I risk my life to help people escape dangerous cults - here are the signs someone has been brainwashed

• Rick Alan Ross, 71, from Ohio, has helped 500 cult members break free

• But his job isn't easy, as he's been 'harassed' by cult leaders over the years

• He gave DailyMail.com a fascinating look inside his profession

Daily Mail/November 10, 2024

By Lillian Gissen

A man who works as a 'cult deprogrammer' has lifted the lid on the gruesome realities of his job - from dealing with 'pedophiles' to constantly fearing for his life due to 'threats' from powerful leaders.

Back in the 1980s, Rick Alan Ross, 71, from Ohio, was left horrified after he found out the nursing home that his grandmother was living in had been 'infiltrated by an extreme religious group that targeted the elderly.'

After working with the head of the facility to 'expose' the corrupt staffers, it sparked a fierce passion in him to want to aid other victims.

Rick has since dedicated his life to helping members of cults break free from their sects by staging 'cult interventions,' and over the last four decades he has helped more than 500 victims.

He has worked alongside law enforcement on some of the most infamous cases, and has been called to the stand to testify in trials against powerful cult leaders and sadistic pedophiles.

He helped put NXIVM founder Keith Raniere behind bars, and he was 'consulted' by the FBI before the 1993 Waco 'standoff' because he was the only 'cult expert' who had 'deprogrammed' its members in the past.

Now, he has given DailyMail.com a fascinating look inside his job, revealing how he helps even the most brainwashed victims return to their families.

And while aiding in cult victims cutting ties with the horrific sects is certainly rewarding, he has also spoken out about some of the downsides to profession, like being 'harassed' by cult leaders.

In fact, Rick told DailyMail.com that his 'life has been threatened a number of times,' and that he has had to have protection from the government.

But that hasn't derailed him from his quest to help cult victims.

'I've testified in criminal trials, in child custody cases. I've worked with law enforcement,' he shared. 'And I've launched the largest database online with information about cults.'

But most importantly, he has performed more than 500 successful 'cult interventions' across the U.S.

So how do they work? Well, first, Rick explained that families who believed a loved one had joined a cult reached out to him.

Cult deprogramming interventions last days

He said they needed to have 'some level of communication with the cult-involved family member' before he could stage an intervention.

'I come in as a complete surprise. Much like a drug or alcohol intervention, the person does not know the family is gonna do an intervention,' he dished.

But you never tell the person in advance because they would then probably communicate with members of the group who would try to sabotage the intervention or tell them they should not attend or insist a member of the cult is present for the intervention.

'You want it as a surprise so you could talk to them separately from the group and have an opportunity to present information and so the family to express their concerns.'

Rick said the interventions involved him and the family members talking to the victims for 'eight hours a day' for about three to four days, totaling around '24-32 hours of work.'

He said there were 'four blocks of discussion' during the intervention, and the first was to 'define a destructive cult.'

He explained that there were 'three core characteristics' that made a group a cult, and he broke down each one to the victim.

'The first is, there's an absolute authoritative leader who becomes an object of worship,' he explained.

'Whatever he says is right has to be right and whatever he says is wrong has to be wrong. He makes the decisions for the group.

'Second, the leader or the group uses identifiable coercive persuasion techniques to gain undue influence over the people in the group.'

The last characteristic is that the group does some sort of 'harm' to its members, which can vary.

'That usually means people are acting against their own best interest but in the best interest of the leader or the group instead,' he continued.

'Or it could mean the group is micromanaging people's lives to their detriment, estranging them from family or friends.

'Initially, they may be shocked, they may be angry that the family has done this.

'And it can escalate to physical abuse, criminal activity, or even death depending on the group.'

After Rick defines what a cult is to the victim, he moves on to the second phase: 'examining persuasive coercive techniques.'

'Then I ask the question, does the group use these techniques? Do they break people down deliberately and knowingly?' he explained.

'Do they manipulate them in that broken state to change their mindset and way of thinking?

'And do they try to lock them down in that changed state of mind through peer reinforcement, control of information, or control of the environment?'

The third block of discussion involves sharing information on the group or its leader that the members may not know.

'I will have a research file in and I'll share whatever information I've accumulated [about the group],' he told DailyMail.com.

'For example, has the leader of the group been sued or involved in any kind of criminal activity? What does the public record show?

'Have there been complaints or litigations against the group? What do you not know about this group or leader that you should know to make a more informed decision.'

Last but not least, Rick said he gave the family a chance to explain to the victim why they decided to stage the intervention.

'At the end of those four blocks, that person will then decide what they want to do,' he added.

'They may decide they want to continue with the group, or they may decide to take a break, or in most cases they'll decide to end their involvement.'

He said his success rate was about 70 per cent.

'My life has been threatened,' cult expert says

While reflecting on his decades-long career, Rick admitted that he'd worked on some extremely 'dangerous' cases.

'I dealt with a group that encouraged members who had diabetes to not use their insulin or see their doctors and instead meditate as a cure,' he shared.

'I did an intervention in Europe for a young father and he had been hospitalized three times, he almost died.

'His family was deeply distressed. It was very important that we succeeded or he might have died, but we did. The consequences can be very severe.'

He also recalled a time that he helped a 14-year-old boy who had been 'sexually exploited' by a 'pedophile.'

His own life has been put in danger during his work, as he revealed: 'My life has been threatened a number of times.

'I've been harassed by private investigators. I've been sued five times but all were dismissed. I prevailed in all of them.'

When asked about what advice he had for parents, he said moms and dads should always be aware of what their kids are doing online, since most cult leaders were luring people in on social media lately.

As for what you should do if you ever think a loved one had become involved with a cult, he said you should never respond with anger.

'My advice is not to be confrontational or make statements like, "That's a cult,"' he recommended.

'Do your research and read and understand how cults operate before you decide how to respond.

'During that time, maintain communication and make a real effort to maintain your relationship with that person.

'Don't shun them, listen to them, and try to understand what exactly they're involved in.'

Rick's four steps to 'deprogramming' a cult victim

Rick said there are 'four blocks of discussion' during a cult intervention:

1. Define what a destructive cult is to the victim

2. Examine persuasive coercive techniques and ask them, does the group use these techniques?

3. Share information on the group or its leader that the members may not know

4. Give family members a chance to explain why they decided to stage the intervention

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