The following is an interview with Daniel Glavin and Jessica Stirton, a married couple who met at the Movement Center in Portland, Oregon.
Swami Chetanananda operated the Center in Portland until he moved to Gold Beach in 2019.
He was born J. Michael Shoemaker. He is 72. Since beginning our series, people have been calling to tell their stories about the Swami.
The Movement Center, Portland, OR
Frank:
Tell me about your experience at the Movement Center and Swami Chetanananda AKA Michael Shoemaker.
Dan:
I started volunteering before I moved in. The meditation practice helped me. I ended up moving in to attempt to get sober. They had full knowledge that I was moving in because I had a cocaine and alcohol problem.
After I lived there for about a month, Jimmy, Michael’s righthand person, approached me and said, “Hey, can you hook me up with cocaine?” I was shocked. I wanted to appease them.
They were like, “Well, we’re using it for spiritual purposes.”
Frank:
Did you understand the cocaine was for Michael too?
Dan:
Oh, yeah. One hundred percent. Michael would say, “I throw cocaine into the fire as a ritual sacrifice to the gods.”
Jim Brissette with Michael Shoemaker
Frank:
Were you using cocaine that first 30 days?
Dan:
No, I was trying to stay sober. And I started using when that happened. I started using again, and I even borrowed money from Jimmy sometimes to be able to afford to get cocaine.
Frank:
Was Jimmy a full time resident in the place?
Dan:
Yeah, he’s Michael Shoemaker’s right hand man. He seems like a nice person who’s always outside working with his hands. But there are women, like Allison Mack from NXIVM, Jen Wilhelm and Moni O’Neill, who were so desperate for attention from Michael, would lure younger women to the ashram for him.
Jimmy is very similar to that. Except he’s the male version. And I don’t think he did as much like subduing as young women on behalf of Michael as he did, gathering drugs and spying on people and telling Michael every single thing.
Like Jessica, my wife is an extremely attractive person. And if she and I were to get into some kind of an argument, you know, Jimmy is the kind of guy that would spy, find out and tell Michael and then Michael would seemingly know everything. It kind of made him seem like he had power. It was very manipulative. And Jimmy was that person for him. He was Michael’s shadow.
Frank:
Was Jimmy having relations with the women?
Dan:
Definitely. I didn’t know how bad the sex stuff was when I lived there. We started to piece it together as we were leaving, how gross it was.
Jimmy was helping, I would call it rape, what Michael is doing. I didn’t know that he was raping women with Michael at the time. I’ve since found out from Natasha and others.
Frank:
You didn’t know Jessica, and they’re asking you to get cocaine for Michael. What happened then?
Dan:
I kept getting them drugs for some time. Eventually, Jimmy started getting it on his own, not through me. I struggled to stay sober there. I was in a relationship with Jen Wilhelm for a short time. Michael had his claws in that whole situation, and was very manipulative, always trying to get Jen to tell him stuff about me.
Michael was always trying to get everybody to break up, is the simplest way I can put it. He was always trying to end every relationship, if it was with a woman he was interested in.
Jess:
He liked to pit people against each other, so that he could save the day.
Dan:
Exactly. It was extremely manipulative. I wasn’t directly involved with drug use with Jimmy or Michael. Not one time did I do cocaine with them. I just got cocaine and gave it to Jimmy.
When I struggled with sobriety, I would go to Michael for advice. He would always tell me he uses the cocaine for ritualistic purposes. For years, I just didn’t know how bad it was there. And then Jessica came.
Jess:
They captured cycles of whatever a people were going through. I went through some depressions and struggles with my appetite. Dan, with his addiction.
They would use that information against you to say, “Well, this is why you need to stay here. You need to keep doing the practice. You’re lucky we’re helping you, because if you tried to leave, you wouldn’t make it, you wouldn’t keep a job or function. If you leave here and stop doing what we tell you, that’s a death sentence.”
And oftentimes people who don’t have much family or community support are in earnest, trying to be there, to sincerely improve themselves. So I think it’s hard to describe the intricacy of the way they could grab hold and power over people’s commitments and loyalty to the place.
Frank:
So going back to your situation, Dan, you were there. You are asked to get cocaine, you get it. Then you set up Jimmy with your dealer so that he could acquire it directly. You’re struggling with sobriety. Did you meet Chetanananda one on one?
Dan:
Oh, yeah. Many times I’ve communicated with him one on one.
Frank:
And what was he like? What did you think he was then?
Dan:
What those types of people do is fill, like, the hole inside you. So whatever you’re looking for, those types of people can like a chameleon and shift into that. For me, he was like a father figure. He was that for many people, and he knew that. In retrospect, I know it was just manipulation. At first when I was there, I would say he was supportive in some ways in doing the practice, living there and working there.
He wanted me to work there. And put my energy into the Movement Center, which I did.
Frank:
Did you have an outside job at the time?
Dan:
Not after a while. I only ended up full time.
Frank:
You were a full time ashram member?
Dan:
They just gave me food and a place to sleep.
Frank:
What year did you arrive?
Dan:
I was there somewhere in the middle of 2012, and we left in 2015.
Frank:
Were you told to be celibate?
Dan:
No, they were very against that. They did tell me not to date certain people. But sex was okay. Drugs were okay.
Frank:
Were there any prohibitions about having sex with the members of the ashram?
Dan:
No, but they just dig their claws in when you do. They did it with every relationship I experienced when I was there. Jimmy, Michael and Moni had their claws in everybody’s relationship, and manipulated the young people in particular.
All the people there who are Michael’s age have been following him since they were 20 years old. He had sex with their wives when they were young. He’s had sex with all those women, so he wasn’t trying to do that anymore. He has a very specific type of woman, the younger, the better. And then a girl with problems that he could easily manipulate.
Swami_chetanananda ‘With Sarah, since 1972….we are blessed…’
There was the situation with Moni O’Neil. At one point, Jimmy came to me and asked me if I was interested in doing some sexual tantra practices. At this time, Michael was in India. For a time, they told me that we were going to start doing sexual spiritual practices for the purpose of my own enlightenment, and that the person I was going to be doing this was with Moni O’Neil.
Now, that never came to fruition, because I was so unstable when I lived there. I was drinking and doing drugs. I don’t think they could trust me. Because I was too much of a loudmouth. So that never came to fruition. And that’s when they started hating me, trying to get me to leave, and trying to manipulate me. I started to be more outspoken about what I was seeing and happening.
Frank:
What did you see that you spoke out about?
Dan:
I didn’t realize when they were getting cocaine for me how messed up that truly was. And as time went on, that became more and more of a thing. I started to question, isn’t this weird? Isn’t this strange?
They’re talking about doing sex, tantric stuff. You know, this guy Michael’s got his hooks in every relationship I have or wanted to have.
If I was interested in another younger woman at the ashram. Everybody would go to him for permission. Is it okay if I date this person? Or what do you think I should do? And he would always tell everybody no. The younger women, “No. Don’t date any of the younger men.”
He didn’t want the younger women to date any of the younger men. He would isolate the younger women, tell them to focus on their spiritual work, and they shouldn’t date anybody. They should just work on their spiritual work and shouldn’t date anybody.
Like Liliana. That’s who I was thinking of. And then what happened, I started dating Jess when she came one night for a Tibetan ceremony.
And we just started dating pretty much immediately. She moved in with me pretty much immediately. She was at the time 21. And she was right up Michael’s alley.
Moni and Jen Wilhelm immediately started putting their claws in her and meddling with our relationship on his behalf. And that became more and more apparent to us. And then he started inviting us to private rituals in his room.
At one point there, he had just his tongue down Jess’s throat like out of nowhere.
Frank:
In your presence?
Dan:
Oh, yeah, in everybody’s presence in the whole space. It really became about about Jess and what her feelings were in her experience of him trying to get after her, and how creepy he was.
And then we started talking to other people about it. At one point, we were talking to two doctors who’ve been following him since they were in their 20s.
And they just told her right in front of me that Michael will attempt to rape you. And when that happens, that’s just going to be something that you have to deal with. And when they told us that, and these were good people from our perspective, like people that tried to help us and thought were good people. And that for me was the wake up call, like how brainwashed I was, and how messed up that was, and that everyone there was okay with that, with just enabling that to have happen.
Frank:
Were these doctors male or female?
Dan:
They were a husband and wife, Becky and Andrew Bonner. Andrew was John Bonner’s son. John Bonner was a famous slime mold biologist who lived there. Andrew was a ND. They did homeopathy, natural path work. Becky was an MD, but they did all the alternative stuff, not the western medicine.
Jess:
In retrospect, I’m a young person living there. I don’t have health insurance, and I’m like, “Oh my gosh, these great, financially stable, older people are so sweet and kind to me. They have my back and they’ll help.”
I had a bike accident when I was there, and I was injured. They took care of me. It was so great.
Looking back, it seems Michael assembled an entire team to cover for him. I wondered later if people were given medications, or if certain people with certain credentials could. I don’t know if Andrew and Becky ever did that. I just wondered, especially when Liz passed.
When Liz went missing and then was found dead in the river. I thought, how deep is this? How many people have lied about how many things? What’s possible for so many people working in many fields to constantly cover for him or make up stories for him?
Frank:
Tell me about the time you and Dan were up in his apartment. He just came over to you and did what?
Jess:
The Kali Puja was by invite only. Liliana Lopez invited me, and it was a special honorable experience. People would be mad at you if you were invited and didn’t go, and people who weren’t invited were upset. It created an exclusivity.
Dan and I were having issues at that time, struggling with sobriety and navigating our way. Michael knew this. The majority of the ritual I had my eyes closed. There’s chanting, candles, and prayers, and menstrual blood is part of that ritual.
Frank:
Obtained from where?
Jess:
It’s primarily a meditation experience. I have my eyes closed, I’m doing the breathing. There’s shaktipat, which is where Michael goes, and touches people’s third eye. People may feel an electric pulse of sensation in their body. I don’t know if those are circus tricks, or what people I’ve talked to experienced when they were there.
It was custom for all the residents to greet with a hug and kiss on each cheek. And I wasn’t used to doing that. I felt like I was rude, because I would turn away and not understand why everybody’s trying to kiss each of my cheeks when they say hi or bye to me. It was also customary after a ritual that everyone stand in line to individually thank Michael for the ritual. Maybe give him a hug.
There were maybe 20 people in line, and I get to my turn. He’s sitting down, and I was going to kneel down to give him a hug, like everybody did. He reached behind me and grabbed my butt, pulled me forcefully towards him, and shoved his tongue in my mouth. In front of Daniel and everyone.
Frank:
How far away was Daniel?
Dan:
Five feet. At the time, I didn’t know he had shoved his tongue down her throat. But he always grabbed every woman’s ass. That was just typical. There would be days where everyone would just come for Darshan. Like 200 people would come and stand in a line to give him flowers. And every woman that came, he grabbed their ass.
Frank:
So what did happen then when you came in the line to thank him? He grabbed you by the back and pulled you towards him?
Jess:
Yeah, it was very forceful. I happened so quickly. And I don’t know, you know, if you have experience, but it’s common for people after meditation after sitting for hours to be in an altered state. I was certainly caught off guard.
It happened so quickly. It was so shocking to me. I didn’t really know how to react. It was hard to believe that he really just did that in front of everyone and that nobody else reacted.
And now looking back and piecing together with other people’s stories, it seems like that he would commonly exhibit that type of behavior to also be dominating towards other men. It wasn’t just about being dominating and exerting power over me. It was about doing it in front of Dan, and saying basically, I can do what I want.
I see. And so how long did he do this? He stuck his tongue down your mouth, right?
Yes. It was probably a second or two. I didn’t have time to react. It kind of happened. And then he sent me on my way. And I walked away kind of in disbelief about it, thinking, you know, maybe I did – I somehow signaled. Because that was the other thing they would say is “Oh, well, you know, you must have been thinking about that” Or “that must have been in your karma. You must have. He did that because you wanted him to do that.”
So what happened next, then, that day, that night? Did you talk to Dan about it?
Yeah, we laughed and talked about it. And we were, we were both really uncomfortable. I want to say that maybe Dan even emailed him
People will defend him. “Oh, he never did that to me,” “he doesn’t do that to everyone” or “he only does that to women who are interested.” Then they’re jealous about it later. That’s why they say bad things.
And I had that perspective. I know I’m not interested in this. I’m not interested in the power dynamic. I don’t want to become a teacher. I don’t want special attention from him. I’m not attracted to him. I don’t have any interest in tantric practice. I just like yoga. So I really thought nothing like that would ever happened to me.
Dan:
Part of the problem with people coming out against him is that Sharon Ward is a lawyer. Many people there are lawyers who would come after you in a heartbeat for defamation or something. They guard him. I mean, if you ever get this into court, there are going to be a lot of people falling on their sword for this guy. For sure.
Jess:
And something else on that note about Sharon Ward intentionally intimidating people. She’s the one who’s a search and rescue worker. And she has these big Rottweilers she takes everywhere with her. I remember one of the first nights I lived there.
Sharon does interviews to see if people are allowed to live there. She would comment about how she loves us, and she’ll take good care of us. Unless anybody hurts Michael, then she’d kill them. And she would laugh about that.
And then after Liz went missing, it occurred to me, kind of going back to what I was saying about the doctor setup is that’s really scary that someone like Sharon would have such a devout loyalty to Michael and that she could threaten to make you disappear and make sure nobody would find you.
Swami Chetanananda and Sharon Ward
Frank:
So what happened immediately after this sudden assault, where he grabbed you and stuck his tongue down your mouth?
Dan:
This was at a point of turmoil in our relationship also. And we were also going through some things, and I remember we stood outside, and she had told me what happened. And I didn’t know that the tongue was down the throat at that point.
And that was really kind of the beginning of the end, I think, where we started realizing how gross this person was and how manipulative it was, and that more and more evidence came to the table. Cassidy was our friend. I knew her. She was really close with my brother and his wife before she moved in there. She was giving Michael massages. She was young, kind of head in the clouds. Pretty girl. And Michael was sending her all kinds of creepy texts, like “I want you to come tuck me in.”
Cassidy was in a relationship with Taylor at that time. He has some very interesting stories with Michael as well.
And that was another creepy thing that was just on our radar. And then the conversation that we told you about what the doctors, Andrew and Becky said where they told Jess right to her face. “You know, there’s a good chance he’s going to try to rape you and that’s something that you’re going to have to deal with.” And so the evidence started piling up more and more. There was another woman there named Susan,..
Frank:
Did they use the word rape? Or did they give it some euphemism?
Jess:
They phrased it, “It’s likely that he will have you alone in a room, and pull his pants down.”
And then what?
And if I can walk away, I should turn around and walk away and act like that never happened.
Because their perspective was that dealing with that side of him was worth it because of how good the spiritual practice was.
And that’s why it’s phrased it that way.
There was a lady named Doreen. She told us she went up to serve him lunch one time. And she said, “yeah, he just stuck his hands right up my shirt and looked at me in the eyes, and grabbed my boobs. Didn’t say a word, and then just turned around and walked away.”
Weird stuff like that. Just creepy stuff. We kept hearing over and over and over again.
While you were living there, right?
Oh, yeah. This was when we were living there. There was a lot of drama with Natasha, when we were living there.
We still were just piecing things together. You know, there was a lot of drama with her parents. They had come. They were trying to get her to leave.
Everybody knew that she was having sex with Michael, that was common knowledge. And her state of mind and emotional state was just deteriorating rapidly the last few months we were there. And that was also weird to us. We felt weird about that.
Then there’s the other woman, Susan also wanted to have sex with him. But in the end, she said it was a very kind of gross and regrettable experience.
And so really, that incident that happened to Jess where he stuck his tongue down her throat was kind of the wake up call about what was happening there. And then it just our eyes opened. And so, we just started realizing everything.
Frank:
What happened with Natasha? Were you there when she jumped from a bridge?
Jess:
No, we left before that. Something else that seems relevant is one of the first things Michael does with people when they’re becoming a student or moving in is he reads your chart and your Vedic Indian astrology.
He’ll tell you what you’re supposed to do in life, or what your role at the ashram might be. I remember when he read mine. He told me that some of my placement looked just like Natasha’s, and that she and I would have a lot in common.
My job at the ashram was working with Rudra Press. They’re a publishing company. So I worked under Tom Fabrizio and his wife Patty Slote. And they were posing as mentors to me, but at the same time doing Michael’s bidding to try to keep me there and cut me off from other relationships.
Tom wanted me to quit my job outside of the ashram and was asking me, how much money do you make at that job? How much do I need to pay you to quit? I’ll pay you to clean my apartment, or to do this, or to do that.
Tom and his wife Patti Slote lived in the ashram. And I’m sure they live in Gold Beach. They’ve been his students since the beginning.
Frank:
So he was trying to get you to quit your job. What was your job on the outside?
Jess:
I was going to Portland State full time for school, and I was working at a restaurant. It was a primary social outlet for me, and it gave me a comparison of reality. It’s easy to get swept up when everything is only at the ashram.
Dan:
Ninety-five percent of the people who lived there either worked there for some shell corporation they had. They had a jewelry business. They had the publishing company. Obviously, they were involved with drugs and stuff. So it was all about isolation. And Jess told me she felt she was horrible at this job they had her doing. And they were going to pay her anything. He wanted to keep her there.
Jess:
Relating back to my job and the chart, I was nearing the end of my bachelor’s degree in English, and I was interested in pursuing a master’s degree. I was talking to one of the other residents who said, “Oh, you should definitely talk to Michael, you need to make an appointment, and get his guidance or insight on what to do about grad school.”
So I did. He told me that I should not pursue grad school or further work in English. He told me he wanted me to go to gemology school, which I had no interest in. He insisted that was my path, and he would like to pay for gemology school. I would just have to live in one of his apartments in either LA or New York, to do that.
And the attitude among the residents was that if you ask for your guru’s advice and don’t take it, you’re betraying them.
It became an obvious rift in my relationship with Michael, because that seemed creepy to me. First of all, why would I live in this old man’s private apartment away from everyone I know? It made me wonder, and I assumed he must be doing that to other people. He must find women and then ship them off to wherever to live in his part time residence, so that he can just have access to them away from everyone.
Postscript
By Frank
We have a part two of this interview. Jess and Dan will tell us more about what they learned as they left. How shocking revelations came to the surface. How a woman who lived there died and who found her body. How one woman became mentally deranged with the great guidance of the guru.
Dan and Jess will tell us about a suicide attempt and who found the woman. And suspected pedophilia.
In the cue after that are more interviews, some of which are harrowing from women who lived there. Uma will reveal who she is – and tell us more of the freaky sadism this so-called guru-deviant enjoys as he hurts women.
We have more to learn about Swami Chetananada, a man who likes to strangle women, beat and rape them. And worse.
We will look at his mansions. And how the money flows through his “church.”
Sex, rape, violence, sadism, a sex cult. Gang rape, random sex with strangers. Venereal disease. Drugs. And millions of dollars.
And we will explore his emails and texts sent to people.
[…] Couple Tells How Pervert Swami Chetanananda Runs Insane Asylum Ashram June 13, 2022 […]
[…] Earlier this week FR published Couple Tells How Pervert Swami Chetanananda Runs Insane Asylum Ashram […]
Oh my! Mr. Parlato’s articles give a whole new meaning to “Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story.”
These articles were forwarded to me and my first question is whether Mr. Parlato vetted his sources in the slightest?
I don’t see any verification of any facts, any claims that are evidence regarding the alleged crimes or any response from those about whom he writes. Waiting until a one-sided story is written and then saying he will interview the named parties is a little bit like what my brother and I did as kids: run to mom first because the first story is what she would believe to be true.
Oh my, another one of Michael’s boot and buttlickers. Come on, it’s been 50 years of this shit everyone knows. So women jumping off overpasses, being concussed into permanent injury (more then one) is just perfectly normal. Funny. What I see is a pattern of a bunch of scumbags covering for a scumbag so he can keep hurting people.
Not a boot-licker, Probably him.
A lot of recurring themes, & first-hand accounts Mr. Sadist? Too hot for ya? Everyone is wrong & you’re a victim? (That’s right, you’re always a victim)
That’s true, it’s easy to forget about Brother Bob. Most people want to. Chet loathes him but he got a personal lawyer and “fixer” for life out of the deal. If that’s the extent of his writing ability I can see why Monica ghost writes his books for him. That’s what she tells people anyway.
So exactly who are you? Jen? James? Moni? I am proof. All the other women are proof.
Oh I’m sure he’s hoovering everywhere he can. Calling all his long attention starved and tossing them some love kernels out of the blue so they will leap to defend his dishonor. Almost boring how predictable he is. Textbook narc move.
No, I am [redacted] Yes, I have drug and alcohol addictions (as well as others) and I am known for my inability to tell the truth. Just ask my parents. So, you can believe everything I say.
Do you think Chetanananda is an honest man?
Let’s not forget that Gretchen Kreiger is culpable as well.
CHURCH OF DIVINE ENERGY is a business registered with Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division. The registry number is #146767892. The business address is 29811 Turner St #w207, Gold Beach, OR 97444.
Business Information
Registry Number 146767892
Business Name CHURCH OF DIVINE ENERGY
Address 29811 Turner St #w207
Gold Beach
OR 97444
Registry Date 2018-08-14
Jurisdiction OR
Entity Type DOMESTIC NONPROFIT CORPORATION
Mailing Address
Address Po Box 207
Wedderburn
OR 97491
Principal Place Of Business
Address 29811 Turner St #w207
Gold Beach
OR 97444
Registered Agent
Officer Name SHARON WARD
Address 29811 Turner St #w207
Gold Beach
OR 97444
Secretary
Officer Name SHARON WARD
Address Po Box 207
Wedderburn
OR 97491
President
Officer Name GRETCHEN KREIGER
Address Po Box 1283
Gold Beach
OR 97444
Officer Information
Officers
Associated Name Type Officer Name
REGISTERED AGENT SHARON WARD
SECRETARY SHARON WARD
PRESIDENT GRETCHEN KREIGER
Businesses with the same officer (SHARON WARD)
Business Name Address Registry Date
Rudra Asian Art, LLC. 29811 Turner St, Gold Beach, OR 97444 2020-07-02
The Movement Center, Inc. 29811 Turner St #w207, Gold Beach, OR 97444 1992-11-05
L’Hermitage, LLC. 29811 Turner St #1283, Gold Beach, OR 97444 2019-05-20
He sounds like a sexual predator who found his niche as a swami which gave him access to unimaginable possibilities
That is about the best description I have heard.
I’m proof. I was raped in the Bloomington ashram.
We are all proof. Chet is living the 1960’s-70’s with his beliefs about how victims are handled now. You will not be able to run Chet, so we all know that you are going try and throw all of the others under the bus. You are a coward. You know, the ones you regularly call “Animals”. That is called projection buddy.
You are hereby designated Flying Monkey Number Three. 💩
And what are these “facts”. Please share them if you are so knowledgeable to call the women liars.
If you have evidence to disprove the claims by the women , share them. If you have evidence the women are lying we’d all love to hear what you have to say. As long as it’s backed by “verifiable evidence”, of course.
You are clearly one of his older women devotees who say I never saw anything while I was there and he never tried anything with me.
One woman is easily discredited. Five are not. NDA and medical reports don’t lie. Open your eyes dumbo.
Howard Boster and Vivin Boster hold the name of the non profit in Portland, Oregon still. I have also heard that Gretchen Kreiger is LEGALLY married to Joseph MIchael Shoemaker. Look for those records.
Michael is that you? It sounds like you. If you want to tell your story, call Frank. We’d all love to hear about how getting tied up and gang banged by old flaccid Jimbo is going to bring someone enlightenment.
Yes Michael, tell us all what you think.
“Vetted”. 19th century British slang. I would definitely say that this is Chet himself. He is extremely antiquated.
Huh? “Vet” is not antiquated British slang by any means.
LOL. Uh, yes, it actually is. It is 19th century British slang used in this form. Investigate is the simplest and most effective, modern way to say this. I agree that Chet and his crew are definitely extremely antiquated. This may be part of the reason that they are even more mad than ever. People like this hate the fact that they are irrelevant.
Sorry, but you are wrong about the use of vet and vetted being antiquated. Just Google the phrase in a news search and tons of current American news articles come up, not old British novels
As for Chet, you’re prob right.
So do the people who moved into his house have to sign some sort of lease or contract when they move in? I’d be curious to see what this guy has unsuspecting new students signing their rights away…perhaps even signing their souls over to him. What does it take to move in there as a student?
Yes!! There were totally papers you had to sign! I wasn’t smart enough to keep a copy for my own records and just turned it all into Sharon; maybe someone out here has a copy of that agreement we all signed about 10 years ago
I’m sure you were signing all your rights away… everything I do in the ashram is of my own volition. The ashram is not responsible for my decisions. When the swami pulls his pants down and pushes my head in his dick, I am responsible. You know, the usual….
Spoken like a true liar. Obviously you are under the spell.
Reminds me of when I spend 3 weeks in Abadiania Brazil w “John of God”. So glad I left that place.
There were many amazing people there and it was a near place. I was asked to stay and did not. But it was very creepy. I was viciously psychically attacked after I left. Very seriously attacked.
I’ve heard stories about ppl who stayed and I belive them. Then there’s tons of people still down there that love and support him even tho his in prison for heinous crimes. One is a friend of mine. It’s crazy. I met some really famous people from the metaphysical community down there.
Cults are real and very scary. I’m glad I never drank the Kool aid and just observed and meditated and stayed clear of crazy. But close call. The psychic attack almost ended my life. Ya know for leaving … and breaking the rules.
The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off. -GS
At the end of the day he’s become even worse than the religious institutions that he rages against and has dedicated his life to suposedly differentiate himself from.
Never have you ever seen someone become that which they hate more than this guy.
This man has defined his life by what he is against, not what he claims to be an example of, and it shows.
The significance of this story is these two people using their full real names and photos. Hopefully it motivates more people to come forward.
True, they seem like very credible people. Except they were not raped by him. It is very difficult to come forward if you were, especially with his team of human rottweilers ready to attack.
Yep. And I’m here reading every comment, every threat, every humiliating thing said about the victims. That’s why I haven’t come forward. Not here.
Same… there are more of us there. Sending you best wishes.
Gather your courage. Soon it will be time to unite. Wake the others. Expect us.
This time he will face judgement. We will make sure of it. We will unite. Expect us.
What about examining the activity of Rev.Joel Osteen and his mega church in Houston, TX?
Stop comparing him to me. I’m way better than this amateur.
Your base level bullying and mockery is not going to help anyone come forward. Your tactics are the same ones that Chet and his henchmen use. Do you want to be in line with a rapist and his minions?
This guy is hip. You are clearly a racist against Swami cause he’s white. And because he tried to culturally appropriate
Patty Slote. Not Patty Slopes.
From all the information presented in the series on the Salami Swami, it is obvious that he is running a criminal enterprise.
Melinda Mandell got a lot right in her 1997 case against Shoemaker and Ward, Misrepresentation, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Breach of Contract, and Racketeering.
This case was settled out of court, and sealed, so any more details are not available. What has the Salami enterprise added to this list of crimes since that case? Alleged assault and battery, alleged sexual assault, alleged rape, alleged accessory to rape, and alleged human trafficking, to name a few.
Frank has told us that we still learn about pedophilia and murder?
All I can say it this sounds like a deep, spiritual community that will bring world peace. J. Michael Shoemaker’s enterprise includes: brother Bob Shoemaker, Kelly Ponzi, Sharon Ward, Liliana Lopez, Jen Wilhelm, Theresa and Salman Kahn, Jim Brissette, Ruth Knight, Susan Marshal, Maggie Daley, Connie Dyer, Steve Ott, Scott Hanley, Margie Pos, Alexis Sanderson, Howard and Vivina Boster, Heather Green, Karen and Jerry Sutherland, Faith and Alan Shepard, Chris Cartwright and Lisa Hoberg, Dr. Rebecca Reese, Dr. Nathan Bonner, Linda Lack, Michelle Valentino, Marilyn Ritter and on and on. We have read about: drug use, menstrual blood rituals, jumping off bridges, attack dogs and fraudulent recruiting. All of you as “students” of the Salami Swami are part of this and it is time for you to “wake up” and speak up.
For all the victims and survivors, you too have a role.
You can call the human trafficking hotline, a sexual assault hotline, go to the Portland police, Gold Beach police or Curry Co. Sheriff, if you believe law enforcement should be involved, or you can get an experienced attorney and do what Melinda did, get an out of court settlement and bankrupt this corrupt enterprise.
There is money on the table waiting for you and there is power in numbers and if you all join forces, you can bring one great big case!
i’m waiting to hear statements from the horny spiritual gals who said Shoemaker was the best sex of their lives.
Come on, you KNOW you want to relive it. Let’s hear from the women who bragged the Salami wanted them and bought them expensive gifts…(with devotee’s money). The women who said it was his spiritual energy that they craved. Oh and the men he sodomized too.
The bullying happening throughout these comments are quite similar to the tactics that this monster uses.
Hi Curious Blue, screen shooting this. Thanks.
Well this sounds like Michael himself right here. Or is it you Jen?
Heather Gail George, and Brenda Siragusa. Andrew and Becky left him a few years ago after Chet had a temper tantrum because mom and dad (Andrew and Becky) would not come with him to Gold Beach, so he took his ball and went home. Faith’s husband’s name is Andrew Sheppard, not Alan.
Moni Oneal, Gretchen and Kristen Kreiger, Laura Santi, Anna Brooke and Viktor Usov, Winne Spina, Tom Fabrizio and Patty Slote, Sarah Mocas, Aiden Seraphim, Chris Jackson, Govind and Claudia Henry, Tara and Michael Israel, Kari Gronningsater, Kathy Wyer, Barbara Rabin, Marc Gafni, Rio Hibler, Mary Grace and Jesse Sweeney.
You Are All Accountable.
Is everyone waiting until Part 2 to comment?
Here is what India Oxenberg is wearing in Napa Valley California
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cev_az7LbTY/
I wonder what Allison Mack is wearing in near by Dublin California
https://img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2018-04/24/17/asset/buzzfeed-prod-web-06/sub-buzz-6179-1524604467-11.jpg?downsize=800:*&output-format=auto&output-quality=auto
I gotta admit, this guy sounds like a real creep.
But every witness seems to be an ex-addict trying to stay sober, and they all seem to be people who openly admit to being there for free room & board, and to party with drugs.
What I mean is, they’re not the most credible witnesses for a courtroom trial. None of them seem like upstanding members of society.
They all seem like Portland’s down-and-outs, addicts and party people who were looking to live with Swami for free.
Every witness seems to admit that when the Swami grabs them inappropriately, they never say “no” and never tell him to stop afterward (and just keep their relationship with him).
I agree that he has no right to grab women without permission, but if nobody ever tells him “no” and they just let him do it, repeatedly, then it’s not rape or molestation. It’s just not.
You need to communicate to this monster that it’s NOT OKAY and that he can NEVER do that again.
I don’t see any ‘crime’ which the government can prosecute here.
I only see a bunch of ex-addicts who are telling us about a creepy & insane guy they lived with. I agree he’s creepy. I agree that he acts borderline insane.
I hope you have a lot more evidence than this, Frank, cuz you’re not gonna put this guy away unless you start getting better witnesses and evidence.
This guy says: “I would call it rape, what Michael is doing”. That phrase is fishy.
‘Rape’ is not something you have to ‘qualify’.
If it was rape, he would simply say it WAS rape. Period. Which tells me this guy is likely trying to reclassify mild consent into ‘rape’ (after the fact).
Just because these women didn’t find him attractive doesn’t make it rape. They must make it clear to him that it’s NOT OKAY for him to do that.
They can’t just obey and let him perform coitus or fondle them without saying ‘no’ (while letting him think it’s okay) —- and then claim it’s illegal behavior years later.
I do feel bad for the woman who jumped off a bridge for this guy, but it sounds like she did so voluntarily (probably to please this guy) —— and if so, that’s not a crime. It’s just sad. That’s all it is.
‘Social pressure’ is not the same thing as NXIVM’s illegal collateral.
Pressuring people with peer pressure is not illegal coercion.
Having people remind you that you’d likely be broke and homeless if you leave the ashram is NOT evidence of illegal coercion.
I also see no evidence of a homicide in the drowning death so far, just a bunch of speculation without a shred of evidence.
There’s no prosecutable crimes here.
Frank is building a great case for humiliating this guy publicly and bringing shame upon him, which will possibly help other women to avoid this creepy guy. So that’s a good thing. Keep it up, Frank.
But there’s just no evidence of any real crimes that can realistically be prosecuted.
Frank, I really hope that your follow-up stories are better than this one.
I really hope you’ve been ‘holding back’ your best evidence for future articles, cuz if not, your case is going nowhere.
You’re suffering from self excellence.
Thinking if you were in the same situation you would react ” correctly” and that if YOU told him to stop he would stop. You think you’re better than the victims because you think you’re too smart to have this happen to you, and you’re wrong.
There is fight or flight for sure, but there is also freeze. Some people freeze and cannot defend themselves either verbally or physically especially those who have been previously traumatized. Addicts being a recurring theme in the stories doesn’t make for bad people or bad witnesses.
If anything it’s a story of people who want to do better with their life and they think they’ve found a solution in a particular spiritual journey. Furthermore, how many women said “no” and this still happened to them? Do you think the guy thats beats his brainwashed female followers with a baseball bat is going to stop at “no”? Thats your argument here? Women have to say no or its consent? Black and white? Fuck that.
Look at this advice these two doctors gave this girl when they told her he may pull out his genitals and try to have sex with her. They said “try to walk away if you can”
I froze. He raped me
I am so sorry. I am here with you in spirit. He hurt me too. If you can, please call Frank and talk to him about your experience. Frank is respectful and listens. He wants to get this guy as much as all of the victims who left.
My phone number is 305-783-7083
I’m waiting to hear more, but so far, I agree with Magoo. I’m not seeing anything illegal besides using illegal drugs. But I’m sure if Frank keeps digging, something will prob turn up.
“turn up” being the key words. That Frank is a real Go-Getter, he will dig up some fine piece of journalistic gold, you can be sure.
WTF-
Frank is investigating, give him a chance to develop sources. It takes time.
What the F’ do you expect a Rockford Files television episode or CSI Miami?
Can you read? I said I’m sure something will turn up.
I agree with Magoo. Bad publicity, horrific stories, he’ll hunker for a while. His Gold Beach “inner” will get tighter or he’ll threaten them that if they believe any of it they can leave.
I’m sure he’s spending his day bad-mouthing Dan, Jess, and everyone else who’s come forward. Probably also insisting they post rebuttal comments. If they don’t, they’re not loyal.
I came once, sometimes twice a year for retreats. I had a great time & was grateful for all of it.
I never knew of or saw anything listed in these articles. Yes, there were rumors of his “dating” one or two of his yoginis, but that’s it. His true partner Gretchen was so amazing & incredibly hot I couldn’t understand why anyone would stray.
I was invited to lunch with him at least once during my stay, we ate, he & others spoke, and we left. No sex or talk of anything other than the art in his place.
If there’s truly something here, go get him, otherwise this is a collection of horrific stories, that, unfortunately, will result in nothing but bad PR….and he’s seen that before.
Strange to say, I think Mr. Magoo is right.
Mr. Magoo says, “There’s no prosecutable crimes here.’
There is plenty here for civil litigation and even more room for out of court settlements.
It took seven years for a “victim” child bride to come forward against the leader of the FLDS church, after decades of abuse. The woman who ran away in the night from the Movement Center and was found dead, may be a “victim”, but she cannot talk.
A good and dedicated cold case investigator could bring back her voice. (If Shoemaker has not paid everyone off!) Frank’s approach is bringing out voices that have not been heard before about this criminal enterprise. There may be evidence of prosecutable crimes. It will be a matter of putting together the crazy, jig saw pieces of harm and abuse, lies and broken lives. The “victims” themselves must use their voices and become survivors by speaking to law enforcement when they are ready.
If you have a lawyer up for the task of civil litigation would you provide contact info?
https://www.kohnswift.com/attorneys/neil-l-glazer/
Neil Glazer knows about Shoemaker. He is currently working on Nixvm cases.
Carol Merchasin, cmerchasin@icloud.com, worked on Shambala report
Christine Mascal, cmascal@mascal-law.com, 503-320-1020, Portland based, worked on cult abuse cases
These lawyers will take cases on a Contingency basis, they get paid if you get paid.
Human labor traffickers save money on their victims…..That makes the guru business profitable. The Swami lives in a luxurious residence he calls L’Hermitage in Gold Beach, Oregon. Free servants who live with him keep the place up and f**k him whenever their spiritual welfare requires it.
Coercive Control when the perpetrator is a religious leader…..
“This defendant is accused of using his status and position as a religious and community leader to seek out troubled women and exploit their personal challenges for his own satisfaction,” said U.S. Attorney XXXXXXXXXXX. “This indictment is a step towards finding justice for the victims, families and community harmed by the defendant and his alleged acts.”
There is no consent in such situations, not to be a “free servant” or a rape victim…..
Coercive control can be looked at from the perspective of the manipulator using drugs as a tool to control the victim. There are two spheres where the use of drugs have been used to establish coercion. In one sphere, federal prosecutors have brought human trafficking cases based upon the trafficker supplying drugs, then withholding drugs, and continuing to manipulate the victims to create a coercive environment to cause the victims to engage in commercial sex, for the perpetrator’s gain. Human trafficking cases against three defendants resulted in long-term convictions: Andrew Fields (Florida), Jeremy Mack (Ohio), and Monta Croce (Wisconsin). In those cases, the prosecutors framed a human trafficking case around the theory of coercive control. They argued coercive control was used by the trafficker to control the victims to do what he wanted for his gain. For human trafficking, an element of the crime is whether the perpetrator used fraud (lies), force (physical), or coercion. These cases were built on the theory that coercion was used.
• Robin Boyle St. John’s University School of Law, Professor of Legal Writing
I told him NO and was kicked out. Tossed out like the trash
So glad to be seeing that Dan and Jessica Spoke to you about Chet and Sharon. I am also just so glad that you are investigating him, and anyone anyone in the cult who has been aiding and abbetting!
“ …he reads your chart and your Vedic Indian astrology”
What kind of idiot believes in this nonsense? Gullible fools, that’s who. As with Raniere’s Nxivm, the grift isn’t even subtle.
Only fools join cults.
Totally agree. That’s why this Vile predator has his pick over his prey. these people are without any identity or solid foundation they’re seeking to find that . It’s pathetic. No one slaps his face ir kicks him in the balls.
So a twenty-something with a tumultuous past from abuse or trauma has “no identity” or “solid foundation” and you think they’re pathetic? Ok…
You seem like a nice chap I hopefully never meet. Also, I do hope you apply the same high standards to yourself and your children.
I believe he/she was calling the Swami pathetic for taking advantage of young people looking to find themselves.
You sir, are an idiot.
BTW, the way you know a cult is not a sex cult is when the Swami sends a text message that reads “We are most definitely not a sex cult”
If he had written only “We are not a sex cult” there would be doubt, but the “most definitely” provides completely certainty.
💯％‼️
Yes, Frank! More perverted sex cult articles!
This is the interesting stuff. Backed by interviews with real people who seem sane at face value.
This is real reporting. Much better than your CT Family Court opinion pieces.
The Frank Report has its second wind.
“Sex, rape, violence, sadism, a sex cult. Gang rape, random sex with strangers. Venereal disease. Drugs. And millions of dollars.”
What more can we ask for?
Just hope Swami Chokeananda® and his minions show up to defend him so I’ll some fish to shoot in a barrel.
You make me happy, Frank! 😃😃😃
Viva Swami Chokeananda®!!!!!
🧘🏻♂️🐳🍆💀
You’ve registered the name Chokenanda? hahahaha right. Chokey-anada.
Frank must be assuming his audience is now 5 years old and can’t follow an article interview without pictures?
This seems to be the theme lately. Or perhaps Frank can’t look in the mirror anymore, so he looks at a picture of himself.
I’m going to gather a few things from this statement. One would be you are in one of the pictures, and two, you are so flustered about it that you couldn’t even come up with an insult that made any sense.
I AM one of those people how did you guess?
LOL considering Chet lived in a mansion with pictures of himself hanging all over the place and inside everyone’s rooms
Ok back to the menstrual blood. WTF???
How was he getting that? Jess didn’t answer your question. Please tell me what he did with it. All I can envision is the coven in Rosemary’s baby drinking blood.
…Oh and if he tries to rape you, just ignore that.
I’m losing my mind just reading about this filthy mess.
I thought she meant they just meditated on the idea of menstrual blood. But yeah, not totally clear.
Well since he does rituals with an actual human skull, I’m pretty sure it was real menstrual blood from one of his girls.
i thought they painted themselves with it.
I want to hear all about the details of this tantric ritual…. This is sounding more and more satanic
Always look in people’s eyes you can tell a lot by looking into people’s eyes and if you can’t get a good look in their eyes that will tell you something as well. In the case of this man it would tell you he is insane and malevolant
All cocaine use is “ritualistic”. But if someone tells you they want cocaine to “throw on a fire”. They are lying. Unless by “fire” they mean “crack pipe”.
Don’t give them REAL cocaine! Jeez.
Never have sex or do drugs with a creepy old man. EVER. Never!
If you’re doing drugs or are having sex or both and there’s a creepy old man there. – – Leave!
And don’t ever do it again! EVER.
If you look around in a sexual situation where there are drugs and there are no creepy old men present. – go immediately to a mirror and look in the mirror – Are you the creepy old man?
If so – then you are in the right place – if your goal is to make people do things that they will regret.
If you are NOT the creepy old man — RUN.
Sex and drugs is for CONSENTING ADULTS ONLY.
It should be fun. If it’s not. Stop it. Run.
Remember the creepy old man lesson?
Never have sex or do drugs with anyone who is an addict in recovery. Or a child. EVER. Never. Ever. Ever! NEVER.
Don’t have sex with an instructor for spiritual purposes. Or with anyone who claims to be a guru. A Vanguard. A Mentor. Or teacher. In any way shape or form. EVER. Not even your Yoga teacher. EVER.
Literally if an actual God asks you to have sex? Your answer is, “No”.
Same with doing drugs with them,. “No”.
Seriously. For you guys. Not even your CERAMIC teacher at the junior college. No.
Say it with.me. right now! “No.”
No. No. No.
Now, never have sex or do drugs with me.
Because I just acted as your teacher.
And that would be WRONG. Unethical.
And I actually want the best for you. And nothing in return.
You’re going to be okay.
But follow this advice. Please. It’s solid.
Wishing you all the best!
👏🏼
So much beauty!
I am watching you. You never learn. See what happens. Karma. You heard of it.
Hi Moni. Threatening frank pretty regularly these days.
I THOUGHT Monica was permanently crippled from so many sessions with the strangulation salami.
You mean she isn’t brain dead? That what i heard. I guess she’s still got a ticket to ride. Ride on Moni Moni. I was wondering, with regular ingestion of human urine, does one’s skin take on a yellow hue?
Yep. Karma… look out Moni. She’s a coming…
BTW, nice try acting like you can’t speak english properly in your comment dump in the last article. There are those of us who know you, know you’ve have been transcribing his talks for decades. Subterfuge and misdirect… Womp Womp. FAIL.
We’re watching you too