In part 2, Sarma Melngailis, subject of the docuseries Bad Vegan and author of The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, tells Lola & Meagan how Mr. Fox consumed her time, overwhelmed her with information, and dangled promises of financial freedom that was always JUST around the corner as a way to get her to send him more and more money.

She’ll share about the fabricated online personas he created as part of the manipulation, how he always knew things it seemed like he couldn’t have known, and the tactics he used to keep her in a constant state of confusion and dependence, driving across the country until they were finally both arrested. Plus, how she felt about her time in Rikers, and the current status of her restaurant.

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The Girl With the Duck Tattoo

In part 2, Sarma Melngailis, subject of the docuseries Bad Vegan and author of The Girl with the Duck Tattoo, tells Lola &amp; Meagan how Mr. Fox consumed her time, overwhelmed her with information, and dangled promises of financial freedom that was always JUST around the corner as a way to get her to send him more and more money.
She&rsquo;ll share about the fabricated online personas he created as part of the manipulation, how he always knew things it seemed like he couldn&rsquo;t have known, and the tactics he used to keep her in a constant state of confusion and dependence, driving across the country until they were finally both arrested. Plus, how she felt about her time in Rikers, and the current status of her restaurant.
SOURCES
<a href="https://thegirlwiththeducktattoo.com/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thegirlwiththeducktattoo.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1761689660524000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ObqCJHxLASxjtMMHh9KEV">The Girl With the Duck Tattoo</a>

Trust Me is a weekly interview podcast about cults, extreme belief, and the fine line between devotion and delusion—told through firsthand accounts from the people who lived it. Hosted by two women who’ve been in cults themselves, Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth, the show features survivors from groups like Heaven’s Gate, the Manson Family, NXIVM, OneTaste and more–sharing personal stories of how they got in, how they got out, and everything in between.

Each week, they invite these guests alongside experts who can dive deep into seductive leaders, the darker aspects of organized religion, and the subtler shades of groupthink and the psychology of influence. Trust Me explores it all with unfiltered honesty, dark humor, and a lot of heart. This isn’t a sensationalized deep dive into cults—it’s a compassionate, first-person exploration of what it means to believe, to belong, and to break free. At the end of the day, wanting to believe in something bigger than yourself is one of the most human instincts there is.

Trust Me is a weekly interview podcast about cults, extreme belief, and the fine line between devotion and delusion&mdash;told through firsthand accounts from the people who lived it.&nbsp;Hosted by two women who&rsquo;ve been in cults themselves, Lola Blanc and Meagan Elizabeth, the show&nbsp;features survivors from groups like Heaven&rsquo;s Gate, the Manson Family, NXIVM, OneTaste and more&ndash;sharing personal stories of how they got in, how they got out, and everything in between.
Each week, they invite&nbsp;these guests&nbsp;alongside experts who can dive deep into seductive leaders, the darker aspects of organized religion, and the subtler shades of groupthink and the psychology of influence. Trust Me explores it all with unfiltered honesty, dark humor, and a lot of heart.&nbsp;This isn&rsquo;t a sensationalized deep dive into cults&mdash;it&rsquo;s a compassionate, first-person exploration of what it means to believe, to belong, and to break free.&nbsp;At the end of the day, wanting to believe in something bigger than yourself is one of the most human instincts there is.

Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

Sarma Melngailis - Part 2: Isolation, Deeper into the Scam, & Getting Arrested

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/84e9f66c-cb1f-42ac-af33-b37f01589229/transcript

Author Harrison Hill joins the girls to discuss his new book The Oracle’s Daughter, which follows the rise and fall of a small cult called the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps. He explains what the religious landscape in America looked like at the time, with the spiritual awakening and unrest of the 60s transitioning into a new Christianity movement, and how this group’s leader Lila Carter (who later became Deborah Greene) began her spiritual journey on a commune called the Bear Tribe.

They discuss the beginnings of Lila’s own visions, moaning and grunting and giving birth to what she called “spiritual soldiers,” how her following grew, and the parallels between her and Shaker leader Ann Lee. Naturally, the group became more controlling and cruel over time, changing people’s names to words like “Despised,” using physical punishment on its members, and even kidnapping a baby. And finally, they touch on how Lila’s daughter Sarah, the subject of the book, found her own way through all of this, eventually leaving and sharing her story of survival.

SOURCES

The Oracle’s Daugher: The Rise and Fall of an American Cult

The Cut - How Sarah Greene Escaped Her Mother's Cult

Author Harrison Hill joins the girls to discuss his new book&nbsp;The Oracle&rsquo;s Daughter, which follows the rise and fall of a small cult called the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps. He explains what the religious landscape in America looked like at the time, with the spiritual awakening and unrest of the 60s transitioning into a new Christianity movement, and how this group&rsquo;s leader Lila Carter (who later became Deborah Greene) began her spiritual journey on a commune called the Bear Tribe. They discuss the beginnings of Lila&rsquo;s own visions, moaning and grunting and giving birth to what she called &ldquo;spiritual soldiers,&rdquo; how her following grew, and the parallels between her and Shaker leader Ann Lee. Naturally, the group became more controlling and cruel over time, changing people&rsquo;s names to words like &ldquo;Despised,&rdquo; using physical punishment on its members, and even kidnapping a baby. And finally, they touch on how Lila&rsquo;s daughter Sarah, the subject of the book, found her own way through all of this, eventually leaving and sharing her story of survival.
SOURCES
<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Oracles-Daughter/Harrison-Hill/9781668018873" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Oracles-Daughter/Harrison-Hill/9781668018873&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1775596055348000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2cjGKm-xhNCukUBR3T898K">The Oracle&rsquo;s Daugher: The Rise and Fall of an American Cult</a>
<a href="https://www.thecut.com/2021/06/sarah-green-escaped-mother-cult.html" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.thecut.com/2021/06/sarah-green-escaped-mother-cult.html&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1775596055348000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3ixq_cPJtxmvoKr8ZBqCpz">The Cut - How Sarah Greene Escaped Her Mother's Cult</a>

Harrison Hill - The Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/e7f13ca8-4852-436f-823d-b42401892961/transcript

Celeste Gross joins the girls to talk about her experiences growing up in the Children of God - aka the Family - along with her many siblings. She explains how her parents joined when it still just seemed like a beautiful gospel movement that helped her dad get sober, but how it changed over time once they lived on a commune in Brazil and became reliant on donations for survival. She shares how every part of life was controlled–down to how many squares of toilet paper they were allowed to use.

They discuss the media ban the group imposed, and how only songs and TV shows made by the group were allowed--other than two very specific movies (which will surprise you). She shares how her family became homeless overnight after they finally left, and the extreme hardships they faced while trying to rebuild a life from nothing.

Celeste Gross joins the girls to talk about her experiences growing up in the Children of God - aka the Family - along with her many siblings. She explains how her parents joined when it still just seemed like a beautiful gospel movement that helped her dad get sober, but how it changed over time once they lived on a commune in Brazil and became reliant on donations for survival. She shares how every part of life was controlled&ndash;down to how many squares of toilet paper they were allowed to use. They discuss the media ban the group imposed, and how only songs and TV shows made by the group were allowed--other than two very specific movies (which will surprise you). She shares how her family became homeless overnight after they finally left, and the extreme hardships they faced while trying to rebuild a life from nothing.

Celeste Gross - Growing Up in the Children of God

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b5c37246-469d-4856-b890-b41f00116ceb/transcript

This week, Dan Olson, creator and host of YouTube channel Folding Ideas, returns to continue the conversation on cryptocurrency and NFTs. They discuss how these bubbles are driven primarily by charismatic leaders, why success rates of investment are similar to MLMs (read: the vast majority of investors don’t win big), and how there’s a lot of shame around having lost money in this arena–but why more men should come forward with their stories.

Dan explains why there’s no inherent difference between scam cryptocurrencies and so-called “real” cryptocurrencies, since all are rooted in speculation and faith, where the line is between greed and just being a victim of American prosperity gospel, and what to look out for to prevent yourself from getting scammed.

This week, Dan Olson, creator and host of YouTube channel Folding Ideas, returns to&nbsp;continue the conversation on cryptocurrency and NFTs. They discuss how these bubbles are driven primarily by charismatic leaders, why success rates of investment are similar to MLMs (read: the vast majority of investors don&rsquo;t win big), and how there&rsquo;s a lot of shame around having lost money in this arena&ndash;but why more men should come forward with their stories. Dan explains why there&rsquo;s no inherent difference between scam cryptocurrencies and so-called &ldquo;real&rdquo; cryptocurrencies, since all are rooted in speculation and faith, where the line is between greed and just being a victim of American prosperity gospel, and what to look out for to prevent yourself from getting scammed.

Dan Olson, Part 2 - Charismatic Leaders and the Cult of Crypto

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/467104f6-c2f8-4993-bb00-b4110146499f/transcript

Sarma Melngailis - Part 2: Isolation, Deeper into the Scam, & Getting Arrested

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Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

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