a $300 monthly archive access fee and a 20% stewardship tithe of their monthly income.
- By June 2009, Heather moved into a forty-two-acre farmhouse with thirteen adults and one teenager.
- The farmhouse routine included breakfast at 7:00, documentation review at 9:00, and evening presentations from Ford.
- Douglas Harrison discovered the prepared table on County Road 7 at 7:15 on a Tuesday morning in May 2011.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181793Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:15 +0000Creator at ObomediaThey Left a Table for Fourteen - The Kinship Circle Vanished A farmhouse in Portsmith, Indiana, was found with a table set for fourteen-plates, forks, full glasses, and soft dinner rolls-yet every chair was empty and beds were made; how did an...
A farmhouse in Portsmith, Indiana, was found with a table set for fourteen-plates, forks, full glasses, and soft dinner rolls-yet every chair was empty and beds were made; how did an entire household vanish after deliberately preparing to leave that morning? The discovery links to a private genealogy fellowship, a monthly archive fee of $300, and a stewardship tithe that drained members' incomes-what pushed careful, fact-minded people to move in and then disappear?

In this episode, we tell how Heather Dalton, a meticulous genealogy researcher, met Gary Ford at a local fair and soon moved into a forty-two-acre farmhouse with thirteen adults and one teenager as part of the Kinship Circle; we follow the daily rhythms, the payments, and the documents that led to a collective departure and the unanswered question about where they went.

Person: Heather Dalton
Person: Gary Ford
Location: County Road 7, Portsmith, Indiana
Event: Table set for fourteen found on a Tuesday morning in May 2011
Amount: $300 monthly archive fee per member

- Heather Dalton received a twelve-page letter tracing her Aldrich ancestry and attended Kinship Circle meetings by March 2009.
- Members paid a $300 monthly archive access fee and a 20% stewardship tithe of their monthly income.
- By June 2009, Heather moved into a forty-two-acre farmhouse with thirteen adults and one teenager.
- The farmhouse routine included breakfast at 7:00, documentation review at 9:00, and evening presentations from Ford.
- Douglas Harrison discovered the prepared table on County Road 7 at 7:15 on a Tuesday morning in May 2011.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1454falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-rescue-leader-who-vanished-inside-marie-holt-s-quiet-deception--73181792
A laminated ID badge tied with orange paracord and a rescue-harness double-bowline knot hung eight feet up a sycamore above empty brown vials and cot impressions - a scene found on April 9, 2019 that pointed to a staged campsite and one missing leader. Who was Marie Holt, the woman whose FEMA claim and public rescue work built Meridian Relief Corps - and what did the scene in Piney Fork really mean?

In this episode, we follow the discovery and the months of reporting that preceded it, tracing Marie Holt’s public role in Meridian Relief Corps, her claimed FEMA background, and the inconsistencies uncovered in official records. How did a man like Gary Moore, with 22 years of facilities experience, end up spending six days a week at Ready Campus for a volunteer group led by Holt?

Person: Marie Holt
Date: April 9, 2019
Location: Piney Fork drainage, Harlen County, Missouri
Organization: Meridian Relief Corps
Person: Gary Moore

- A laminated ID badge with Marie Holt’s name and photograph was found threaded on orange paracord eight feet up a sycamore on April 9, 2019.
- Two rectangular depressions spaced fourteen inches apart indicated where a cot had rested at the campsite.
- Three tripod impressions from a camp stove and a cluster of empty, unlabeled small brown glass vials were found in the clay at the base of the tree.
- Marie Holt incorporated Meridian Relief Corps in 2011 and claimed to be a former FEMA logistics contractor with more than a decade of federal emergency management experience.
- Gary Moore began volunteering with Meridian after receiving a personalized two-page letter and by the end of 2016 was spending six days out of seven at Ready Campus as a coordinator.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181792Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:11 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Rescue Leader Who Vanished: Inside Marie Holt's Quiet Deception A laminated ID badge tied with orange paracord and a rescue-harness double-bowline knot hung eight feet up a sycamore above empty brown vials and cot impressions - a scene found on...
A laminated ID badge tied with orange paracord and a rescue-harness double-bowline knot hung eight feet up a sycamore above empty brown vials and cot impressions - a scene found on April 9, 2019 that pointed to a staged campsite and one missing leader. Who was Marie Holt, the woman whose FEMA claim and public rescue work built Meridian Relief Corps - and what did the scene in Piney Fork really mean?

In this episode, we follow the discovery and the months of reporting that preceded it, tracing Marie Holt’s public role in Meridian Relief Corps, her claimed FEMA background, and the inconsistencies uncovered in official records. How did a man like Gary Moore, with 22 years of facilities experience, end up spending six days a week at Ready Campus for a volunteer group led by Holt?

Person: Marie Holt
Date: April 9, 2019
Location: Piney Fork drainage, Harlen County, Missouri
Organization: Meridian Relief Corps
Person: Gary Moore

- A laminated ID badge with Marie Holt’s name and photograph was found threaded on orange paracord eight feet up a sycamore on April 9, 2019.
- Two rectangular depressions spaced fourteen inches apart indicated where a cot had rested at the campsite.
- Three tripod impressions from a camp stove and a cluster of empty, unlabeled small brown glass vials were found in the clay at the base of the tree.
- Marie Holt incorporated Meridian Relief Corps in 2011 and claimed to be a former FEMA logistics contractor with more than a decade of federal emergency management experience.
- Gary Moore began volunteering with Meridian after receiving a personalized two-page letter and by the end of 2016 was spending six days out of seven at Ready Campus as a coordinator.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1355falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-dry-collar-on-cutter-road-secrets-of-the-meridian-house--73181791
A dry red nylon collar with a Seattle phone number hung from a wet porch railing at 5:50 a.m. on March 11, 2019 - and inside the Meridian House a young woman clutched a four-pound rabbit, alone and sleepless. What does that single, perfectly dry collar reveal about six years of secrets, locked drawers, and a man operating under someone else’s credential?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events at Meridian House from its opening in 2016 through the morning Ronald Zimmerman found the collar in 2019, tracing the paperwork, admissions, and daily rules that shaped life there - and asking how a transitional recovery residence became so closed off that letters never reached a resident and positions were tracked in secret.

Person: Ronald Zimmerman
Person: Dale Thorpe
Person: Tracy Wilson
Date: March 11, 2019
Location: Cutter Road, Harsville, southern Indiana

- At 5:50 a.m. on March 11, 2019, 15-year-old Ronald Zimmerman discovered a red nylon collar hanging on the Meridian House porch.
- The collar's tag listed a Seattle area code (206) phone number belonging to the rabbit Pete's previous location.
- Meridian House opened in 2016 and was presented as a transitional recovery residence by Dale Thorpe.
- Dale Thorpe used a credential with the photo of himself but the name of a licensed professional in Columbus, Ohio, a discrepancy unexplained by the Ohio board for nearly three years.
- Tracy Wilson arrived at Meridian in August 2018, had been clean for 41 days, and kept a four-pound Holland Lop rabbit named Pete with a Seattle tag.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181791Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:07 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Dry Collar on Cutter Road: Secrets of the Meridian House A dry red nylon collar with a Seattle phone number hung from a wet porch railing at 5:50 a.m. on March 11, 2019 - and inside the Meridian House a young woman clutched a four-pound rabbit,...
A dry red nylon collar with a Seattle phone number hung from a wet porch railing at 5:50 a.m. on March 11, 2019 - and inside the Meridian House a young woman clutched a four-pound rabbit, alone and sleepless. What does that single, perfectly dry collar reveal about six years of secrets, locked drawers, and a man operating under someone else’s credential?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of events at Meridian House from its opening in 2016 through the morning Ronald Zimmerman found the collar in 2019, tracing the paperwork, admissions, and daily rules that shaped life there - and asking how a transitional recovery residence became so closed off that letters never reached a resident and positions were tracked in secret.

Person: Ronald Zimmerman
Person: Dale Thorpe
Person: Tracy Wilson
Date: March 11, 2019
Location: Cutter Road, Harsville, southern Indiana

- At 5:50 a.m. on March 11, 2019, 15-year-old Ronald Zimmerman discovered a red nylon collar hanging on the Meridian House porch.
- The collar's tag listed a Seattle area code (206) phone number belonging to the rabbit Pete's previous location.
- Meridian House opened in 2016 and was presented as a transitional recovery residence by Dale Thorpe.
- Dale Thorpe used a credential with the photo of himself but the name of a licensed professional in Columbus, Ohio, a discrepancy unexplained by the Ohio board for nearly three years.
- Tracy Wilson arrived at Meridian in August 2018, had been clean for 41 days, and kept a four-pound Holland Lop rabbit named Pete with a Seattle tag.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1364falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/paintings-in-the-snow-how-an-artist-risked-everything-to-save-them--73181790
Cold and quiet at 6:17 a.m. on February 9, 2022, a snowplow blade uncovered a dry canvas bag in an eleven-degree F morning-inside were forty-seven numbered paintings left in a culvert half a mile from the road. Who left them, and what had someone risked in the dark to protect them?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Foundry Collective and the people who lived at the Machen Ironworks, how Connie Turner came to the communal studio, and the chain of events that turned art, loss, and trust into a question of what it cost to save those paintings. How did a building, a leader, and a private grief push someone to act in the middle of a winter night?

Person: Ruth Rogers
Date: February 9, 2022
Location: Calverton, Ohio
Temperature: 11 degrees Fahrenheit
Number of paintings: 47

- The discovery occurred at 6:17 a.m. when snowplow operator Ruth Rogers caught a canvas bag in a drainage culvert.
- The paintings were dry inside the rolled canvas bag despite the eleven-degree Fahrenheit temperature outside.
- Each painting was numbered in pencil on the back, one through forty-seven, with no name or note.
- Connie Turner arrived at the Foundry Collective in August 2019 after being accepted in June 2019.
- Paul Ivers, a ceramicist, had been at the Collective since February 2019 and left in December 2019, leaving his ceramic work behind on his shelves.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181790Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:52:03 +0000Creator at ObomediaPaintings in the Snow: How an Artist Risked Everything to Save Them Cold and quiet at 6:17 a.m. on February 9, 2022, a snowplow blade uncovered a dry canvas bag in an eleven-degree F morning-inside were forty-seven numbered paintings left in a...
Cold and quiet at 6:17 a.m. on February 9, 2022, a snowplow blade uncovered a dry canvas bag in an eleven-degree F morning-inside were forty-seven numbered paintings left in a culvert half a mile from the road. Who left them, and what had someone risked in the dark to protect them?

In this episode, we tell the story of the Foundry Collective and the people who lived at the Machen Ironworks, how Connie Turner came to the communal studio, and the chain of events that turned art, loss, and trust into a question of what it cost to save those paintings. How did a building, a leader, and a private grief push someone to act in the middle of a winter night?

Person: Ruth Rogers
Date: February 9, 2022
Location: Calverton, Ohio
Temperature: 11 degrees Fahrenheit
Number of paintings: 47

- The discovery occurred at 6:17 a.m. when snowplow operator Ruth Rogers caught a canvas bag in a drainage culvert.
- The paintings were dry inside the rolled canvas bag despite the eleven-degree Fahrenheit temperature outside.
- Each painting was numbered in pencil on the back, one through forty-seven, with no name or note.
- Connie Turner arrived at the Foundry Collective in August 2019 after being accepted in June 2019.
- Paul Ivers, a ceramicist, had been at the Collective since February 2019 and left in December 2019, leaving his ceramic work behind on his shelves.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1177falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-called-it-the-station-62-people-one-man-s-midnight-gospel--73181789
A late-night radio show in rural Indiana became the center of a communal life that grew from eleven residents to sixty-two in four years - and a running transmitter was still on when a utility worker arrived at 6:40 a.m. What was a laminated index card with forty-seven names and forty-seven four-digit numbers zip-tied to the transmitter console, and why did sixty-two people accept nine years of Boyd’s midnight schedule? Press play to hear how a radio voice reorganized daily life into something both ordinary and controlling.

In this episode, we tell how Alan Boyd built The Open Frequency and converted a grain facility he called the Station into a shared household, how one caller known as the Night Gardener became a resident, and how financial and sleep routines were structured - could a radio host’s precision and a rotating “Watch” explain why people stayed?

Person: Alan Boyd
Person: Linda Lewis
Event: The Open Frequency broadcast on WKRL-AM from 11:00 p.m, to 2:00 a.m.
Location: converted grain facility four miles north of the WKRL transmitter outside Morrow, Indiana
Date: Linda first called in 2007; sixty-two residents by 2013

- A laminated index card with 47 names and 47 four-digit numbers was zip-tied to the transmitter console after a search warrant.
- The transmitter was still running when a utility worker arrived at 6:40 a.m.
- Linda Lewis first called The Open Frequency in 2007 at age 22 and moved into the Station by spring 2009.
- The Station housed 11 people when Linda arrived and 62 people by 2013.
- Residents pooled income totaling between $40,000 and $60,000 annually into accounts traced by accountant Warren Cole.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181789Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:59 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Called It The Station - 62 People, One Man's Midnight Gospel A late-night radio show in rural Indiana became the center of a communal life that grew from eleven residents to sixty-two in four years - and a running transmitter was still on when a...
A late-night radio show in rural Indiana became the center of a communal life that grew from eleven residents to sixty-two in four years - and a running transmitter was still on when a utility worker arrived at 6:40 a.m. What was a laminated index card with forty-seven names and forty-seven four-digit numbers zip-tied to the transmitter console, and why did sixty-two people accept nine years of Boyd’s midnight schedule? Press play to hear how a radio voice reorganized daily life into something both ordinary and controlling.

In this episode, we tell how Alan Boyd built The Open Frequency and converted a grain facility he called the Station into a shared household, how one caller known as the Night Gardener became a resident, and how financial and sleep routines were structured - could a radio host’s precision and a rotating “Watch” explain why people stayed?

Person: Alan Boyd
Person: Linda Lewis
Event: The Open Frequency broadcast on WKRL-AM from 11:00 p.m, to 2:00 a.m.
Location: converted grain facility four miles north of the WKRL transmitter outside Morrow, Indiana
Date: Linda first called in 2007; sixty-two residents by 2013

- A laminated index card with 47 names and 47 four-digit numbers was zip-tied to the transmitter console after a search warrant.
- The transmitter was still running when a utility worker arrived at 6:40 a.m.
- Linda Lewis first called The Open Frequency in 2007 at age 22 and moved into the Station by spring 2009.
- The Station housed 11 people when Linda arrived and 62 people by 2013.
- Residents pooled income totaling between $40,000 and $60,000 annually into accounts traced by accountant Warren Cole.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1437falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-binder-in-the-sycamore-how-a-dry-book-exposed-a-fake-school--73181788
A dry yellow binder wedged in a sycamore stopped a runner cold and would unravel a four-and-a-half-year deception that spanned three states and affected twenty-two families - but who placed scripted responses for children in a tree, and why was it kept dry after two days of rain? The discovery exposed a program charging parents up to $750 a month while isolating children from external assessment and outside relationships; what other secrets did that binder hide?

In this episode, we tell the story of how a found binder led to the collapse of Covenant Preparatory Fellowship and the unmasking of Gordon Lawson’s operation, tracing the timeline from a Facebook post to a community altered by “Boundary Integrity” and a family that paid over forty thousand dollars; how did a meticulous bookkeeper miss what was growing around her?

Date: December 11, 2019
Person: Raymond Tate
Location: Morrow Flats, Tennessee
Case: Covenant Preparatory Fellowship
Person: Gordon Lawson

- The binder contained 47 pages of scripted, word-for-word responses for children to use if asked about school.
- The binder was found dry after two days of rain while wedged in a sycamore two miles into a six-mile loop.
- Covenant Preparatory Fellowship grew to 22 families and educated children aged 6 to 17.
- Monthly fees rose from $200 in 2015 to $750 by 2017; total paid by Kathleen Griffin reached $40,971.
- By November 2015 Megan, then 12, had stopped taking standardized tests and by 2019 had not taken an external exam in three years.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181788Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:55 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Binder in the Sycamore: How a Dry Book Exposed a Fake School A dry yellow binder wedged in a sycamore stopped a runner cold and would unravel a four-and-a-half-year deception that spanned three states and affected twenty-two families - but who...
A dry yellow binder wedged in a sycamore stopped a runner cold and would unravel a four-and-a-half-year deception that spanned three states and affected twenty-two families - but who placed scripted responses for children in a tree, and why was it kept dry after two days of rain? The discovery exposed a program charging parents up to $750 a month while isolating children from external assessment and outside relationships; what other secrets did that binder hide?

In this episode, we tell the story of how a found binder led to the collapse of Covenant Preparatory Fellowship and the unmasking of Gordon Lawson’s operation, tracing the timeline from a Facebook post to a community altered by “Boundary Integrity” and a family that paid over forty thousand dollars; how did a meticulous bookkeeper miss what was growing around her?

Date: December 11, 2019
Person: Raymond Tate
Location: Morrow Flats, Tennessee
Case: Covenant Preparatory Fellowship
Person: Gordon Lawson

- The binder contained 47 pages of scripted, word-for-word responses for children to use if asked about school.
- The binder was found dry after two days of rain while wedged in a sycamore two miles into a six-mile loop.
- Covenant Preparatory Fellowship grew to 22 families and educated children aged 6 to 17.
- Monthly fees rose from $200 in 2015 to $750 by 2017; total paid by Kathleen Griffin reached $40,971.
- By November 2015 Megan, then 12, had stopped taking standardized tests and by 2019 had not taken an external exam in three years.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1358falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-red-boot-on-the-dock-how-a-loan-blew-open-a-coastal-cult--73181787
A single child's red rain boot, size four, filled with uncooked rice and sitting upright at the end of the Harrowgate dock signaled not a tragedy but a disappearance: fourteen adults, emptied bank accounts, and missing boats. How did a loan document found on a Tuesday afternoon begin to unravel a cooperative that had positioned itself as salvation?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Rebecca Phillips losing her cannery job in 2014 to joining Harrowgate Cooperative in March 2015, the small suspicions that grew into alarm, and the discovery that exposed financial and organizational holes. What exactly did the loan document reveal, and why did fourteen people walk away at once?

Person: Rebecca Phillips
Person: Kenneth Christensen
Person: Person: Phil Garrett
Date: Rebecca joined: March 1, 2015
Event: Discovery at dock: red child's rain boot, size four, filled with uncooked rice

- Meter reader Michael Baker photographed the boot at 9:20 AM on the Harrowgate dock.
- Fourteen people were missing and several boats had vanished in the days before the sheriff arrived at noon.
- Rebecca Phillips was 42 years old in winter 2014 after 18 years as a cannery floor supervisor and received four weeks of severance.
- Rebecca joined Harrowgate Cooperative on March 1, 2015 and contributed her severance as an entry investment.
- In September 2015, fisheries inspector Doug Farrow inspected Harrowgate, and afterward Kenneth asked bookkeeper Phil Garrett to re-date vessel logs.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181787Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:52 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Red Boot on the Dock: How a Loan Blew Open a Coastal Cult A single child's red rain boot, size four, filled with uncooked rice and sitting upright at the end of the Harrowgate dock signaled not a tragedy but a disappearance: fourteen adults,...
A single child's red rain boot, size four, filled with uncooked rice and sitting upright at the end of the Harrowgate dock signaled not a tragedy but a disappearance: fourteen adults, emptied bank accounts, and missing boats. How did a loan document found on a Tuesday afternoon begin to unravel a cooperative that had positioned itself as salvation?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from Rebecca Phillips losing her cannery job in 2014 to joining Harrowgate Cooperative in March 2015, the small suspicions that grew into alarm, and the discovery that exposed financial and organizational holes. What exactly did the loan document reveal, and why did fourteen people walk away at once?

Person: Rebecca Phillips
Person: Kenneth Christensen
Person: Person: Phil Garrett
Date: Rebecca joined: March 1, 2015
Event: Discovery at dock: red child's rain boot, size four, filled with uncooked rice

- Meter reader Michael Baker photographed the boot at 9:20 AM on the Harrowgate dock.
- Fourteen people were missing and several boats had vanished in the days before the sheriff arrived at noon.
- Rebecca Phillips was 42 years old in winter 2014 after 18 years as a cannery floor supervisor and received four weeks of severance.
- Rebecca joined Harrowgate Cooperative on March 1, 2015 and contributed her severance as an entry investment.
- In September 2015, fisheries inspector Doug Farrow inspected Harrowgate, and afterward Kenneth asked bookkeeper Phil Garrett to re-date vessel logs.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1313falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/he-built-a-language-to-trap-them-inside-the-ardenlith-school--73181786
The discovery of a 40-by-60 foot cinder-block room lined with 412 laminated cards and eleven pairs of shoes felt like stepping into a lived-in chapel of words - a vocabulary engineered to erase the outside world. How did a constructed language, a strict immersion rule, and a precise ledger become the architecture of control, and who profited while the founder drew no salary?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a six-week constructed-language class to a farmhouse compound where members were required to speak only Ardenlith, and we trace the clues that turned a wrong-door discovery into a fraud investigation. What do the numbered cards, the resoled dress shoes, and the fourteen-month ledger reveal about Edward Cole and the Ardenlith School?

Person: Edward Cole
Date: October 14, 2009
Location: Sutter Mill Road farmhouse, nine miles outside Elford, Illinois
Event: Discovery of vocabulary room with 412 laminated cards
Status: Investigation initiated after discovery

- The room measured forty by sixty feet and contained 412 laminated cards, each with one invented word and a hand-drawn illustration.
- Eleven pairs of shoes were arranged heel-to-toe in a perfect line in the center of the concrete floor.
- Charles Armstrong, a food pantry volunteer, found the room on October 14, 2009 after entering the wrong door.
- Dress shoes in the room had been professionally resoled on September 3, 2009, with the cobbler recalling a rushed cash transaction.
- The Ardenlith account ledger covered fourteen months showing 12-15 members paying between $300 and $900 per month while Edward Cole recorded no salary.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181786Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:47 +0000Creator at ObomediaHe Built a Language to Trap Them: Inside the Ardenlith School The discovery of a 40-by-60 foot cinder-block room lined with 412 laminated cards and eleven pairs of shoes felt like stepping into a lived-in chapel of words - a vocabulary engineered...
The discovery of a 40-by-60 foot cinder-block room lined with 412 laminated cards and eleven pairs of shoes felt like stepping into a lived-in chapel of words - a vocabulary engineered to erase the outside world. How did a constructed language, a strict immersion rule, and a precise ledger become the architecture of control, and who profited while the founder drew no salary?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a six-week constructed-language class to a farmhouse compound where members were required to speak only Ardenlith, and we trace the clues that turned a wrong-door discovery into a fraud investigation. What do the numbered cards, the resoled dress shoes, and the fourteen-month ledger reveal about Edward Cole and the Ardenlith School?

Person: Edward Cole
Date: October 14, 2009
Location: Sutter Mill Road farmhouse, nine miles outside Elford, Illinois
Event: Discovery of vocabulary room with 412 laminated cards
Status: Investigation initiated after discovery

- The room measured forty by sixty feet and contained 412 laminated cards, each with one invented word and a hand-drawn illustration.
- Eleven pairs of shoes were arranged heel-to-toe in a perfect line in the center of the concrete floor.
- Charles Armstrong, a food pantry volunteer, found the room on October 14, 2009 after entering the wrong door.
- Dress shoes in the room had been professionally resoled on September 3, 2009, with the cobbler recalling a rushed cash transaction.
- The Ardenlith account ledger covered fourteen months showing 12-15 members paying between $300 and $900 per month while Edward Cole recorded no salary.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1337falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-left-her-name-in-the-barn-the-woman-who-walked-out--73181784
A cedar stump, a leather-bound book bone-dry after two days of rain, and a name written in block capitals: ELEANOR VANE - a label that wasn’t a missing person but an assigned identity inside a closed group. How did a scenic painter named Laura Rice end up leaving that name in a barn and walking out with unmailed letters that exposed the group's structure?

In this episode, we follow the discovery on Kettrick Nature Path and trace Laura Rice’s life in Alderton, her years inside the Vantage Company under leader Alan Becker, and the morning she chose to leave - calling her diner friend from a gas-station pay phone before driving away. What did the unmailed letters reveal about the group’s hierarchy and the people who stayed?

Person: Laura Rice
Age: 54
Group: Vantage Company
Leader: Alan Becker, 61
Found item: leather-bound book labeled "ELEANOR VANE"

- The book was found in wet branches at the edge of Kettrick Nature Path on the morning of September 14.
- Laura Rice contributed more than $11,000 in her first year with the Vantage Company.
- Laura attended the Millstone diner on Fifth Street twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Alan Becker is described as age 61 and as the founder and leader of the Vantage Company.
- Laura left the assigned name and unmailed letters in the barn and used a gas-station pay phone to call Diane Farr the morning she walked out.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181784Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:43 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Left Her Name in the Barn: The Woman Who Walked Out A cedar stump, a leather-bound book bone-dry after two days of rain, and a name written in block capitals: ELEANOR VANE - a label that wasn’t a missing person but an assigned identity inside a...
A cedar stump, a leather-bound book bone-dry after two days of rain, and a name written in block capitals: ELEANOR VANE - a label that wasn’t a missing person but an assigned identity inside a closed group. How did a scenic painter named Laura Rice end up leaving that name in a barn and walking out with unmailed letters that exposed the group's structure?

In this episode, we follow the discovery on Kettrick Nature Path and trace Laura Rice’s life in Alderton, her years inside the Vantage Company under leader Alan Becker, and the morning she chose to leave - calling her diner friend from a gas-station pay phone before driving away. What did the unmailed letters reveal about the group’s hierarchy and the people who stayed?

Person: Laura Rice
Age: 54
Group: Vantage Company
Leader: Alan Becker, 61
Found item: leather-bound book labeled "ELEANOR VANE"

- The book was found in wet branches at the edge of Kettrick Nature Path on the morning of September 14.
- Laura Rice contributed more than $11,000 in her first year with the Vantage Company.
- Laura attended the Millstone diner on Fifth Street twice weekly, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Alan Becker is described as age 61 and as the founder and leader of the Vantage Company.
- Laura left the assigned name and unmailed letters in the barn and used a gas-station pay phone to call Diane Farr the morning she walked out.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1384falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-binder-from-the-river-how-a-cult-s-money-exposed-its-lies--73181783
A dry binder pulled from the Sable River held 412 transactions and nearly $800,000 flowing only one way - into a leader’s personal account - exposing a community that promised relief but demanded total control. How did a careful twenty-one-year-old’s ledger become the sole record that would later unravel everything?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a chance meeting at a gas station to life at the Kellum property, describing who kept the records, how the community operated, and why that binder mattered; how did a document sealed in black tape survive ten days underwater and why did it become the crucial proof?

Person: Edward Bennett
Person: William Cole
Date: August 14, 2017
Location: Sable River
Event: 412 transactions recorded

- The binder contained exactly 412 transactions handwritten by Edward Bennett.
- Investigators counted approximately $800,000 moving in one direction toward William Cole.
- The Kellum property housed 17 full-time residents in dormitory bays of four per bay.
- Lights at the community went out at 10:30 PM and days began at 5:15 AM with a ritual called the Reckoning.
- Brightpath Holdings LLC, used to buy the Kellum property in 2012, filed no tax returns after 2014.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181783Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:40 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Binder from the River: How a Cult's Money Exposed Its Lies A dry binder pulled from the Sable River held 412 transactions and nearly $800,000 flowing only one way - into a leader’s personal account - exposing a community that promised relief...
A dry binder pulled from the Sable River held 412 transactions and nearly $800,000 flowing only one way - into a leader’s personal account - exposing a community that promised relief but demanded total control. How did a careful twenty-one-year-old’s ledger become the sole record that would later unravel everything?

In this episode, we follow the timeline from a chance meeting at a gas station to life at the Kellum property, describing who kept the records, how the community operated, and why that binder mattered; how did a document sealed in black tape survive ten days underwater and why did it become the crucial proof?

Person: Edward Bennett
Person: William Cole
Date: August 14, 2017
Location: Sable River
Event: 412 transactions recorded

- The binder contained exactly 412 transactions handwritten by Edward Bennett.
- Investigators counted approximately $800,000 moving in one direction toward William Cole.
- The Kellum property housed 17 full-time residents in dormitory bays of four per bay.
- Lights at the community went out at 10:30 PM and days began at 5:15 AM with a ritual called the Reckoning.
- Brightpath Holdings LLC, used to buy the Kellum property in 2012, filed no tax returns after 2014.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1507falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-folding-table-in-the-pines-how-a-false-prophet-took-340k--73181782
A six-foot folding table sat forty feet inside a pine stand on July 11, 2019, holding a swollen binder and a hand-painted banner that read WELCOME HOME - the last physical remnant of the Covenant of Carried Light that had stripped nearly $340,000 from forty-one people. How did a man with a fabricated story about a dead daughter create a closed world where grieving people signed away homes, savings and time?

In this episode, we tell what was found on that table and follow the trail from a grief-support flyer in a vet’s waiting room to a farmhouse leased by the Covenant, asking how communal stewardship became release of prior claim and who paid the price.

Person: Glenn Wagner
Person: Craig Perry
Date: July 11, 2019
Location: Kellner County
Event: Binder listing forty-one names and Release of Prior Claim entries

- The table was located forty feet inside a pine stand with no chairs and no tire tracks, nearest road a quarter mile east.
- Judith Schmidt, Kellner County surveyor for twenty-two years, discovered the table on July 11, 2019.
- The binder on the table listed forty-one names, entry dates, and a column labeled Release of Prior Claim.
- Glenn Wagner arrived at a grief-support group in November 2017 claiming to have lost a daughter; investigators later found no records of that daughter.
- Craig Perry gave the group access to his checking account by March 2018 and was sleeping on the Covenant property five nights a week by May 2018.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181782Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:35 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Folding Table in the Pines: How a False Prophet Took $340K A six-foot folding table sat forty feet inside a pine stand on July 11, 2019, holding a swollen binder and a hand-painted banner that read WELCOME HOME - the last physical remnant of...
A six-foot folding table sat forty feet inside a pine stand on July 11, 2019, holding a swollen binder and a hand-painted banner that read WELCOME HOME - the last physical remnant of the Covenant of Carried Light that had stripped nearly $340,000 from forty-one people. How did a man with a fabricated story about a dead daughter create a closed world where grieving people signed away homes, savings and time?

In this episode, we tell what was found on that table and follow the trail from a grief-support flyer in a vet’s waiting room to a farmhouse leased by the Covenant, asking how communal stewardship became release of prior claim and who paid the price.

Person: Glenn Wagner
Person: Craig Perry
Date: July 11, 2019
Location: Kellner County
Event: Binder listing forty-one names and Release of Prior Claim entries

- The table was located forty feet inside a pine stand with no chairs and no tire tracks, nearest road a quarter mile east.
- Judith Schmidt, Kellner County surveyor for twenty-two years, discovered the table on July 11, 2019.
- The binder on the table listed forty-one names, entry dates, and a column labeled Release of Prior Claim.
- Glenn Wagner arrived at a grief-support group in November 2017 claiming to have lost a daughter; investigators later found no records of that daughter.
- Craig Perry gave the group access to his checking account by March 2018 and was sleeping on the Covenant property five nights a week by May 2018.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1388falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cake-on-the-septic-how-eighteen-vanished-for-a-false-tomorrow--73181780
A celebration cake piped with the single word TOMORROW sat alone on a septic hatch in an empty field on June 14, 2011 - and it was the final image left behind by eighteen adults who had vanished into a secluded community. What led them to sign over savings, sever contact, and wait for a Meridian Event set for June 13, 2011 - and why had their organizer already left four states away before the date?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of choices, controls, and financial moves that created a sealed community and ended with an empty cake. What Reynolds promised, how he structured authority and money, and the specific signs that revealed the plan are laid out - but who was deliberately silenced, and why?

Person: Thomas Reynolds
Person: Grant Reed
Date: June 13, 2011
Location: former dairy operation outside Harlow, Nebraska
Amount: $61,000

- Eighteen adults moved onto a 42-acre former dairy property in March 2010.
- Grant Reed, aged 61, transferred his teacher's pension to the community account the same month.
- The group lived on the property for fifteen months before the cake was found.
- Beginning April 2010, $61,000 was withdrawn from the community account using structured withdrawals under reporting thresholds.
- The scheduled Meridian Event date was June 13, 2011; the cake was photographed on June 14, 2011.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181780Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:32 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Cake on the Septic: How Eighteen Vanished for a False Tomorrow A celebration cake piped with the single word TOMORROW sat alone on a septic hatch in an empty field on June 14, 2011 - and it was the final image left behind by eighteen adults who...
A celebration cake piped with the single word TOMORROW sat alone on a septic hatch in an empty field on June 14, 2011 - and it was the final image left behind by eighteen adults who had vanished into a secluded community. What led them to sign over savings, sever contact, and wait for a Meridian Event set for June 13, 2011 - and why had their organizer already left four states away before the date?

In this episode, we follow the sequence of choices, controls, and financial moves that created a sealed community and ended with an empty cake. What Reynolds promised, how he structured authority and money, and the specific signs that revealed the plan are laid out - but who was deliberately silenced, and why?

Person: Thomas Reynolds
Person: Grant Reed
Date: June 13, 2011
Location: former dairy operation outside Harlow, Nebraska
Amount: $61,000

- Eighteen adults moved onto a 42-acre former dairy property in March 2010.
- Grant Reed, aged 61, transferred his teacher's pension to the community account the same month.
- The group lived on the property for fifteen months before the cake was found.
- Beginning April 2010, $61,000 was withdrawn from the community account using structured withdrawals under reporting thresholds.
- The scheduled Meridian Event date was June 13, 2011; the cake was photographed on June 14, 2011.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1352falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-birthday-card-in-the-cottonwood-he-already-knows-you-re-coming--73181779
A green metal strongbox hidden in a fallen cottonwood held a birthday card stamped May 3 with the number seven and the message, "He already knows you're coming. Come anyway." The card was addressed to Robert Allen Burke even though Burke had been sitting in county jail for nine days - who put it there, and why, remained unexplained for fourteen months.

In this episode, we follow the arc from a handshake at a Joplin contractors' expo to a closed residential community called the Clearwater Compact, the people who moved in, and the small, persistent mysteries that outlived an arrest. How did a man who appears nowhere in the Compact's filings become its organizer, and what does the strongbox in the cottonwood finally reveal?

Location: Pallister, Missouri
Person: Robert Allen Burke
Event: Birthday card found in green metal strongbox
Date: Postmark May 3 (two days before Burke's arrest)
Organization: Clearwater Compact LLC (sole member listed: Sandra Fitch)

- The green metal strongbox was located sixty yards off a service road in the hollow of a downed cottonwood tree.
- The birthday card inside was printed with balloons and the number seven and was addressed to Robert Allen Burke.
- Robert Allen Burke had been sitting in county jail for nine days when the card was found; the card's postmark was two days before his arrest.
- Don Weaver's business, Weaver Aggregate Supply, had eleven employees and annual revenues around $280,000.
- A civil judgment from roughly fifteen years earlier in Rutherford County, Tennessee, showed three contractors lost a combined $112,000 in a construction-referral scheme settled for a fraction of that amount.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181779Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:27 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Birthday Card in the Cottonwood: He Already Knows You're Coming A green metal strongbox hidden in a fallen cottonwood held a birthday card stamped May 3 with the number seven and the message, "He already knows you're coming. Come anyway." The...
A green metal strongbox hidden in a fallen cottonwood held a birthday card stamped May 3 with the number seven and the message, "He already knows you're coming. Come anyway." The card was addressed to Robert Allen Burke even though Burke had been sitting in county jail for nine days - who put it there, and why, remained unexplained for fourteen months.

In this episode, we follow the arc from a handshake at a Joplin contractors' expo to a closed residential community called the Clearwater Compact, the people who moved in, and the small, persistent mysteries that outlived an arrest. How did a man who appears nowhere in the Compact's filings become its organizer, and what does the strongbox in the cottonwood finally reveal?

Location: Pallister, Missouri
Person: Robert Allen Burke
Event: Birthday card found in green metal strongbox
Date: Postmark May 3 (two days before Burke's arrest)
Organization: Clearwater Compact LLC (sole member listed: Sandra Fitch)

- The green metal strongbox was located sixty yards off a service road in the hollow of a downed cottonwood tree.
- The birthday card inside was printed with balloons and the number seven and was addressed to Robert Allen Burke.
- Robert Allen Burke had been sitting in county jail for nine days when the card was found; the card's postmark was two days before his arrest.
- Don Weaver's business, Weaver Aggregate Supply, had eleven employees and annual revenues around $280,000.
- A civil judgment from roughly fifteen years earlier in Rutherford County, Tennessee, showed three contractors lost a combined $112,000 in a construction-referral scheme settled for a fraction of that amount.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1259falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/she-left-her-shoes-seven-months-inside-a-wellness-cult-s-silence--73181778
A discarded pair of white canvas shoes at a gate became the first visible sign of missing billing coordinator Connie Watson, who arrived at Pineward Wellness Center for two weeks and would not be heard from outside its walls for seven months. Documents later uncovered include a falsified medical endorsement, two wire transfers totaling $3,100 to the facility's operator, and three sealed letters that never reached her - so what was happening inside Pineward that kept her silent?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from Connie's arrival in September through the discoveries investigators made months and years later, mapping payments, correspondence, and the records that contradict Pineward's credentials to ask how the center maintained control without physical force.

Person: Connie Watson
Location: Pineward Wellness Center, Dolton Springs, Tennessee
Date: April 19, 2011
Operator: Gregory Brown
Amount: $3,100

- Connie arrived at Pineward in September and was expected home by mid-October but remained until at least April 19, 2011.
- Two wire transfers from Connie's account to Gregory Brown were made in November 2010 and January 2011 totaling $3,100.
- A purported endorsement from Dr. Carl Essen on Pineward's website was later found to be produced on a different typewriter and inconsistent with authenticated signatures.
- Pineward phone records in November 2010 show zero incoming or outgoing calls connected to Connie's name.
- Three letters Marjorie Phelps sent to Connie were received and logged at Pineward but never delivered to Connie.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181778Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:23 +0000Creator at ObomediaShe Left Her Shoes-Seven Months Inside a Wellness Cult's Silence A discarded pair of white canvas shoes at a gate became the first visible sign of missing billing coordinator Connie Watson, who arrived at Pineward Wellness Center for two weeks and...
A discarded pair of white canvas shoes at a gate became the first visible sign of missing billing coordinator Connie Watson, who arrived at Pineward Wellness Center for two weeks and would not be heard from outside its walls for seven months. Documents later uncovered include a falsified medical endorsement, two wire transfers totaling $3,100 to the facility's operator, and three sealed letters that never reached her - so what was happening inside Pineward that kept her silent?

In this episode, we tell the sequence of events from Connie's arrival in September through the discoveries investigators made months and years later, mapping payments, correspondence, and the records that contradict Pineward's credentials to ask how the center maintained control without physical force.

Person: Connie Watson
Location: Pineward Wellness Center, Dolton Springs, Tennessee
Date: April 19, 2011
Operator: Gregory Brown
Amount: $3,100

- Connie arrived at Pineward in September and was expected home by mid-October but remained until at least April 19, 2011.
- Two wire transfers from Connie's account to Gregory Brown were made in November 2010 and January 2011 totaling $3,100.
- A purported endorsement from Dr. Carl Essen on Pineward's website was later found to be produced on a different typewriter and inconsistent with authenticated signatures.
- Pineward phone records in November 2010 show zero incoming or outgoing calls connected to Connie's name.
- Three letters Marjorie Phelps sent to Connie were received and logged at Pineward but never delivered to Connie.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1266falsefullhttps://www.spreaker.com/episode/the-cake-in-the-ditch-how-a-charmer-kept-31-silent--73181777
A frozen sheet cake placed in a roadside drainage ditch at 5:00 a.m. read "Welcome Home, Remnant" - and four hours later deputies found 31 people in identical gray pullovers on an 83-acre farm. This episode follows a dental hygienist who counted 2,061 steps on her canal walks, a man who claimed twelve years in a Pacific Northwest pastoral community, and a termination letter dated six years earlier; how did a cake become the signal for a closed group?

In this episode, we tell how Ronald Barrett arrived at Bethel Road Fellowship, created a study circle called The Remnant, and how Sandra West used a disposable camera and memorized walking routes to document life on the Fenner acreage - but could a single misfiled termination letter explain everything?

Person: Sandra West
Person: Ronald Barrett
Location: Bethel Road Fellowship; Fenner acreage; eighty-three-acre farm in eastern Dellard County
Date: March 14 (cake placed at five in the morning)
Event: Road-grader operator Terry Walker found cake reading "Welcome Home, Remnant"

- Sandra West counted exactly 2,061 steps each way on her canal towpath walks.
- Thirty-one people were found wearing identical gray pullovers on the farm.
- Barrett organized a study circle called The Remnant with roughly forty attendees at its peak.
- The cake was a frozen sheet cake with white frosting and blue lettering placed in a roadside drainage ditch.
- A typed termination letter from Clearwater House, signed by Gerald Morse and dated six years earlier, was found in a cardboard box on the Fenner acreage.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>https://api.spreaker.com/episode/73181777Sun, 26 Jul 2026 18:51:19 +0000Creator at ObomediaThe Cake in the Ditch: How a Charmer Kept 31 Silent A frozen sheet cake placed in a roadside drainage ditch at 5:00 a.m. read "Welcome Home, Remnant" - and four hours later deputies found 31 people in identical gray pullovers on an 83-acre farm....
A frozen sheet cake placed in a roadside drainage ditch at 5:00 a.m. read "Welcome Home, Remnant" - and four hours later deputies found 31 people in identical gray pullovers on an 83-acre farm. This episode follows a dental hygienist who counted 2,061 steps on her canal walks, a man who claimed twelve years in a Pacific Northwest pastoral community, and a termination letter dated six years earlier; how did a cake become the signal for a closed group?

In this episode, we tell how Ronald Barrett arrived at Bethel Road Fellowship, created a study circle called The Remnant, and how Sandra West used a disposable camera and memorized walking routes to document life on the Fenner acreage - but could a single misfiled termination letter explain everything?

Person: Sandra West
Person: Ronald Barrett
Location: Bethel Road Fellowship; Fenner acreage; eighty-three-acre farm in eastern Dellard County
Date: March 14 (cake placed at five in the morning)
Event: Road-grader operator Terry Walker found cake reading "Welcome Home, Remnant"

- Sandra West counted exactly 2,061 steps each way on her canal towpath walks.
- Thirty-one people were found wearing identical gray pullovers on the farm.
- Barrett organized a study circle called The Remnant with roughly forty attendees at its peak.
- The cake was a frozen sheet cake with white frosting and blue lettering placed in a roadside drainage ditch.
- A typed termination letter from Clearwater House, signed by Gerald Morse and dated six years earlier, was found in a cardboard box on the Fenner acreage.

To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.

© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.]]>1446falsefull