MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
Episode: Follow the Leader
Release Date: July 10, 2025
Host/Author: Ballen Studios
Introduction
In the Follow the Leader episode of the MrBallen Podcast, Ballen Studios delves into two chilling horror stories centered around manipulative individuals who exploit faith to instill fear. These narratives, originally featured on the podcast's YouTube channel, have been remastered for an immersive listening experience. The episode excludes advertisements, intros, and outros, focusing solely on the spine-tingling tales of deceit and darkness.
Story 1: The New Nanny
Overview: The first story, The New Nanny, recounts the disturbing experiences of a seemingly ordinary Brazilian family whose ambition for power leads them into horrifying depths of cult activities.
Key Points:
- Family Ambition: Maria, a five-year-old girl, lives with her parents and aunt in Northeast Brazil. The family is renowned for their empadas, a Brazilian meat-filled pie, which they sell tirelessly to expand their reputation and power.
- Introduction of the Nanny: In March 2012, Maria's mother introduces a new nanny to Maria, hoping to provide her with companionship while the parents focus on their endeavors. Despite past disappointments with previous nannies, Maria remains hopeful.
- Cult Revelation: A month later, police discover that Maria's family members are not her biological relatives but members of the Cartel Sect, a cult dedicated to eliminating "unclean" women to purify the population. The family murders nannies deemed unclean, incorporating the victims into their empadas sold to the town.
Notable Quotes:
- Maria's Discontent: "Maria stood up and gave a shy smile to the young woman, but she wasn't sold that this woman actually would become her nanny, because in the past, there had been other women who had come by to be her nanny, and they didn't seem to last very long." (04:15)
- Police Realization: "It would turn out her entire life was one big horrific lie." (12:30)
Conclusion: The horrifying truth emerges that Maria herself was a victim from the beginning, having witnessed her real mother's murder and being unknowingly forced into cannibalism by the cult. The family's gruesome activities were eventually uncovered through the use of a victim’s credit card, leading to their conviction.
Story 2: Take My Soul
Overview: The second narrative, Take My Soul, follows the mysterious murder of Mark Foster in Douglas County, Wisconsin, unraveling a complex web of cult rituals and soul transfer beliefs.
Key Points:
- Discovery of the Body: On July 18, 1997, Mark Foster, a millionaire from Minneapolis, is found dead on a rural road in Douglas County, dressed entirely in white with a fatal wound in his chest. A cryptic note in his shoe mentions "Jack Frazier" and "Jimmy Bailey."
- Investigative Twist: Initial suspicions point to romantic rivals, Jack and Jimmy, but alibis clear them of involvement. Detective Steven Long shifts focus to understanding Mark’s life, uncovering his ties to a religious group with cult-like behaviors.
- Cult Ritual: Through interviews and investigation, it is revealed that Mark was the cult leader orchestrating his own death as part of a soul transfer ritual to achieve immortality. His follower, Greg Freisner, was complicit in this sacrificial act, believing it would transfer Mark's soul into Greg.
- Climactic Revelation: The detectives discover disturbing evidence in Mark's home, including pornography and bondage gear, linking his activities to the cult. Greg Freisner is eventually convicted for his role in Mark's death, while Mark’s wife remains uncharged due to insufficient evidence.
Notable Quotes:
- Greg Freisner on the Ritual: "Death is nothing to be afraid of." (28:59)
- Mark Foster's Belief: "Death is a great crossroads." (29:05)
Conclusion: The investigation uncovers that Mark Foster, in his quest for eternal life through cult rituals, manipulated his closest follower into murdering him. The complex layers of deception and belief within the cult highlight the dangers of unchecked ambition and the dark paths it can lead individuals down.
Final Thoughts
Follow the Leader presents two harrowing stories that explore the extremes of human manipulation and the quest for power. Through meticulous storytelling, MrBallen captivates listeners with narratives that are both terrifying and thought-provoking, shedding light on the hidden evils that can lurk behind seemingly ordinary facades.
Note: All personal names and specific details have been altered to protect the identities of those involved. The stories are based on true events but may contain fictionalized elements for dramatic effect.