CULT: The I AM Movement

2026-06-10 · 41 min · episode 74 · 12 entities

episode page audio

Asserted relationships

→ hosted by Crime House person

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Feed author/publisher: Crime House
→ discusses History website

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Feed category: History
→ discusses True Crime podcast

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Feed category: True Crime
→ hosted by PAVE Studios company

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Feed author/publisher: PAVE Studios
→ references @Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes website

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Link in episode "CULT: The I AM Movement": https://youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

Entities found in this episode

websites 4

mentioned History website

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Feed category: History
mentioned @Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes website

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Link in episode "CULT: The I AM Movement": https://youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes
discusses History website

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Feed category: History
references @Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes website

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evidence rules-v5
Link in episode "CULT: The I AM Movement": https://youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes

companys 2

mentioned PAVE Studios company

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Feed author/publisher: PAVE Studios
hosted by PAVE Studios company

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Feed author/publisher: PAVE Studios

persons 2

mentioned Crime House person

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Crime House
hosted by Crime House person

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evidence rules-v5
Feed author/publisher: Crime House

podcasts 2

mentioned True Crime podcast

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Feed category: True Crime
discusses True Crime podcast

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Feed category: True Crime

concepts 2

mentioned The I AM Movement concept

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CULT: The I AM Movement
mentioned CULT concept

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CULT

Episode description as stored

In this episode of Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, Vanessa traces how Guy and Edna Ballard built the I AM Movement, a Depression-era spiritual empire claiming contact with immortal "Ascended Masters," and turned it into a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme. When federal prosecutors charged them with mail fraud for promising supernatural miracles they could never deliver, the Ballards fought back all the way to the Supreme Court, and won a landmark ruling on religious freedom that still shapes U.S. law today. Head over to our Conspiracy Theories, Cults, & Crimes YouTube channel to WATCH our video episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Conspiracytheoriescultscrimes If you’re new here, don’t forget to follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes to never miss a case! To hear episodes ad-free and released a day early, subscribe to Crime House+. Join at crimehouseplus.com or if you’re listening on Apple Podcasts, tap “Try Free” at the top of this show’s page. Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes is a Crime House Original Podcast, powered by PAVE Studios. 🎧 Need More to Binge? Listen to other Crime House Originals Clues, Crimes Of…, Serial Killers & Murderous Minds, Crime House 24/7, Murder True Crime Stories and more wherever you get your podcasts! Follow me on Social Instagram: @Crimehouse TikTok: @Crimehouse Facebook: @crimehousestudios X: @crimehousemedia YouTube: @crimehousestudios