MISSOURI – Police in Missouri are expressing alarm over a suspected online cult believed to be led by Rashad Jamal, a man serving an 18-year prison sentence for child molestation. The cult operates through Jamal’s YouTube channel, where he refers to himself as the leader of the “University of Cosmic Intelligence.” However, it is his hidden history as a convicted child molester that has prompted police to look into his online activities and the effect they have had on his followers.
Investigators have discovered videos in which Jamal makes outlandish claims, such as winter being a weapon with the true name of sub-zero technology. He espouses conspiracy theories involving fake clouds, ice crystals, and government drones. He also promotes polygamy, encourages followers to accumulate debt by using their credit cards, and advocates for declaring sovereign citizenship.
Police suspect that Naaman Williams, Gerielle German, Mikayla Thompson, Ma’Kayla Wickerson, and their young children have become entangled in this online cult. Families and friends have reported that the missing individuals abruptly cut off contact, quit their jobs, and accrued significant debt. Many believe that Jamal preyed upon their vulnerabilities, leading them down a dangerous path.
While it may seem implausible for a cult to be run from behind bars, experts point out that similar situations have occurred in the past. Notorious cult leaders like Warren Jeffs, who heads the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, have been able to exert control over their followers while incarcerated. The assistance of the FBI has been enlisted to aid in the search for the missing individuals.
Jamal denies being a cult leader and claims to have no knowledge of the missing individuals. In a recent interview from prison, he stated that he merely expresses his opinions online about topics ranging from molecular biology to Black history. The investigation into the alleged online cult and the search for the missing individuals continues, with their families and authorities hoping for their safe return.