A Whole Can Of De-Rattled Snakes

"In today's episode we have possibly the most aggression cult in existence. If you even need help with substance abuse then please seek help and love, But not from these people. This episode includes people shaving their heads and screaming for days at each other."

Presented by: Chelsea
Category: Cult

Syanon was a cult found Charles Dederich in 1958. He had been a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, but started his own program as AA did not allow people wishing to stop drugs from joining. Much of what was started by Synanon is still used today.

As the group transitioned into a cult, he decided that people could not leave-contrary to the original 2-year program. He moved the group and used his Hollywood friends to promote Synanon to get more followers and and more money. It was successful enough that the California courts started sentencing kids to the group despite them not being licensed.

Abuses of Syanon included beating people who tried to leave, giving parents limited access to their kids and forcing vasectomies and abortions on people to prevent more children. With a group this famous, this was discovered An attorney named Paul Morantz started fighting Synanon, leading to a murder attempt when they planted a de-rattled rattlesnake in his mail box. Morantz survived the attack.

The attack sparked a police investigation. Dederich was arrested for drunk driving and the IRS revoked Synanon's tax-exempt status and demanded back pay. Bankruptcy brought the group down in America, though it still exists in Germany.

Takeaway: Don't sentence kids to unlicensed therapists.

Trivia

 * Patreon skit: A nature documentary.