How A Cult Nearly Cost Me Everything | A Very British Cult

#cultsandextremebeliefs #cults #cult
It started with an online webinar discussion of a popular book. 2 and a half years later, Jeff had sold his house and handed out over £100,000. Just how did he end up here? In this eighteen-month investigation for the BBC, journalist Catrin Nye and her team expose control, intimidation and fear at a mysterious life coaching company taking over people’s lives and ripping families apart.
Catch A Very British Cult on iPlayer: www.bbc.co.uk/...
A Very British Cult: In early 2019 Jeffrey Leigh-Jones from Portsmouth got a life coach. Someone to mentor him in life and help him realise his business ambitions.
Two years later, Jeff had sold his house, his relationship was in pieces, and he had handed over tens of thousands of pounds. And he wasn’t the only one. In this eighteen-month investigation for the BBC, journalist Catrin Nye and her team expose control, intimidation and fear at a mysterious life coaching company taking over people’s lives and ripping families apart.
As the investigation hots up, the group fights back, and there’s a surreal final showdown.
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[@AA-cm3pd]

Glad he's out and has a supportive partner

[@jengable4888]

I agree !

[@user-bv8wu8vt8s]

Loved the podcast. It would be nice to know if anyone has actually achieved anything from being in Lighthouse. Jeff didn't make it to the south pole presumably because they stole his money, freedom, and confidence but has anyone done anything? Set up a business, achieved their goal under Lighthouses ''support''.

[@tomchii]

Which podcast? 😊

[@littleman787]

@@tomchii”a very British cult” - BBC Sounds

[@julietkelly7215]

This is a cautionary tale people! Remember the Jewish proverb - "A Fool and his money are easily parted". If it looks like an Ass acts like an Ass then it surely is an Ass. Thank you for sharing your story! Cults are dangerous.

[@scooterza]

These are not stupid people. Vulnerable perhaps but in the right circumstances, you or I could be in Jeff's shoes.

[@alexmousley7213]

It's brave and helpful that Paul acknowledges that he was in a cult- it goes to show that intelligent people are as prone as anyone (if not more so) to be recruited. Classic cult tactics such as deceptive recruiting (from LinkedIn or an online study/meet up) are common as is bait and switch and ever growing demands on your time and who you are allowed to associate with. The cult leader as narcissistic bully is common, too. They can appear so confident in their own opinion that they can seem convincing. Always be suspicious of great claims without great evidence.

[@9avinmaxwell]

Some performance from Tom Hardy here

[@oogabooga2337]

i thought this lol

[@CultOfGaia]

Haha I was looking for this comment

[@Tehrawrzorz]

Wish BBC3 uploaded more stuff like this instead of brain rot content

[@scooterza]

The BBC puts out a lot of content. Some is brain rot content for those that want brain rot content and some is documentary style content like this and everything in between. That's the beauty of the internet - you can watch whatever YOU want to watch.

[@NZKiwi87]

This Jai seems like a predator by proxy.

[@jengable4888]

I agree ! His criminal typology (Con Artist/White Collar Criminal) : Highly MANIPULATIVE individual who extracts information (both personal/professional) from their victims by gaining trust over a course of time. Then once the trust is created, the triangulation, extorting money, and isolation tactics will begin. One can assume the end goal of Jai - (The offender) is to have his victim relying on him or other members of the group only. I am assuming there probably was a lot of psychological manipulation (mind benders, head screwing, etc) transpiring ! What do you think ? .....

[@thegamingripperhq4996]

Cult more like a scam

[@atlascove1810]

there's rarely a distinction.

[@andyblue415]

It’s precisely both. It’s a scam that operates via the classic defining practices of cult.

[@hastekulvaati9681]

same same

[@BlueInk912]

Define age you think it appropriate to lean about predatory behaviour?

[@BlueInk912]

Pop over to HG Tudor to educate yourself about Gurus

[@thedeeprot]

🔥🔥🔥

[@mariposaorofusionfoodchann7573]

So,after everything,did he get his money back?

[@jamesb312]

@hastekulvaati9681 You're making assumptions about a person that you have no knowledge of. How can you say brighter and better, when you know nothing of the person you are writing about?

[@hastekulvaati9681]

Absolutely I am making an assumption! I am making an assumption about some rando making a comment on a KZbin comment thread i.e. I am assuming they aren’t brighter and better than everyone in the history of humanity who got scammed or was taken in by a dubious idea. That seems a pretty safe assumption to me. I can think of a lot of amazing people who for one reason or another fell for scams or dubious ideas. Arthur Conan Doyle believed in seances. General Jim Mattis was taken in by Elizabeth Holmes. The Beatles were robbed blind by their Manager Allen Klein. Winston Churchill was at one point effusive in his praise for both Hitler and Mussolini. But perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps the guy I encountered on a You Tube comments thread is the most masterful specimen of humanity I will ever know of. Perhaps he is also, as he claims, immune to being misled. He might be the only person in history to fall into that category. As for the rest of my comments I would say they are objectively true. One, it’s complacent to assume you could never be scammed. Two, if you never take any risks at all you are probably less likely to fall victim to a scam.

[@R0DSTER]

it's being called a cult in the vid but tbh not much was described about it whatsoever, kind of a waste of time to watch

[@donny4855]

You wanted kool aid & dead bodies?

[@PrivateSi]

Wokeism is a neo-cult, this is just a common-or-garden pyramid scheme.. Greedy, insecure wannabe gets ripped off by a 'mentoring' ponzi scheme.. No worse than your average Micky Mouse degree, the BBC loves to push. Sure, it's more one-to-one, but come on, it's LESS HARD SELL than the TV LICENSE FEE! No joke...

[@sarahduhay5150]

Have you actually watched the full documentary you need to watch the full documentary

[@andyblue415]

You understand that this is just a tiny preview of a very thoroughly researched documentary? It’s an outstanding documentary/podcast. Exemplary and award winning. Absolutely worth watching/listening to and not at all a waste of time.

[@hastekulvaati9681]

Watch the full documentary and/or the excellent Podcast. It’s a cult.

[@xloi0]

It needs no made for kids this channel

[@monacophotographyevents2384]

@hastekulvaati9681 I really don't agree, things should be treated with suspicion, especially when it comes to nonsense like religion, or money. I have travelled and lived around the World, and have never been scammed. People that fall for this nonsense tend to be more gullible than most. I personally find scams extremely obvious.

[@jamesb312]

Completely agree, some scams may be more subtle (if subtle is the word) than others, but they are still obvious, and with a little bit of thinking, can be easily avoided.

[@hastekulvaati9681]

Sorry at what point did I argue that things shouldn’t be treated with suspicion? I think perhaps you are arguing with yourself. My point is that it is rather complacent to assume you are immune from being scammed. Brighter and frankly better people than you have succumbed to nonsense. But of course there is a balance in life. If you never take any risks and never stick your neck out you will probably never be scammed. You might ironically even become a less attractive target for certain scammer have less worth taking.

[@jamesb312]

@@hastekulvaati9681 You're making assumptions about a person that you have no knowledge of. How can you say brighter and better, when you know nothing of the person you are writing about?

[@onengkusumah2905]

lol, silly boy

[@1969Kismet]

Is he though?

[@monacophotographyevents2384]

@@1969Kismet Yes, I believe he is. Silly is an understatement, I would describe it in stronger terms. I have never, and never will, understand how people fall for this absolute nonsense.

[@sarahduhay5150]

​@@monacophotographyevents2384 You think that you are not susceptible? Cults come in all flavours and in all sizes. You may actually be in one without realising it!.

[@sarahduhay5150]

Cults come in all shapes and sizes. Educate yourself. You will be surprised - trust me!

[@atlascove1810]

It could happen to you too.