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| Illustration by Matt Panuska -- Clockwise from left: Rick Ross (no relation), cult deprogrammer; Zena Swanepoel, Poolman's former assistant; Anu, alien overlord and creator of Mankind; Jesus Christ; Hitler, king of the demon dimension; Esteni de Wet, Poolman's girlfriend; Sunette Spies, the interdimensional portal; Cameron Cope, Texan Desteni member and head of TechnoTutor; Andrea Rossouw, early Desteni follower; and Bernard Poolman, Desteni's mastermind. |
Back in October 2013, a journalist from Vice magazine, River Donaghey, made a request to visit the Desteni farm but was turned down. (See Desteni 'Going Down the Drain'). He later wrote an extensive article about the group anyway and it was published by Vice on August 4th this year.
It includes a revealing interview with the ex-personal assistant of Desteni founder, Bernard Poolman, as well as some marvellous illustrations.
The article highlights the fact that the Desteni group (AKA the Equal Life Foundation) runs on blind belief in the ridiculous fantasies of Poolman and Sunette Spies' 'batshit-insane demon-channeling'.
It re-confirms that the TechnoTutor software currently sold by Destonians out of Texas and elsewhere is most likely an updated version of Poolman's earlier 'educational software', PowerEducation, which involved a scam to 'manipulate parents' into buying something that was 'worth 400 rand [$35] for 12,000 [$1,030].'
The article is also notable for pointing out the highly influential role of Poolman's girlfriend, Esteni de Wet, as well as the use of the drug, Ecstasy, in the founding of the cult.
Read: Meet the Struggling South African Cult That Tried to Kill Demon Hitler
