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Vanessa Richardson
Hi, everyone, it's Vanessa. Big news. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is now on YouTube. Every Saturday, I'll be dropping a full video episode, going deep on the real people and dark truths behind the world's most infamous conspiracies. Same show, same depth, same commitment to the dark truth. Now you can watch it. Subscribe to Conspiracy Theories, Cults and crimes on YouTube to catch a new video episode every Saturday. This is crime house.
Kristy Wallace
A lot of people dream about becoming famous, but very few actually succeed. Because it's not just about talent. It's also about making sacrifices. Family obligations or work takeover. And fantasies get pushed to the side. And even if that doesn't happen, luck is a huge factor in deciding who makes it to the top.
Heather McKinney
Claude Vorilan knew all about the struggle to get famous. He came close to it twice. First as a French pop singer and then as a race car driver. Both times, his dreams were snatched away from him. But in 1973, a chance encounter gave him a new purpose.
Kristy Wallace
Just when it looked like he might have to settle down and find a real job, Aliens descended from the heavens. They told Claude that humanity was approaching a crossroads, one that would either lead to enlightenment or destruction.
Heather McKinney
And it was up to Claude to make sure they made the right choice.
Vanessa Richardson
From UFO cults and mass suicides to secret CIA experiments, presidential assassinations, and murderous doctors, these. These aren't just theories. They're real stories that blur the line between fact and fiction. I'm Vanessa Richardson, and this is Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes, a crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I'll explore the real people at the center of the world's most shocking events and nefarious organizations. And today, I'm joined by Kristy Wallace and Heather McKinney of the Sinisterhood podcast to talk about a topic their listeners are extremely excited about. The Raelian move.
Kristy Wallace
Thank you so much for having us, Vanessa.
Heather McKinney
Absolutely. Christy and I cannot wait to dive in.
Vanessa Richardson
So excited for you guys to be here. I literally can't think of anyone better to join me for this one. For everyone listening, if you're not following Sinisterhood, be sure to go find it now. Every episode, Christy and Heather dive into all things creepy, crime and comedy. I'm so impressed with how you guys are able to cover some pretty heavy topics with levity and respect. Plus, Heather's legal analysis as a lawyer brings that extra layer that really separates it from other shows. Introduce the cult we're covering today, the Raelian movement. And as an exciting bonus, the three of us will sit down after the episode for an extended conversation to dig into the craziest parts of this story.
Kristy Wallace
Thank you so much first of all, for the kind words, Vanessa. We're huge fans of you as well. And like you mentioned, this is a case our listeners have been dying for us to cover. We've had many submissions to cover this one and we are very eager to talk about it.
Heather McKinney
You know, any cult that we talk about is pretty wild, but the elements that go into this one, it might take the cake. It's a religious movement founded in 1970s France by Claude Vorellon. According to Claude, humanity was actually created by alien scientists 25,000 years ago. And in 1973, these aliens visited Earth and chose him to be their messenger.
Kristy Wallace
Despite the group's unusual beliefs, Rylism is centered around peace and love. It's an appealing message that gained Claude around 50,000 followers by the dawn dawn of the 21st century. But trouble was just around the corner.
Heather McKinney
Starting in the early 2000s, the group was embroiled in controversies including human cloning, allegations of sexual abuse, and more. They managed to weather the storm and come out mostly unscathed. But time is running out because according to Claude, the aliens are coming back to Earth in 2035 to see if humanity is on the right path.
Kristy Wallace
And the deadline is rapidly approaching.
Vanessa Richardson
You know that thing where you get
Kristy Wallace
an amazing pair of shoes at a really great price and want to tell everyone about it?
Heather McKinney
Yeah.
Vanessa Richardson
So do we.
Kristy Wallace
Here at Designer Shoe Warehouse, we'll give you something to brag about. Like the latest styles from brands you love or the trends everyone's obsessing over,
Heather McKinney
or shoes that make you feel like, well, you.
Kristy Wallace
So go ahead, show off a little. Find shoes that get you at prices
Heather McKinney
that get your budget.
Kristy Wallace
That's your DSW store or dsw.com today.
Vanessa Richardson
DSW. Let us surprise you.
Kristy Wallace
Coverage varies by plan.
Heather McKinney
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Vanessa Richardson
According to Claude Vorillone's later writings, he was conceived around Christmas time. In 1945, aliens abducted his teenage mother Colette from the French town of Amber, impregnated her with an alien embryo, then wiped her memory and sent her back down to Earth. According to the history books, Claude's father was a Jewish refugee named Marcel, who met Colette after he fled the Nazis during World War II. Germany had taken control of the region of France where Marcel lived. So he traveled to a safer location and ended up in Amber, which is where he met Colette. These two origin stories are very different, but they both agree on two things. That Colette was just 15 years old when she gave birth to Claude on September 30, 1946, and that his father was notable absent from his childhood. After the war ended, Marcel left Amber. Apparently he already had a family. Oops, must have forgotten about them and wanted to reunite with them. So Colette relied on her sister and mother to help raise Claude. None of the women in his life were particularly religious. But when it was time for Claude to go to school, they enrolled him in a Catholic one. Amber was a small town, so there weren't many options. Claude was not a fan. He hated the rigid structure and was constantly bullied by the other kids because he was small for his age and bad at sports. But at nine years old, Claude had an experience that finally gave him hope. He went go kart racing and absolutely loved it. He started to dream about being a race car driver when he grew up. Then, during his teenage years, he discovered another passion. Music. Claude entered competitions and when he won a singing contest, he decided to try his luck at making music for a living. At 16 years old, Claude left home. He took his guitar and hitchhiked to Paris. Three years later, in 1963, the 19 year old was scouted by a music executive named Lucien Maurice. Lucien thought Claude had talent, which was a big deal because Lucien was in charge of a radio network. Soon he was playing Claude's songs on the station under the name of Claude Sele. Just as Claude was starting to gain traction, Lucien unexpectedly passed away in September of 1970. Lucien had been the only one trying to push Claude to stardom. With him gone, Claude's music career fizzled out. So 24 year old Claude decided to take a more traditional route. At some point, he met a nurse named Christine. They fell for each other and got married in 1970. After tying the knot, they moved to Clermont Ferrand, a city in south central France not far from Claude's hometown. That's when Claude remembered his other childhood passion, race car driving. In 1971, Claude founded a magazine about car racing called Autopop. It took off quickly and Claude used his connections to borrow race cars. He and Christine had two young children by that point, and according to Christine, he prioritized racing over his family. Not that he was very good at it. He competed in some big races, but never placed high enough to go pro. And after a few years, the whole industry started to crumble. Starting in October 1973, an oil crisis hit Europe, triggered by the Yom Kippur War. In the Middle east, recreational driving was discouraged to conserve oil. Then, on November 30th of that year, the French Prime Minister shut down car racing until further notice. Auto Pop went with it. At just 27 years old, Claude had come close to fame twice. Both times, his dreams had slipped through his fingers. But luckily for Claude, he found a new purpose just two weeks later. Clermont Ferrand, where Claude lived, is next to Auvergne Volcanoes Regional Natural Park, a huge mountain range of extinct volcanoes. Claude often visited the area in the summer and spring, but for some reason, he felt called to the park. On December 13, 1973, Claude hiked to the center of a crater called Puy de la Sola. He took in the scenery, and just as he was about to leave, something appeared in the sky above him. At first he thought it was a helicopter, but it didn't make any noise, so that wasn't possible. And as the craft closed in on him, Claude realized he was seeing a UFO. Claude had always believed in aliens, and in the 1970s there was an uptick in UFO sightings in France. Claude and his friends had even talked about how fascinating it would be to see a flying saucer. He never thought it would actually happen, but he couldn't deny what was right in front of him. The craft was gray and dome shaped with red lights at the bottom. It approached him, hovering just over the surface of the crater. Then a staircase descended and an alien came out. According to Claude, the being was about 4ft tall with slightly greenish skin, almond shaped eyes, dark hair and a beard, though possessing more feminine features. The alien identified itself as a male. He wore a green jumpsuit and had a translucent bubble around his head. A the little green man explained that he'd used telepathy to summon Claude to the crater. He said his people were looking for a messenger on Earth. The alien had chosen Claude because he was smart, but not a scholar. That meant he could explain things in simple terms. Plus, Claude lived in France, where people were generally open to new ideas. The alien told Claude the mission he was chosen for was Incredibly urgent. Then he asked Claude to come aboard his ship to discuss it further. Claude didn't think twice. On board, the alien explained that his species was called the Elohim, or Eloha, singular, although this term comes from the Bible and means God. The alien explained that he and his peers were not God. They were scientists from another world who'd created humans through genetic experimentation 25,000 years ago. They made all the animals on Earth too, and even shaped the landscape. The Aloha kept their meeting relatively short, but told Claude to come back the following day to learn more. Claude returned for the next six days as promised. The Aloha told him more about his mission each day. The Aloha explained that humanity had entered the age of the apocalypse 28 years prior, when they dropped a bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The use of nuclear technology meant humanity was now at a turning point and the people on Earth would have to decide. Would they use science for peace and enlightenment, or would they use it for war? If they chose the second option, they risked total nuclear annihilation. After their last meeting, the alien flew back to his home planet. But he promised that he and other Elohim would return. Maybe they would even reveal themselves to the people of Earth. And as long as humanity could embrace their message, that is. Claude was determined to do his part. Not long after his encounter, he wrote about it in a book called the Book that Tells the Truth. Claude sent it to a publisher, but they wanted to make too many changes for Claude's liking. While Claude was trying to figure out what to do, a famous TV host named Jacques Chancel heard about the manuscript. Jacques invited Claude on his show, which kickstarted other press appearances. The book hadn't even been published yet and Claude was already becoming a media sensation. He was determined not to let the opportunity pass by. In the fall of 1974, 28 year old Claude started giving speeches and soon had a growing audience in Paris. He named his fledgling movement Railism because the alien had said their word for messenger was rael. Claude also started using a symbol that he'd seen on the spaceship. A fusion of the Star of David and the swastika. Although the swastika was widely used as a peace symbol for hundreds of years before the Nazis made it their logo. This was definitely controversial and it didn't stop the symbol from raising eyebrows. That might have been why Claude was still having trouble finding a publisher who would maintain his vision for his book. So he self published, which earned him a bit of money. He also booked more Speaking engagements With all the momentum, Claude decided to take a leap and became a full time prophet. His wife Christine, fully believed in Claude and wanted to support his new venture. She even quit her job so they could relocate. They moved to a cottage in Perigord, about two hours east of Bordeaux, where followers stopped by to pledge their loyalty. Some of these supporters even donned medallions with the Raelian symbol. Only a few followers made the trip in those early days. One of them was a man named Jean Saulnier, who still proudly wears his medallion all these years later. Saulnier has said he was drawn to Claude's message because of his own extraterrestrial experience. He was driving on a country road early in 1974 when he saw a bright star appear in the daytime sky. When the star began moving, Jean's engine died. Then the craft took off. Jean worked in the military on an aircraft carrier and had never seen anything like this before. So when he saw Claude talking about his encounter on tv, he immediately believed him. I've actually had a similar experience. When I was in high school, driving home at night after a school play rehearsal, I saw a ufo. It was cloudy that night. I lived out in the suburbs and I saw a light in the sky. At first I thought it was a helicopter, but then it started moving in ways that would be impossible for a helicopter to move. I'd love to know if any listeners have seen something they couldn't explain. Tell us about your experience and how would you feel if you met someone else who'd shared the same experience? Let us know in the comments. As for Jean Saulnier, he was convinced that he and Claude had seen the same ship. When he traveled to Claude's cottage, he met a dozen or so other followers. But that number would soon grow. At that point, Claude was calling his idea Realism. But he wanted a more formal name for the organization. Soon he decided on madc, an acronym for the French translation of the Movement to Welcome the Elohim Creators of Humanity. Their first official meeting was on December 13, 1974, just one year after Claude had his encounter. One hundred and seventy members attended. This meeting is also where Claude formally took on the name Raelle. He was the messenger, after all. Modek quickly gained traction by NETworking with other UFO organizations. Members also donated to fund a wider release of Claude's book, further boosting their numbers. Claude used this momentum to publish an internal newsletter called Apocalypse. He also started charging members annual dues of 50 francs, which would be $10 today. By 1975, Modek had a few hundred members and a Paris headquarters. But it was difficult to manage. Many of Claude's followers were more interested in UFO lore than spreading Rael's message. So in April, Claude called a meeting. He wanted to reorganize, and over the next few months, he replaced all of the top leaders of madec. But his friends from outer space still had a few more bombshells to drop. And what they told him next would change everything.
Danica Patrick
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Vanessa Richardson
On October 7, 1975, 29 year old Claude Vorilone, now known as Rael, woke up in the middle of the night. He felt that same inexplicable pull as he did two years ago when he'd first met the Aloha alien. He wandered out into the woods by his house. Moments later, the same Aloha appeared in his ship. This time, Claude said he took him all the way to his home planet. There, Claude saw unbelievable animals and was given beautiful women to sleep with. Claude also said the Elohim took his DNA and cloned him. The Elohim told him immortality could be achieved this way, but by cloning a younger body and transferring one's consciousness. The Elohim also took Claude to a dinner where he met all of the great religious prophets who'd lived on Earth after their passing. They'd been transported to the Elohim homeworld and made immortal. Claude claimed he spoke with Jesus, Muhammad and Moses. This experience culminated in Claude's second book. Space Aliens Took Me to Their Planet. Within the rapidly growing organization of Modek, it wasn't as well received as the first book. A man named Patrick Darnay and his wife had been among the very first followers to pledge their loyalty to Claude. But now they were rethinking everything. They recall the time When Claude came over to their house for dinner, well before he penned his second book. At some point that night, Claude had read a comic where the protagonist had a meeting meal with all the great prophets. The story he wrote about in his book sounded a lot like that. After reading Space Aliens Took Me to Their Planet, Patrick and his wife became convinced that Claude was a fraud. They left Modek and Claude didn't try to stop them. But even after reorganizing the group, Claude thought it was still too unfocused. So In January of 1976, he officially disbanded MADC and on focused formed the Raelian Movement. This new organization was structured more like a religion with entry level and high ranking positions. Those wanting to move up could become animators, people who spoke at meetings. The next level was being a guide which involved leading lower ranking members. At the top, taking inspiration from Catholicism, were priests and bishops. Claude also looked to the church when it came to his initiation rituals. On the first Sunday of April in 1976, he selected 40 followers who seemed especially devoted to him and baptized them. This wasn't baptism in the spiritual sense, but rather in the scientific one. Claude would sprinkle water on their foreheads while his followers tried to form a psychic connection with the Elohim, who could read their minds. This was also called transmission or sending, the cellular plan. Afterwards, Claude would tell them, the Elohim have recognized you. Claude's followers walked out of that baptism and into a rapidly evolving religious movement. Their most important goal was to prepare the world for the day the Elohim came back, which Claude told them might be happening soon. So they'd better hurry up and change the world. If they couldn't sway humanity towards peace Earth as they knew it might be destroyed by nuclear war. Eventually, Claude told his followers that the Elohim had given him a concrete date of their return, 2035. Claude also said that they had to build an embassy to greet them. Of course, to do that they needed more money. Claude encouraged members to pay a portion of their salary to the group as a sort of tithe. But they were pushed to give 10% to the organization itself, plus 1% to Claude aka Rael, to support his work as a full time prophet. In addition, Claude introduced something called sensual meditation, which the Elohim taught him. Some sessions looked similar to typical meditation, but others involved nudity and touching. Still, that wasn't enough to break the movement, and soon Claude wanted his followers to make even bigger sacrifices for him. He told members to add clauses to their will that upon their death they would have one square centimeter of their skulls removed. It would then be stored in a safe location so the Elohim could clone them in the future. Claude was spreading the Elohim's message far and wide and ensuring that Earth was on the right track. But he didn't have to wait until 2035 to see the Elohim again, because in 1979, they made contact once more. Of course, Claude was the only one they reached out to. This time, the Elohim spoke to him telepathically. They told Claude that all the great prophets of humanity were actually half Elohim. They'd been conceived when the Elohim impregnated a human with woman. They told Claude he was conceived this same way, which made him the half brother of all those other holy men, including Jesus. This was a pretty big revelation, and Claude wrote another book about it called let's welcome the Extraterrestrials. After that, Claude leaned further into biblical messaging. At the start of the 80s, the Raelians bought a small plot of land in southern France. Claude called it Eden. And held summer gatherings there, camping out with hundreds of people. Clearly, the group was doing well. But Claude still had bigger dreams for his religion. The Raelians focused on living a peaceful life and accepting others, regardless of sexual orientation, race and religion. They advocated for equal rights for LGBT people, a group often rejected and persecuted by other religions at the time. They also preached about non traditional types of love, declaring monogamy outdated and embracing polyamory. These tolerant values appealed to a lot of people, even when wrapped in the veneer of UFOs and free love. And soon, Claude and his followers were traveling to different countries to spread the word. One of their first missions was to Japan in 1980. The aloha had told Claude that the age of the Apocalypse began when the US dropped a bomb on Hiroshima. The so the Raelians were eager to see if their message resonated. Surprisingly, it did. A few early followers even helped translate Claude's book into English, which spread the message even further. And with a bit of experience under their belts, the Raelians ventured to other parts of the globe. In 1982, they started visiting French speaking countries in Africa. South Korea was another success. The Raelians didn't believe in building churches, and they just held meetings and rented buildings. So this helped the movement take root fast. But all this success came at a personal cost for Claude. As the movement progressed and Claude took on more lovers, his wife Christine, became disillusioned. Soon she lost faith in realism. Completely. She came to believe Claude had only created the religion because he craved attention. And in 1985, after 11 years of Rael, she finally had enough. She left Claude. Sadly, she had to leave her children too. According to Christine, the kids were fully entrenched in realism at that point, which Claude used to turn them against her. Claude didn't seem too torn up about losing Christine, though. Before long he struck up a relationship with a younger Japanese follower. They stayed together for a few years before breaking up, but she remained in the organization and moved up the ranks. Because Claude preached that relationships should be temporary. Many of his past girlfriends have stayed on good terms after he ended things. They knew it wasn't going to last forever. Besides, Claude had bigger issues to deal with. In October of 1992, a popular French talk show host named Christophe Deschevon invited Claude onto his program. This wasn't the first time Claude had been on, but Kristof said this appearance would be different. And because he wanted to discuss the welfare of the children in his group, they talked for a bit before Christophe brought out a surprise guest, a man named Jean Paraga. Jean was an ex Raelian who had a lot to say about the movement. According to him, Claude had destroyed his family. In fact, Claude was even holding his wife and children hostage. Jean also claimed that Claude and his followers sexually abused children during their sensual meditation sessions.
Heather McKinney
And.
Vanessa Richardson
And that wasn't even the most disturbing allegation. Jean went on to accuse Claude and his followers of taking part in ritualistic child sacrifices. These allegations shocked the public, but they weren't exactly accurate. In reality, Jean had been sent to jail for smuggling drugs and cars. While he was locked up, his wife left him for a Raelian. And thankfully, the allegations about ritual sacrifice and child abuse seemed to be completely made up. But in the eyes of the public, that didn't matter. The media had gotten wind of the story and soon the Raelians were getting hate mail and death threats. Before long, the government even got involved. They launched an investigation and found some truth to Jeanne's claims. One young Raelian girl had been sexually assaulted by two male members. After this latest scandal, Claude sold Eden, the land in southern France that had acted as a home base for the group. By then, he already owned property in Quebec, Canada, which he used for summer retreats. It quickly became the Raelian's new home base. But 1992 wasn't all bad for Claude. That was the year he met the latest in his string of younger girlfriends. One day, 46 year old Claude was at the airport in Quebec, coming back from a mission trip when he locked eyes with a local girl named Sophie. The problem was Sophie was 15 years old. Sophie had actually been raised in the movement. Her mother started teaching her about realism at the age of 10. She'd grown up thinking that Claude was humanity's savior, so when he started flirting with her, she was thrilled. Claude didn't believe in marriage, but when Sophie turned 16 in 1993, they got married with her mother's blessing. This was just to make it easier to travel with his new teenage wife, though in the 90s, this would have been frowned upon, but it didn't raise eyebrows the way it does today. If anything, Sophie only helped him get better publicity, especially when she modeled for Playboy in a sexy alien themed edition of the magazine. And the group needed good publicity because in the mid-90s, a cult known as the Order of the Solar Temple, which we've covered in another episode, shocked the world. The group committed a series of murders and suicides in France and Quebec that left 74 people dead. This was bad news for Rael. The Solar Temple tragedies put any cult like groups in France under a microscope, and it seemed like the Raelians would never be able to return to their home country.
Danica Patrick
To realize the future America needs.
Heather McKinney
We understand what's needed from us to
Kristy Wallace
face each threat head on.
Danica Patrick
We've earned our place in the fight for our nation's future.
Heather McKinney
We are Marines.
Danica Patrick
We were made for this.
Vanessa Richardson
Hi listeners, it's Vanessa Richardson. I wanted to take a brief moment to tell you about another show from Crime House that I know you'll love. America's Most Infamous Crimes. Hosted by Katie Ring. Each week, Katie takes on a notorious crime, whether unfolding now or etched into American history, revealing not just what happened, but how it forever changed our society. Serial killers who terrorized cities, unsolved mysteries that keep detectives up at night, and investigations that change the way we think about justice. Each case unfolds across multiple episodes, released every Tuesday through Thursday, from the first sign that something was wrong to the moment the truth came out or didn't. These are the stories behind the headlines. Listen to and follow America's most infamous crimes Tuesday through Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts. After a cult called the Order of the Solar Temple committed a series of murders and suicides in the mid-1990s, other fringe groups were on high alert and the Raelians were no exception. The group's leader, 48 year old Claude Vorilone, known as Rael, to His followers searched for ways to spotlight the peaceful aspects of realism. He wanted to show the world that not every new religious movement was one headed towards disaster. But his methods were a little unorthodox. In 1994, he got back into racing. Sponsored by a few wealthy Japanese followers, he occasionally placed in the top 10 in different races throughout Canada and Europe. And it was enough for the media to dub him the world's fastest prophet. The Raelians used the publicity to advocate for social causes like safe sex and abortion rights. It seems like these efforts helped the group get into Canada's good graces. In 1995, the Raelians were recognized as an official religion in Quebec. But that same year, France officially labeled them a culture. Although it was probably disappointing for Claude, he kept pushing ahead. In the mid-90s, there were an estimated 20,000 Raelians, and the group was always trying to recruit new members. So in 1997, they created a place called UFO Land in Valcour, Canada. It was a cross between an education center and a theme park. People could buy souvenirs, go on rides, and of course, if they wanted to learn more, more about the religion, the employees were happy to help. The Raelians were basking in the spotlight as much as they could. But internally, there were some changes taking place. On December 13, 1997, 51 year old Claude received another message from the Elohim. They wanted him to add a new level to the organization. In addition to the ranks of guide, priest and bishop, there would now be something called the Order of the Angels. Only women could become angels. The Order was presented as a feminist organization meant to empower women by giving them a special place as the ambassadors of the Elohim. But as ambassadors, their primary job would be to welcome the Elohim sexually. When they came to Earth, there were different ranks of angels denoted by either white or pink pink feathers that they wore around their necks. Although white angels had to prioritize the Elohim when it was time, they could sleep with anyone they wanted until then. But pink angels could only sleep with either each other or the Elohim. Since Claude was part of the Elohim, he was the only man on Earth they could have sex with. The pink Angels even had to sign a contract saying they would never return, refuse his sexual advances, or sleep with anyone else. The same year that Claude learned about the Order of the Angels, in 1997, there was huge news out of Scotland. Scientists there had successfully cloned the world's first mammal from a sheep named Dolly. Claude was thrilled when he found out, remember, the Elohim had allegedly told him that cloning was the key to immortality. So he thought this was the next step in preparing Earth for the Elohim's return in 2035. Soon he founded a company called Clonaid. He didn't do much with it though. It was basically just a PO box in the Bahamas. But before long, one of his followers took a serious interest in the project. Dr. Brigitte Boisselier was a French scientist with a PhD in chemistry. She also held the rank of Bishop in the Raelians. For years she'd kept her religion and her work separate. But Claude encouraged her to speak up. He thought having a scientist in the group, especially one who supported human cloning, could be incredible publicity. So in the late 90s, Brigitte agreed to endorse her faith and human cloning. The backlash was immediate. The Raelians were still considered considered a cult in France. And it wasn't long until Brigitte lost her job and custody of her 8 year old daughter. At that point, she felt like she had nothing to lose. So she gave everything to clone aid. At some point in the late 90s, Brigitte moved to the US and started looking for funding for Clon aid. Before long, she found her first serious investor. An anonymous politician had agreed to help finance their mission. With his money, Brigitte rented a lab in Nitro, West Virginia and got to work on making Clonade a real company. With all the talk about human cloning, the US Congress was eager to put some regulations in place. While they decided what to do. The FDA was given temporary jurisdiction over the industry. Before long, they discovered Brigitte's lab. Not much had been accomplished by then, but the the FDA shut it down. By then, it seemed like Brigitte's cloning venture was over. But the following year, on December 27, 2002, she held a press conference near Miami, Florida. There she made a shocking announcement. She said Clonaid had been a success. The first human clone had just been born. Brigitte said the experiment had taken place place outside the us but they'd cloned an anonymous American woman. She said the baby, who they nicknamed Eve, was healthy. Brigitte also said they were arranging for an independent scientist to confirm the cloning via DNA testing. This claim was met with a lot of skepticism from scientists around the world. And in a 2024 Netflix series on Railism, Damian Marik, Aelian's scientist who helped set up Brigitte's lab, even said that the whole press conference was a known hoax. According to him, There was no Eve. Even with the skepticism, Claude thought the publicity was great. He told the Media they had 2,000 people on their clone wait list who would each be charged $200,000 for a clone of themselves. But on New Year's Day 2003, things took a turn. A Florida lawyer named Bernard Siegel filed for temporary custody of Eve. He said that Eve might need special medical treatment as a clone, which there was no indication she was getting. In response, Brigitte and Claude announced that they weren't going to provide any proof of Eve. Apparently, they didn't want the state to take her away from her family, although who her family was was unconscious. Clear at that point, Claude started to distance himself from Clonade. He said he didn't know any specifics, not even where the laboratory was. But he couldn't dodge bullets forever. And the next controversy was just right around the corner. Starting in 2003, a reporter named Bridget McCann and a photographer named Chantal Poirier had infiltrated the Raelians in Quebec. They pretended to be new recruits, but in reality, they were digging up dirt for a local publication called Sun Media. And by October of that year, they'd gotten what they needed. McCann talked specifically about the sensual meditation practices. She explained how guides encouraged members to smell their armpits and genitals, to touch themselves in sexual ways, and to examine their genitals with the mirrors. McCann also wrote extensively about how Raelian higher ups constantly pressured members for money, a practice Claude had long claimed he didn't endorse. McCann donated about $2,000 just to remain above suspicion. And of course, she discussed how no one seemed to have any proof that the Raelians had ever cloned a baby. Although Claude publicly said he appreciated the free publicity for the from these scandals, in 2004, annual membership dues were down 11% worldwide, meaning the cult had fewer members and less money. Still, after the cloning controversy fizzled out, the Raelians were able to successfully reign in the drama. As of the early 2000s, the Raelians estimate they're approaching 100,000 followers. And these days, they're mostly in the news for less disturbing things. About once a year, they make headlines for their demonstrations in favor of women going topless. At these events, bare breasted women and men wearing bikinis all protest together. Raelians have also campaigned extensively against female genital mutilation as well, and even founded a charity called Clitorade to fight the practice. Still, they can't seem to completely shed their past. In 2020 and 2024 Vice and Netflix released specials about Railism. Both companies managed to snag interviews from Claude himself. They also traveled to his current headquarters in Okinawa, Japan. When Vice visited, they discovered that Sophie, Raelle's teenage bride from 1993, was still a part of his entourage. But when Netflix came just a year later, Sophie had been replaced by a young Japanese woman named Sky. Netflix also found a few ex followers who were willing to speak out against the group. Damien Marcic, the scientist who worked in the West Virginia lab, said he felt like he'd wasted 30 years of his life. Other former members discussed how Claude would manipulate people into giving him money. They he also spoke about his fondness for teenage girls. It's a lot to take in, and I'd love to get your thoughts on the group. How do you think it compares to the other cults we've covered? Let us know in the comments. However you feel about the group. Rael is getting older. He'll be 80 this year. The deadline for the Elohim to come to Earth 2035 is less than a decade away, and it doesn't seem like we're heading toward peace anytime soon. Still, that hasn't stopped other cult leaders from following in Claude's footsteps. In Cult Watch this week, I'm highlighting the Ahmadi religion of peace and light. It was first founded in the 1990s, but in two in 2015, a man named Abdullah Hashim created an offshoot of the religion, which goes by the same name. Although the cult has roots in Islam, it also incorporates Illuminati type conspiracies, aliens, and bits of other religions. Abdullah claims to be the new savior of humanity and says he has supernatural abilities. He also believed he can heal his followers and control the moon. Recently, he's been making headlines because he bought an abandoned orphanage in Northwest England. He's currently living there with about a hundred followers. But that's not even the most interesting thing about this cult. 20 years before Abdullah was claiming to be the next Messiah, he was a college kid in Indiana studying film. He dreamed of becoming a documentary filmmaker, one who specialized in exposing cults. Abdullah even snuck into a Raelian meeting and made his own film about them, called Little Claudi. In it, he mocked the movement, saying it was exploitative and ridiculous. It certainly seems like Abdullah picked up some tricks from Claude Vorilone along the way.
Heather McKinney
Foreign
Vanessa Richardson
thanks so much for listening. I'm Vanessa Richardson and this is Conspiracy Theories, Cults, and Crimes. Come back next time. We'll decode the episode together and hear another story about the real people at the center of the world's most notorious cults, conspiracies and criminal acts. Thanks again to my special guests Christine Wallace and Heather McKinney of the Sinister Mr. Hood podcast. Don't forget to keep listening for our extended conversation about the Raelian movement. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. Here at Crime House, we want to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you like what you heard today, reach out on social media, rime house on TikTok and Instagram. Don't forget to rate, review and follow Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes wherever you get your podcasts. Your feedback truly makes a difference. And to enhance your Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes listening experience, subscribe to Crime House plus on Apple Podcasts. You'll get every episode ad free. We'll be back on Friday. Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes is hosted by me, Vanessa Richardson and is a Crime House original powered by Pave Studios. This this episode was brought to life by the Conspiracy Theories, Cults and Crimes team. Max Cutler, Ron Shapiro, Alex Benedon, Natalie Przovsky, Lori Marinelli, Sarah Camp, Bethany Branson, Sheila Patterson, Kaylee Pine, and Michael Langsner. Thank you for listening. Thanks again for listening to today's episode. Now Christy, Heather and I are going to discuss realism a little bit more in depth. We'll get into why this one stands out for us, what we took away from this case, and so much more. Okay, I have to ask. When it comes to aliens, where do you guys land? Are you in the universe is way too big for us to be alone, Camp, or are you like, absolutely not. It's just dudes in Nevada having a great time.
Kristy Wallace
I have always been of the belief that aliens are very real, interdimensional beings are real, multiple timelines, whatever. Wherever they're coming from, I think the bottom of the ocean. But I absolutely believe in them.
Heather McKinney
Yes, no, definitely. I feel like it's dangerous when somebody on Earth purports to be their direct messenger and that's when my suspicion creeps in. But I think one to one experiences, we've covered some experiences folks have had. Whether it's the Travis Walton incident, was that real? Or the school children in Africa who really had corroborated amongst themselves these different tales they tell their teachers. And when we hear about situations like that, I'm like, okay, there's no way that collectively these kids all got together, made up this story, and then separately went and told it. So I, I like when we cover things where there's evidence, and that further enhances my belief, which I was like, those kids are right. And like Christy said, they probably came up from the bottom of the ocean.
Vanessa Richardson
Absolutely. We hear stuff all the time. All. And. And like you said, the proof, you know, do you guys have. Okay, when did you first learn about aliens? Or when. What's your first memory of aliens?
Kristy Wallace
Man, I probably learned about them when I was very little. I've been into this kind of stuff since, you know, I could talk pretty much. I. The first alien that came to mind was that one from the Flintstones. That's probably the first time I remember, like, hearing about aliens or E.T. maybe.
Heather McKinney
Yeah, maybe. I feel like, for me, like, the one I really remembered. Remembered was honestly, the Visitors in South park, which is the second episode Cartman gets to anal probe. I have a car above my shoulder here in the studio. I'm a huge south park and Trey Parker, Matt Stone fan. So it's been interesting as we then study people's experiences with UFOs, that South park took elements of actual people's claims and, you know, of course, made them very silly with Cartman saying it. But that was the first time I remember thinking, you know, hearing about grays, cattle mutilations and things like that. And then later on when we were studying it, I was like, this is the same stuff from South Park.
Vanessa Richardson
They do that a lot with a lot of different things. I love that, you know, okay, if aliens landed tomorrow, what's your first instinct? What are you going to do?
Kristy Wallace
I mean, at this point with everything going on, I think it would just be another Wednesday apology. Like, hey, guys, welcome. And then I'd be like, can you maybe take me and some friends away from here?
Heather McKinney
For real? You might want to apologize. Because Rael was like, we're going to have the whole thing built by the time you get here. It doesn't look like we're very close to finishing it. So first we're going to have to apologize and be like, you guys, sorry. The swimming pool done yet for your Fry Festival situation? Nothing is delivered that's promised. Yeah, we've all promised we'd have something here. Sorry about that. But I think also we had to find a legitimate representative of the human species to go and speak with them. And Christy and I have talked about this privately off the air, and some of our key, you know, potential candidates have been Bad bunny, potentially, maybe Ms. Rachel. There's some, like, you know, people that
Kristy Wallace
I would like to nominate. Jacob Elordi.
Heather McKinney
They're the best of what we have to offer. You know what I mean? So I think if there's some people that if they're the ones meeting the ets, the, the planet's not going to survive. But if we send them those folks, I think that they would take pity and kindness on us. I love this so much.
Vanessa Richardson
Yes, yes, I agree completely. What have you. Okay. Have you guys ever seen an alien or UFO personally?
Kristy Wallace
Well, unfortunately, I have not. Despite many hours staring at the dark sky, both in my backyard and out in the middle of the ocean on a cruise ship, I've yet to see one.
Heather McKinney
Yeah, we've. We participated in crime wave at Sea in 2025 and we're going again in 2027. And we've said part of the crime wave experience. Yes, you get to hang out with us. We get to have fun. But we're out where the alien UFO bases are, which is under the sea. So much like Sebastian the Crab saying, I feel like if we really concentrate our efforts on the cruise ship, we will. I thought I talked about on Freaky Friday, our Friday episodes where we people send in their stories. I told my own story where I was very sure I saw a ufo and then I got closer and it was definitely an airplane on a strange path. So I. It's always important to check these things, but I'm, I'm open to it. We both are open to it. I want the orbs to come get me.
Vanessa Richardson
The orbs. We need to call the orbs.
Kristy Wallace
We do.
Vanessa Richardson
So this, this story really shows how powerful it can be to feel chosen right or to feel like you're finally found your people. Have you ever had a moment where someone singled you out or welcomed you into something that felt amazing at first and then later you realized maybe it was a little more complicated than you throw thought?
Heather McKinney
Oh yeah. In high school, I went and grew up in an area where there were almost like rival gangs, but it was rival. These two rival churches. And all the kids would wear. One set of kids wear blue shirts and one would wear orange shirts. And I, you know, you had this feeling like I want to be included. And then I went and then I was listening to what the guy was saying. And Honestly, it was one year anniversary after 9, 11, and he was saying some things. I was like 15 and I went to my mother afterwards, I said, I kind of disagreed with what she said. And I told some of the other kids and their kids are like, you can't disagree with him. That's, that's what he says. And I was like, oh, no, this isn't just T shirts. Like, this is more than what I thought I was going to be welcomed into. And so, you know the text messages, when are you coming back? My mom's like, listen, some things, you know what, we try them out, and they're not for us. And the T shirt gang was not for me.
Vanessa Richardson
Red flags come up, right?
Kristy Wallace
That's how I feel about basketball. In middle school or any other sport, I was asked to play. Everyone thought I'd be great at it, and then I just struggled. I was like, stop asking me to play volleyball just because I'm tall. I'm not like, we need you.
Heather McKinney
We need you. Join us. Join us.
Vanessa Richardson
Yes. And of course, they. Yeah, they all want you. And then you're like, maybe it's not what I want. So, okay, if tomorrow, 50,000 people suddenly believed everything you said and looked to you for guidance, what do you think you'd do with that kind of power? And, okay, be honest.
Heather McKinney
And I've thought of this a lot.
Vanessa Richardson
What kind of cult would you consider starting?
Kristy Wallace
I already know that we would be starting a matriarchal cult because we're trying to get hashtag Mama going, which is make America matriarchal again.
Heather McKinney
So feel free, put it on a hat and T shirt.
Kristy Wallace
And if. Yeah, if 50,000 people suddenly believed us, then I think that's great, because we've been covering a lot of very tough subjects about what's been going on in the world, and the more people that see the light of what's going on, the better, I think.
Heather McKinney
So I think we would maybe not create a cult. We jokingly, slash. Not jokingly, say we've created a coven where we really encourage people. I don't think either of us would want the total power watching the Netflix series on rail and stuff, the way he's like, bring me my water. Take my fan. Do this. I want this. Neither of us are like. We're more like, what do you guys want to do? We're too collaborative, I think, for it to be like. It would be more of, like, a collective. Collective coven type of thing. We're like, what powers do you have? What capabilities you have? Let's make things better together. So it sounds like we're going to start a commune versus the cult, but either way, it's. It's to make America matriarchal again.
Vanessa Richardson
I love that. I was going to ask you, like, the pressures of being seen as an authority, but actually, that would be more of a. Yeah, like a commune I love that this is. Okay. What harmless rituals would your followers have?
Heather McKinney
Would the. This.
Vanessa Richardson
This coven, do you think?
Kristy Wallace
Oh, harmless. I mean, we do a lot of stuff with tarot and ourselves and spells, and we think your words are spells, so probably some things like that. Dancing naked in the moonlight.
Heather McKinney
Yeah. You got a moon bathe. I'm a big nude moon bather. I like to do that. I like. I'm. I'm. I'm a Zen Buddhist as well. You're. Yeah, I like to meditate, so I would not force everyone to meditate, but I would say everybody's got to take 10 minutes of silence. You can do whatever you want in that 10 minutes. You can meditate, you can, you know, journal, write, whatever. But I'd be like, every day we just need 10 minutes of silence to ourselves to do whatever we want. And I feel like it would improve everybody's health and wellness and brain. And you take a nap even if you wanted to. Who cares? We're describing a wellness.
Vanessa Richardson
I'm joining. I'm also.
Heather McKinney
I'm in. So where do I sign? Because I'm in.
Kristy Wallace
Yeah, we're in too. Tell us where.
Heather McKinney
Yeah, absolutely. Because every time we studied a cult on the show, we recently covered one Taste that cult that was all about orgasmic meditation. And what you see is, you know, like, Nicole De Don's the. The head of that. Whenever they get more and more powerful, they. It's like they. They relish in this. Everybody wants to know what I think. And. And I'm like, that would be such a pain in the neck for people to come. She said in the morning, they come sit on her bed and be like, what. What should we do today? What should we think and believe today? I was like, that's. I don't know what I'm doing or thinking or believing. That's exhausting. Right?
Kristy Wallace
I have my kids. Astro me that I don't need a bunch of adults too.
Heather McKinney
Yes.
Vanessa Richardson
I love this so much. And also moon bathing. Okay, that's.
Heather McKinney
Let's do it.
Vanessa Richardson
You had me at moon bathing. That's.
Kristy Wallace
You gotta do it. You gotta. Especially on a cruise ship balcony.
Heather McKinney
I did do that. There you in the dark.
Vanessa Richardson
Yes. Just don't follow the board.
Heather McKinney
That'd be embarrassing.
Kristy Wallace
Yeah, we made sure she was. I put a back from the railing. I was not there. I want to clarify. I was not there for the nude moon bathing, but I gave you some
Heather McKinney
tips to not get near the rail, put a belcher on my waist and tied it to a deck chair. That way you know, they'd at least be able to steam me the jack care behind me. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Vanessa Richardson
They get so smart.
Heather McKinney
They get me.
Kristy Wallace
They get the reflection.
Heather McKinney
Yeah, certainly.
Kristy Wallace
I mean, you'd be.
Heather McKinney
I'm pretty visible in the moonlight. I'll say that I'm reflective indeed. Oh, my gosh.
Vanessa Richardson
I love you guys. Okay, if today's conversation made you laugh or look up at the sky a little differently, you'll definitely want to check out Sinister Hood. Christy and Heather dive into the strange and the spooky with humor and heart. As you can hear, you can follow Sinisterhood wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you guys so much for being here. This is such a bl. I could talk to you all day long.
Kristy Wallace
Thank you. Same. Well, I think we are now all in a coven together, so we'll have to reconvene for our moon bathing session.
Vanessa Richardson
Very excited about this. Literally, like, I already, like, do the meditation. I'm just ready for the.
Heather McKinney
I'm halfway there. You're there.
Kristy Wallace
I'm ready.
Vanessa Richardson
We're all ready. Yes.
Kristy Wallace
Thank you, Vanessa, so much for having us.
Vanessa Richardson
Thank you. Thanks for listening to today's episode. Not sure what to listen to next. Check out America's Most Infamous Crimes, hosted by Katie Ring. From serial killers to unsolved mysteries and game changing investigations, each week Katie takes on a notorious criminal case in American history. Listen to and follow America's Most Infamous crimes now. Wherever you listen to podcasts,
Release Date: April 8, 2026
Host: Vanessa Richardson
Guests: Christie Wallace & Heather McKinney (Sinisterhood Podcast)
This episode dives deep into the history and controversies of the Raëlian Movement—one of the world’s most infamous UFO religions—founded by former French pop singer Claude Vorilhon, later known as Raël. Vanessa Richardson, alongside guests Christie Wallace and Heather McKinney from Sinisterhood, unpacks Raël’s origin story, his claims of alien contact, the evolution of his cult, and the scandals that have surrounded the group for five decades. The conversation is balanced with thoughtful skepticism, sharp true crime insight, and moments of humor.
This episode provides a comprehensive, engaging exploration of the Raëlians—from their bizarre origin story and charismatic leader, through wild scandals and cultic rituals, to their modern-day activism and lingering controversies. The dynamic with Sinisterhood’s hosts adds depth, humor, and first-hand perspectives on what draws people into fringe groups and how quickly utopian visions can turn coercive or strange.
Recommended for listeners interested in:
UFO cults, new religious movements, true crime, the intersection of belief, manipulation, and modern mythology.
Listen to Sinisterhood for more of Christie and Heather’s unique blend of legal insight and dark humor!