34 ICSA TODAY
Any petition that gets more than 200,000 signatures within a
month requires an official response from Cheong Wa Dae. The
opaque group, which claims to have over 240,000 followers,
has come into the spotlight as the majority of COVID-19 cases
were traced to its branch in Daegu. As of Monday morning,
456 people linked to the sect tested positive for the virus,
accounting for 59.8 percent of the country’s 763 cases. The
tally rose to 833 in the afternoon, but it was unclear how many
of the new cases were linked to Shincheonji. Public uproar
intensified as health authorities said they were struggling to
reach out to Shincheonji members in Daegu but hundreds had
not responded.” (The Korea Herald, 02/24/20)
Twelve Tribes’ Sydney headquarters raided by police
“The headquarters of the Sydney-based arm of the Twelve
Tribes cult was raided [February 18th] by detectives as a part
of [Sydney, Australia’s] Strike Force Nanegai. A Current Affair
can reveal that police have been investigating the cult known
for its strict disciplining of children and lack of medical care
since 2018. Detectives from Springwood Police searched
the cult’s Peppercorn Creek Farm property in Picton for six
hours earlier today, collecting documents and diary entries
as evidence. Numerous investigations into the Twelve Tribes
have taken place overseas within the last decade, including
a US investigation into allegations of the group forcing their
young members to work on farms and factory assembly lines,
and a German police investigation into the repeated physical
punishment of children. A Current Affair has heard numerous
accounts of Australian children of the Twelve Tribes being
beaten with rods from a very young age.” (A Current Affair,
02/18/20)
Accused cult leader threatened former students after VICE
investigation
“…Twin Flames Universe[, a] YouTube spirituality school
accused of exploiting its members[,] has sent former students
a letter threatening them with imminent lawsuits, police
investigations, bankruptcy, jail time, and the publication of
‘VERY revealing and VERY uncomfortable’ information. Days
after VICE published an investigation into the workings of
Twin Flames Universe, an online life coaching community that
promotes fringe ideas about love, its leaders sent out a letter
to ex-members threatening life-ruining consequences for
speaking out about family separations, unpaid labour, and a
host of other cult-like practices. Former students say the group’s
leaders Shaleia [Ayan] and Jeff Ayan claimed to cure post-
traumatic stress disorder, cancer, and other medical conditions
with a special ‘mind alignment’ therapy. They told VICE students
paid thousands of dollars for access to Twin Flames videos, and
in some cases were coached into violating restraining orders,
cutting off their parents unless they sent money, and working
long hours for free. ...Twin Flames Universe threatened to sue
VICE over its story, and vehemently denied all cult accusations.
An email from Leesie Mappes, Twin Flames’ CEO and ‘senior
executive minister’ with the group’s new church, claims VICE
was ‘scammed’ into publishing false accounts by a former
student with an agenda to destroy Twin Flames for the benefit
of a rival spiritual coaching business.” (Vice, 03/11/200)
This YouTube school promised true love students say they
were exploited instead
“Lenae Burchell was all set to fly from Texas to Toronto in July
2019 to meet a couple who she credited with changing her life,
and starting her down a healing path. …Since January 2019
Burchell had been a devoted member of an online spirituality
school called Twin Flames Universe, led by two glassy-eyed
Michigan YouTubers calling themselves Jeff and Shaleia.
Burchell, a 30-year-old single mom, had bought tickets for
a two-day ‘ascension workshop’ in Canada the weekend of
July 27 and 28. Marketing materials for the event promised
participants would ‘experience heaven on Earth.’ For Burchell, it
was supposed to be a rare opportunity to meet the Twin Flames
Universe founders for the first time. …Jeff and Shaleia, who
previously went by the names Ender Ayanethos and Megan
Plante, have released hundreds of online videos over the last
five years about relationships, finding purpose, and fringe New
Age concepts. The couple, who claim to share a special spiritual
connection with God and each other, charge upwards of $4,000
for access to more exclusive videos, workshops, and one-on-
one ‘mind alignment’ therapies. Their videos and accompanying
social media forums cater to viewers who feel lost and alone,
and who want to find acceptance and true love.
Burchell says she quickly became one of the most committed
Twin Flames students in the community, posting in the
Facebook group regularly, watching new videos, and calling
in to weekly group sessions on Google Hangouts. She spent as
much as 30 hours a week, outside of her full-time government
job and single-parenting duties, keeping up with coursework,
building lists of potential new students, and making sales
calls—all time she volunteered for no compensation. …
Burchell did not end up getting on a plane to Toronto. A week
before her trip, she decided to leave Twin Flames Universe,
disconnect from everyone on social media, and never look
back—a decision sparked by a blowout fight with her family.
Now Burchell is joining a growing group of ex-members
speaking out against the couple who they say built a cult
empire by exploiting their students. (Vice, 02/05/2020) n
32
Any petition that gets more than 200,000 signatures within a
month requires an official response from Cheong Wa Dae. The
opaque group, which claims to have over 240,000 followers,
has come into the spotlight as the majority of COVID-19 cases
were traced to its branch in Daegu. As of Monday morning,
456 people linked to the sect tested positive for the virus,
accounting for 59.8 percent of the country’s 763 cases. The
tally rose to 833 in the afternoon, but it was unclear how many
of the new cases were linked to Shincheonji. Public uproar
intensified as health authorities said they were struggling to
reach out to Shincheonji members in Daegu but hundreds had
not responded.” (The Korea Herald, 02/24/20)
Twelve Tribes’ Sydney headquarters raided by police
“The headquarters of the Sydney-based arm of the Twelve
Tribes cult was raided [February 18th] by detectives as a part
of [Sydney, Australia’s] Strike Force Nanegai. A Current Affair
can reveal that police have been investigating the cult known
for its strict disciplining of children and lack of medical care
since 2018. Detectives from Springwood Police searched
the cult’s Peppercorn Creek Farm property in Picton for six
hours earlier today, collecting documents and diary entries
as evidence. Numerous investigations into the Twelve Tribes
have taken place overseas within the last decade, including
a US investigation into allegations of the group forcing their
young members to work on farms and factory assembly lines,
and a German police investigation into the repeated physical
punishment of children. A Current Affair has heard numerous
accounts of Australian children of the Twelve Tribes being
beaten with rods from a very young age.” (A Current Affair,
02/18/20)
Accused cult leader threatened former students after VICE
investigation
“…Twin Flames Universe[, a] YouTube spirituality school
accused of exploiting its members[,] has sent former students
a letter threatening them with imminent lawsuits, police
investigations, bankruptcy, jail time, and the publication of
‘VERY revealing and VERY uncomfortable’ information. Days
after VICE published an investigation into the workings of
Twin Flames Universe, an online life coaching community that
promotes fringe ideas about love, its leaders sent out a letter
to ex-members threatening life-ruining consequences for
speaking out about family separations, unpaid labour, and a
host of other cult-like practices. Former students say the group’s
leaders Shaleia [Ayan] and Jeff Ayan claimed to cure post-
traumatic stress disorder, cancer, and other medical conditions
with a special ‘mind alignment’ therapy. They told VICE students
paid thousands of dollars for access to Twin Flames videos, and
in some cases were coached into violating restraining orders,
cutting off their parents unless they sent money, and working
long hours for free. ...Twin Flames Universe threatened to sue
VICE over its story, and vehemently denied all cult accusations.
An email from Leesie Mappes, Twin Flames’ CEO and ‘senior
executive minister’ with the group’s new church, claims VICE
was ‘scammed’ into publishing false accounts by a former
student with an agenda to destroy Twin Flames for the benefit
of a rival spiritual coaching business.” (Vice, 03/11/200)
This YouTube school promised true love students say they
were exploited instead
“Lenae Burchell was all set to fly from Texas to Toronto in July
2019 to meet a couple who she credited with changing her life,
and starting her down a healing path. …Since January 2019
Burchell had been a devoted member of an online spirituality
school called Twin Flames Universe, led by two glassy-eyed
Michigan YouTubers calling themselves Jeff and Shaleia.
Burchell, a 30-year-old single mom, had bought tickets for
a two-day ‘ascension workshop’ in Canada the weekend of
July 27 and 28. Marketing materials for the event promised
participants would ‘experience heaven on Earth.’ For Burchell, it
was supposed to be a rare opportunity to meet the Twin Flames
Universe founders for the first time. …Jeff and Shaleia, who
previously went by the names Ender Ayanethos and Megan
Plante, have released hundreds of online videos over the last
five years about relationships, finding purpose, and fringe New
Age concepts. The couple, who claim to share a special spiritual
connection with God and each other, charge upwards of $4,000
for access to more exclusive videos, workshops, and one-on-
one ‘mind alignment’ therapies. Their videos and accompanying
social media forums cater to viewers who feel lost and alone,
and who want to find acceptance and true love.
Burchell says she quickly became one of the most committed
Twin Flames students in the community, posting in the
Facebook group regularly, watching new videos, and calling
in to weekly group sessions on Google Hangouts. She spent as
much as 30 hours a week, outside of her full-time government
job and single-parenting duties, keeping up with coursework,
building lists of potential new students, and making sales
calls—all time she volunteered for no compensation. …
Burchell did not end up getting on a plane to Toronto. A week
before her trip, she decided to leave Twin Flames Universe,
disconnect from everyone on social media, and never look
back—a decision sparked by a blowout fight with her family.
Now Burchell is joining a growing group of ex-members
speaking out against the couple who they say built a cult
empire by exploiting their students. (Vice, 02/05/2020) n
32
