T.C. Malhotra via Getty Images Who among us doesn’t love a good cult story? In the wake of the high-profile trial and conviction of NXIVM leader Keith Raniere, numerous high-profile documentaries about the self-improvement-scam-turned-sex-cult have been released. So, too, have online guides to other documentaries and exposés for anyone who wants to know more about similar cults — and there’s no shortage of stories to fill them with. It’s tempting to wonder why, with all our modern knowledge about how cults operate, groups like NXIVM, Scientology, and various cultish MLMs can continue to spring up, gaining so much power and control over their followers. But in truth, the abusive tactics of such organizations remain effective at manipulating unsuspecting and well-meaning people, no matter which era we’re in. Chronicling the realities of cults can perhaps help us avoid the traps and manipulations they set for their victims. The list below contains some of the most jaw-dropping stories about cults that I’ve encountered — the extreme, wacky, and the murderous.