But all their spare time is dedicated to the group and they are milked of cash. A young woman who escaped the group recently fled to Costigan for help after learning of his extensive experience with cult members such as Moonies. To recruit new members, cults often target businessmen's clubs, gyms, churches and college campuses. Lonely and wealthy seniors are increasingly hooked. Although the lonely and vulnerable are often trapped, many others get drawn into cults because they simply don't know what the group is really about.
Recruiters appear genuinely warm and friendly.
They may even be friends and family. The woman said she was invited to take part in a form of healing therapy called Reiki to ease her depression. When we started out I would be on the couch and she would wave her hands over me and do some massage. But by the end she had all this New Age stuff set up in her basement. She started talking about telepathy and reincarnation and would do these incantations.