Was I In A Cult? - Chung Moo Quan — Part 2: “Be Alright to Leave?”

Episode Date: May 1, 2023

Russell D. Johnson’s story continues. A journey into and out of a martial arts cult. PART TWO So Russell survives his emergency, life-threatening arm surgery, but shockingly, that won’t be the hardest thing. So the next question becomes… Can he survive the stalking and death threats that occur after he speaks up and out against the cult? Well, if anyone can, it's our unassuming Bruce Banner… 'Cause watch out Support us on Patreon!  https://www.patreon.com/wasiinacult Follow us on Instagram: @wasiinacult Have your own story and want to be on the show? Email us: [e-mail] More Russell: Russell’s podcast: https://www.deceivedpodcast.com Gruesome arm pics (not for faint of heart): https://www.deceivedpodcast.com/gallery

the phone rings. And I go to pick it up. It was one of those times in my life where I wish I woosh I wouldn't have picked up that phone that I could have just continued in a college. I wish I would have chosen not to pick up that phone that day. Because my life was about to change and it was about to change in a way that would affect my relationships and how I've lived my life for the rest of my life. I'm Liz Iakuzzi. You ready for a little more Kung Fu-Fighting, Tyler? I absolutely am Liz. I'm ready for some spinning high kicks. I stretched out my glutes. I limbered up my hammies.

You gotta do that at this age. I have some Ben Gay ready for the sore muscles that will follow. How about you, Liz? I have COVID. Liz has COVID. I'm so sorry, Liz. So I apologize for anything that sounds nasily today, guys. I know, all you hear is my voice. You don't get to see my face, but.

Or if she says anything stupid, or makes any bad jokes. It's because of COVID. Or the sarcasm only for this episode. My Chicago accent may come out a little more with the nasal. Hi, I have COVID. I look forward to that. Regardless of COVID, we have a job to do and that is to tell the great story of Russell Johnson. Yes, today is the second part of Russell Johnson's incredible story into and out of a martial arts cult.

Now many wouldn't necessarily put martial arts and cults together but this story is a perfect example of what makes a cult a cult how one martial arts center is just a school while another is a cult. And in this case it's all about the leader John C. Kim. Now a little recap. So Bruce Banner, I mean Russell Johnson, is in extreme pain from his abnormally bulging arm muscles. And the higher-up trainers that were going to quote, heal him weren't going to be in town for a couple more days. So on the third day of living with this excruciating pain, he snuck to the hospital at 3 in the morning. And when the doctors told him he had compartment syndrome and needed emergency surgery or his

kidneys could shut down and he could die. He tried to leave. Why? Because if he had the surgery, members of Chengm Kwan, his group would find out. And he was desperate that no one from the group find out, because he didn't want them to think he didn't have faith in the master and teachers. As that would have been a sign of weakness. Fortunately, the doctors wouldn't let him go. They were stressing the importance of surgery and they wanted him to sign a consent

for him, which would allow them to operate. But Russell was so afraid of the ramifications from the group, he first needed the leaders of Chungmu Kwan to tell him it was okay. And eventually his trainer Keith comes to visit him in the hospital. Take out your night. Purify me. Don't spare my life. Crucify me. As soon as he walks in and I'm laying in the emergency room in the bed, I try to sit up in the bed to bow to him. He told me not to.

Keith contacted the national instructors and they finally relented, allowing Russell to go into surgery. Some people die from compartment syndrome within a day, within 24 hours. I was going on like 72 and I was lucky to be alive. I don't know like if I'm going to lose my arms, if I'm going to wake up with a couple stumps. But more than worried about waking up with no limbs, he was worried that I was going to lose my opportunity to be a Chumikwan instructor. That was the only thing on my mind. Then I thought, well if I do die, maybe I'll get buried buried to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be a Chumwickuan instructor. That was the only thing on my mind. Then I thought, well, if I do die, maybe I'll get buried in my uniform.

Thankfully, he didn't have to wait any longer to have surgery, but he may have benefited from doing it a few days prior. So what had happened is when they cut me open, my arms exploded like hot dogs. I mean, they they they exploded and then they then they had the gauze me up and they couldn't sew me back up because they couldn't put the pressure back on my arms. So for five days my arms my arms were open in the back draining like that for five days.

Again those pictures are on his website and are not for a weak stomach. No offense, Russell, but holy shit are they intense. No, do not look at them before lunch. Or after, or during, or after, or with your eyes open, just don't. So two additional surgeries, a lot of gross discharge of fluids, and 16 full days later, Russell is released from the hospital. But proper rest was not in the cards for our main man. I got out of the hospital on a Saturday and I returned for school on Monday to teach class. I couldn't move my arms, so I had to have other assistant instructors put me in my uniform.

And when I was teaching class, the only thing that I could do was cross my arms and have someone else demonstrate the movements. That was in so much pain. It was the type of pain that fucked with me mentally. I was told that John C. Kim was going to have instructors show me a form to help my arms heal. And what it, the form was, was holding my arms out straight for long periods of time, which was very painful. And it angered me especially because it did nothing but put me in more pain. So I stayed in the school and I continued to teach classes and in September I had tested for Black Belt that year. And he finally passes after so many years he had achieved Blackbelt. But... By the time I made Black Belt. But...

By the time I made Black Belt, I was in the worst physical condition of my life. And I passed Black Belt. A lot of it was that they knew who they were going to pass and who they weren't. And then one day he gets a call telling him to go to the house where the instructors live because a very special guest was there. Who is it? Who is it? Wonder who it is? I wonder? I? I? I th! I th! I th! I th! I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was in th! I was? I was? I was in th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was. I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was? I was th th th th th th th th thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi to the house where the instructors live because a very special guest was there. Who is it? Who is it? Wonder what is it? I was finally going to meet John C. Kim. I knew with every part of my being that I was about to meet the second coming of Jesus Christ. And when I got there, there was like a procession line of people getting to meet Kim. And when I got up there, the first thing I recognized was the permed hair. And so he had this permed hair, and he had this mustache, this porn mustache.

And all of a sudden, I go from like thinking I was going to meet the greatest martial arts master would ever live to having a vision of him in a beauty shop and curlers getting his par. Sounds worse than some of my old online dating reveals. Oh please Liz. I had one guy who, you know he lied about his age, which is fine, whatever, I can handle that. Simple, we all do that. He said he was like 511, he, you know, he was sitting at the bar when I showed up, he

stood up, he was like, definitely 5, 6, fine, whatever. I mean, you know, a few inches here and there, we've all done it. And then he turns to me and he goes, he goes, he goes, he goes, he goes, and he goes, and he goes, he goes, to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to, to, to, to, to, to, thi, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the thi, the the the thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thoooooooooooooo, too, too, too, thi. He was, thi, this to me and he goes, So we can sit here or we can sit over there, whichever you want. They have space in the bar or they have space and in the restaurant area. And I was like, what? It can't be your voice. And it wasn't like, it was like his balls had never dropped or something. No. Yeah, it was terrariable.

So you was in a perpetual state of Mickey. had never dropped or something. No. Yeah, it was terrific. So you was in a perpetual state of Mickey Mouse. Whatever, like, what's a voicist? I officially became a voicist in that moment. I became bigoted against voices. I mean, that makes sense. If you need to see your future of him talking seductively to you, sounding like he just sucked on a helium balloon every morning.

He's like, I've been really avoiding this online dating, but then you walked in and I was like, oh I'm set. And I was like, dude, you are not, there's nothing set. Poor guy, I hope he's found someone with bad hearing. So at least he didn't have a perm. He may have had a perm too, and I would have probably been okay with that. The real perm master, John C. Kim, this man who could run faster than cars, and he could sit on a bed of nails unharmed. Turned out to look like a wannabe Eric LaSalle from Coming to America.

Oh, good reference. And perhaps maybe he was mixed a little bit with LL Cool J and Run DMC. Kinkit! He had a gold chain, he had diamond gold rings and bracelets on. He had one of those blue Adidas jumpsuits on with the stripes going down it. And then he had snake-skin cowboy boots. I'm looking around and I look at my instructors and all of them have perms and all of them have the mustache and they all wear Adidas. So the great L.L. Cool John C. Kim started in on an amazing martial arts demonstration. Finally he grabs a wooden sword. And he did all these movements by my head

and then he went and he stopped right by my nose and it was cool but it wasn't like here's the guy that I was told could jump off a 11 story building and 8 story building and these were the type of things I was expecting to see. Former followers were to to to told he jump off an 11-story building and an 8-story building. And these were the type of things that were expecting to see. Former followers were told he had supernatural powers. Many believed it. When he was in the room, you could see a halo around him. His powers were phenomenal. And then he took a group of instructors and he lined them up in a row.

And then he went and he ran at them and hit and hit and hit and hit and hit and hit and hit and hit them and hit them and hit them and hit them and hit them and hit the the the the the the their their their. the first and hit the first and hit the first and hit the first the first the first the first the first the first their the first the first the first their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. He was their. He was their. He was their. He was their. He was their. He was their. Hea. Hea. He was their. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. He was. He was. He was their their their their. Hea. He was their their took a group of instructors and he lined him up in a row. And then he went and he ran at them and hit the first one with his stomach. And then all the other ones flew back. And it was kind of like the same thing as a tick-tac pendulum. You hit the first ball and the last ball and it was such a bizarre showing of the martial arts. And I'm like, in the fact that he had a belly, and what they told us the reason that he had a belly on him was that that's where he kept all his na-gonged power. That if you have this power you stored in your stomach. More like where he stored hot dogs and beer.

And I have like all these questions in my mind. The perm, the demonstration, the whole outfit. And I go back in the school and I tell the instructors who weren't there, the lower belts and the glory of Kim, and how miraculous he was. And I, I continue the lower belts and the glory of Kim and how miraculous he was and and I continued the lie. When there was a part of my head that knew that questioned everything that part of my brain that became numb to questioning things. One day while I was training a couple other assistants came up and they

saw my scars and my arms. And they told me that Keith, the one who had ordered me to do the push-ups, had used me as an example of what happens to a student who went to the hospital instead of the school for help. One of the national instructors asked me why I went to the hospital, why I didn't believe that they could cure me. And then other instructors started asking me the same question, because I didn't wait. Now I was considered what they called missing.

Missing is that you're mentally missing, that the part of your brain is defective. Missing. I like that. I'm going to start using that. You know, after having a kid, I'm definitely missing. Yeah, you're missing sleep and missing friends and movies and missing peace and quiet. Missing taking a shower on a regular basis. Missing, going to the bathroom all by myself. Yeah, I know.

That world has passed, Liz. And now that Russell was missing, the leaders, they were considering a different instructor position for him. So there was a couple different types of instructor. There was the instructor who taught in the school, who taught students. And there's an instructor who worked for a Chumiquan-owned business. I was started to be considered for another position outside the school, which was called a direct instructor, and I was selected to work for a printing company.

Like many cults, this one kept Russell very busy, very tired. So in addition to teaching school he was now working at the company printing press and a department store and was the janitor at the Yorktown mall in Adina Minnesota. That's a great mall there. Oh yeah. They got that gap over there. I think they got a bed bath and beyond right. No bedbath and beyond it's no longer it's going out of business on Wednesday. Oh, that's too bad. Those coupons aren't good after Wednesday. I wonder if they're having a sale. You know, I like supporting it, though.

Like, I don't love to do the Amazon thing. It kind of scares me the Amazon thing. I was the janitor at this Yorktown mall in Edina, Minnesota. And so what would happen is I is th is th is I is I is I is I is I is I is I is th,, about 2 o'clock in the morning, and I'd be done. And then I'd go and I'd sleep in the parking lot. I was so sleep deprived. It was just crazy. I was getting to the point where I started questioning things.

Yippee! I started to like getting a little disruptive with the other assistance that I was living with. So I went and I lived on my own. It started, it started, it started, it started, it started, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, it, to to to to to to to to to to th, to th, th, th, th, to to tho, tho, tho, tho, the the the time, tho, tho, and I'd to to to to to to to to to the the to the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the, the the, to, to to, to to to to to to to, to their, thi, thi, thi, their, thi, the, thea, thea, to to to too, to too, to too, to to to to to thea, to the thea, the the their, their assistants that I was living with. So I went and I lived on my own. It started giving me that time to contemplate things. And then me and my friend that I helped in junior high school, he had passed me up, and he wanted me to be his assistant at the school that was opening. He was my hired belt, but I didn't look at him like I did the other higher belts because of our upbringing. Even no, like once he became my higher belt, we were no longer friends. We were higher belt and lower belt because that's the way the system worked and I didn't, I think it angered me a little bit more even at that time. I felt portrayed

by my instructors. And so I had to call the school and again I said, Hello, head instructor. This is instructor, Russell. Be right to ask if it's anything I can do for school. And then he said no, and I said, be right to ask if you're self-care for anything. And he said, no. And then the last question, be right to step into school. And after I asked that question I was the the the that, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, that, I, that, that, that, that, that, the that, th, th, th, th, th, the, th, the, th, th, the, thi, the, tho, tho, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, hello, thead, thead, thead, thead, the, the, said, the, the, said, the, said, said, the, the, the, said, the, said, the, the, said, the, said, the, said, the, said, the, the, said, the, the, said, the, the, the, said, the, the, said, the, said, tho, said, theau, said, said, theau, said, said,. And then the last question, be right to step into school.

And after I asked that question, I was told that I had permission to come into the school. A question he had asked hundreds of times before. Only this time, for some reason, it didn't sit quite right. Maybe it was the pain in his arms. Maybe it was one of those rare spontaneous aha moments. But as he thought about walking into the school, years of memories started to flood him. Years of working hard, of obeying the leaders, of giving them money, climbing the ladder, hoping one day to run his own school, while the leaders kept adding more rungs and moving

other people ahead of him. And it just all boiled to the leaders kept adding more rungs and moving other people ahead of him and it just all boiled to the surface and then boom. It was like a shutter going up and as I hung up that phone or he slammed that phone down I literally said it out loud fuck it I quit and I lower all the shades I turn off the light I was having a breakdown I was literally having a psychological I quit and I lower all the shades, I turn off the light. I was having a breakdown. I was literally having a psychological breakdown and I didn't know why. You know, I had an issue with rage when I was a kid. And I was filled with rage, I was filled with anger, I was frightened, I was a lot of different things.

But Bruce Banner didn't hulk out that night. He stayed inside where he thought he was safe. But then that night they came. Not to harm me, not to hurt me, but they bring me back. It was a secure building. But they were outside yelling out my name. I curled up in a blank and I hid in the darkness next to my bed. I had to change my habits. You know I had, I couldn't go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go to go the the the the the the the to go the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the. I the the. I theck. I the. I the. the. the. their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their the. I the. I the. I theck. I theck. I theck. I theck. I theck. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I could. I hid in the darkness next to my bed. I had to change my habits. You know, I couldn't go to the places that I used to go to the, yeah, I lived in fear a lot. So he locked himself away hiding in his apartment.

It went on for like six weeks, different periods they'd show up. They came again knocking on the windows in the middle of the night. It was dark out, I'm hiding and I'm scared. They preach violence against those who left who detracted. Chung Muqwan has an ominous term for those who quit. And that's what they said to me when I left is you are walking dead. I had to keep my phone unplugged as soon as I plugged it back in it would start to me when I left is you are walking dead. I had to keep my phone unplugged as soon as I plugged it back in, it would start to ring. And then I was paranoid about going anywhere. I was afraid that I would run into them.

And then at the same time I'm trying to figure out like, how do we keep a roof over my head. So to make ends meet, he gets a job at a plastics factory, loading thousands thous thous thous thous thous th a plastics factory loading thousands of pounds of plastic every day. Now you got to imagine I almost lost my arms a year and a half earlier. It was one of the most excruciating things I'd get home at night and I could just lay there and I couldn't move. I was in so much pain. But in addition to the job being beyond his physical limitations, Russell wanted more from life. So he started getting back into school. I signed up at Minneapolis Technical College. I started taking accounting classes, small business classes, photography classes. I had a direction that I was looking at for my life.

And then my brother and I opened a restaurant together in North Minneapolis. I was going on with my life. I had a direction. I was back in school, I had a restaurant, I had a business. So life was looking up. Chung Muqwan was in his rearview mirror. Bruce Banner was getting his life back on track. And in 1990, two years after he had left the group, he applied for reconstructive surgery on his arms. I go and I have the surgery, and so again, they cut me open, and then they stretch the skin, and they're still unable to connect the fascia tissue. And so my muscles still making contact with my skin, and it's still very painful.

And so it's the next day, right? My arms aren't gauze. I'm pissed off because I'm in a lot of pain. The phone rings. And I go to pick it up. It was one of those times in my life where I wish I wouldn't have picked up that phone that I could have just continued in the college. I wish I would have chosen not to pick up that phone that day. Because my life was about to change and it was about to change in a way that would affect my relationships and how I livedze, and the phone rings. I go to pick it up, and it's my friend that I went to junior high school with.

He joined Shimukwuan as well. He told me that the schools have been through a lot of changes and that they're not as strict as they used to be and now that they're franchising them out and there's an opportunity to me for me to return. So we agreed to me and we meet at a restaurant. I went in there and I unloaded because I had two years to think about it. I was pissed off. And I wanted John Siki to know to the school the school to to the school to to to to the school to to to to the school to to to the school to to to to the school the school to to the school the school to the school the school to the school to to the school to to to the school the school the school to to to the school the school the school to the school to to the school to the school the school the school the school the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the school the school the school the school the school to the school to to the school.coicucoicuiolkooolk.cuiolk.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.c.u.c.c.uiolk. I was pissed off. I had a lot to say. And I wanted John Sikim to know

that I hadn't went to the school for help, and I was told to wait. And I was angry because I felt that the higher belt instructors, the national instructors were lying to cover their own ass. For the first time in a long time. Bruce let the Hulk slip out. When I got home that day, I went to the phone book and I called one of the best-known law firms in Minnesota

because I wanted to sue him. I felt that I was wrong. I felt that they were responsible for what happened to my arms. And you got to understand, I was being driven by pain. I had just gotten out of the hospital, and the only thing I'm giving is tying all three and that ain't cutting it. And I'm angry. And I'm being driven by this anger. So I make an appointment to meet the attorney.

They take pictures because now I have fresh scars from the new surgery. And she listens to the story. And she tells me that she thinks I was that she that she that she that she that she that she that she that she thinks I thinks I thinks I that she thinks I thinks I thinks I thinks I thinks I thinks I thinks I thinks I was thinks I was thinks I was thinks I was thinks I was thinks I was that she the new surgery. And she listens to the story. And she tells me that she thinks I was in a cult. But I wouldn't listen, because like, who thinks they're in a cult? You know, if I was in a cult, I know it was an cult, right? This is when the book Combating Cult Mind Control by Steve Hassan comes into play, as you might recall from part one of this story. I read that book from cover to cover that night.

I realized that I had been in a cult. I was blown away by it. And he watched the entire VHS that he'd been sent. The news program then investigated Chung Muquan. The final con. This card given to students showing their rank was registered with the Changm-Kwan organization, Asian headquarters. John S. Kim's own lawyer admitted to me that there's no such organization.

It doesn't exist. Not that I'm aware of. One of the biggest things that blew me away was that the schools in Asia did not exist. Then the other part that was advertised that he was a retired champion of all Asia. Now, martial arts masters from Korea said that that championship did not exist. John C. Kim, a former maintenance man. School signs proclaim him martial arts champion of all Asia. But martial arts officials say there's never been such a title.

The whole thing was a fraud. And this ignited a fire under him. He was out and free from the cult. But he now wanted to warn others. After all, he had brought people in. Now I'm on a crusade, and I had a list of all the instructors, their birthdates, their address, their phone numbers. So I started going through that list and contacting people that I thought might have left.

I'm gathering information. It's like a ball that's starting to roll on pick up steam. Again, one of the things driving me is I was in pain every day. And that pain made me angry and it had some effect on my brain. I was starting to become obsessive. If you think he was pissed before, watch out. Hold smash. If you think he was pissed before, watch out. HON SMACH! And I was trying to put my own group of experts together,

and then the local director of the Cult Awareness Network, she helped coordinate a counseling conference. So a group about 15 former students came to this counseling session at this house and CBS reporter Dave Failing was there. Are Dave Failing tonight with more on a school that trades on the name and image of a supposed martial arts master a man named John C. Kim? His name is John C. Kim. He claims to be the retired undefeated champion of all Asia. Kim licenses his name to schools across the country,

including three here in Houston. Students have spent thousands of dollars to learn his secrets. One said he'd paid over $20,000 to the school, another nearly $10,000. Russell soon discovers that current members of the Moo had learned about the counseling sessions and who was there, and they went house to house looking for me and, you know, that instilled in me during my time in Shumukwan

that the punishment for what I was doing was death. And so I had in my head that I was going to be killed for what I was doing. This instructor says that when he quit, a supervisor threatened to have him killed. There's a lot of people listening to every word that the higher belt say and they'd do anything, even kill somebody, if they were told to kill somebody. And I had the fear at night that a shot was going to ring out one night and that would be the last thing I heard here. And I had a two-bedroom apartment that I shared with a roommate. And I fled that night. And I became homeless that night.

I ended up sleeping on couches. I walked away from everything. And then one day, after months of hiding, he had an epiphany. I lived in so much fear. And I had to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come to come a to come a to come a to come a to come a to come a to come a to to to to to to to to to to to to to their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. I. to a toeck. toeck. toeck. toeck. toeck. toeck. toeck. toeck. toeck. toeck. their their to hiding, he had an epiphany. I lived in so much fear and I had to come ask myself, what is the worst thing that could actually do to me? I don't have kids, I'm not married, and the worst thing that they could do to me was kill me. And so I thought that if I could actually accept my own death, that I was taking the power of that fear because that's that's that's that's that's that's what that's that's that if I could actually accept my own death, that I was taking the power

of that fear because that's what drove a lot of people in Shummanquan from speaking out was the fear that they were going to die because yeah, they actually attacked it. So I came to the conclusion that if I could accept my own death, that they couldn't hurt me. So now, Russell was ready to take the fight to them. And he knew that the pen is mightier than the sword. Especially if it's just a wooden sword being waved round by Run DMC Kim. I went to Minneapolis City pages, and I told the reporter Jennifer Vogel that I could prove everything that I was about to say.

I got to bring her the Zuckman video the stuff the stuff the stuff the the the the the the the to say. I got to bring her the Zuckman video the stuff and then Jennifer likes it so they decide that they're going to do the story. Jennifer and I worked for about six months on the article. We waited for John C. Kim's birthday so on April 1st, 1992, the City Pages article came out. That's when a lot of the schools started to fall. I started getting followed by private investigators. I already accepted the worst thing they could do to make my death. And so there was one day there was a white van and it was following me all over and I just said, well I'm just going to go do it in my errands. I'm going to run the grushy store, just let them follow me all over. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their. And their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, thoome, their, thoome, thoomoomoomome, thoome, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, tho. toge. toge. toge. toge. toge. toge. togeueueueueue. tooooooe. th. th. t to run the gym, I run the grocery store. Just let them follow me all over. And they did.

I think it was intimidation. There is a paranoia of being watched. You know, and I believe that there's possibility that I still being followed to this date. It's now, 1992, a full four years after he had left. And Russell, I th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th thus I I I I I I I I I I'm just thus I'm just thus I'm just thus I'm just thus I'm just thus I'm just thus I'm just thus. I'm just thus. I'm just thus. I'm just thoom, I'm just thus. I'm just thus. I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just, I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just I I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just I'm just th. th. th. thi. thate. thin. thin. that thin. that thin. th. thin. th. th. thin. th. th. thin. th. thin. th. that that that Russell is still gunning to take down this cult. At that point my restaurant's not doing well and my life of Minnesota has just been hell. I decide that I'm gonna move to Vegas and I got a job as a bouncer in a bar. I didn't like it so I decided to go back to Minnesota after six weeks.

On the way home, my car breaks down in Vale, Colorado. A guy walks up, he asks me where I'm going and I told him I'm going back to Minnesota and he's like, why are you going there? There's jobs here, and you should consider living here. So he goes to the local library to get online to find a job, but instead ends up getting hired hired hired to to to to to to get to get to get to get to get to get online to find a job, but instead ends up getting hired as a research librarian. I learned information retrieval. And then as I started to do it, I knew right away that I was going to use this for Chumukun, to go after them. And then in the 94-95, there was a martial arts group called Direct Martial Arts online. and So I started taking all these records and

The interviews that I had done and then I would post them on wreck martial arts Others started to come forward and they started sharing their information and they related to the things I was saying and One of the other former members talked about the cash that was being given to the instructors. He testified that the cash was flown to wherever John C. Kim could be and that sometimes he had to tape the money lots of bills to his body to conceal it. Everything went to Kim and it was for him. He had a house in La Jolla, the farm in Naperville, the ranch in Tombal, Texas, jewelry, fur coats, that money that we were told was being invested into our future was going to his Vegas trips, spending all the money

with his gambling habits. Now at that point the IRS became interested, and then shortly after that they started subpoenaing the people on my list that I gave them. The Illinois Attorney General's Office charged the schools with violating consumer fraud laws and the Internal Revenue Service is investigating whether all those cash payments were ever reported to the government. And then one day he gets a call from a former member who gives him a piece of good news. He said, John C. Kim had been indicted along with 13 of his his instructors, two of them from Minnesota.

His name is John C. Kim. His followers once believe he could read minds and even heal the sick. But federal prosecutors say Kim is a con man who lured gullible people into a martial arts program, took their money and their th. and th. and th.. and th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th th thi their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. Hea. He's, te. He's te. Hea. He's te. And, te. And, th. He's th. He's th. He's th. He's th. Hea. even heal the sick. Federal prosecutors say Kim is a con man who lured gullible people into a martial arts program, took their money and then brainwashed them into a cult. Now Kim is on trial accused of tax evasion. And on that court day, you'd better believe that Russell was going to be there. Hulk smash! Hulk, go to court! Well, fuck up caught in a... Ada! Well, I was there. I helped point him out.

I needed to actually face him in person, you know? I needed, it was closure. All of us believe that John C. Kim was going to be convicted. So, here I'm going to go face the man that I now considered a monster that I understood the, the depths of his evilness. And I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I, and I, that that that that that th, th, th, think, think, think, that think, that think, think, that thank, that thank, that thank, thi-hulked, thank, thank, to to to to to to to, to, to, to, I to to to to to to to to to to to, I to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to to tholk, tholk, tholk, tholk, tholk, thi, thi-holk, thi-holk, thi-hulk, thank, thank, thank, that that that thank, that that thank, that thank, that thank, that thank, thank, thank, thank, thank, thank, th I understood the depths of his evilness and I see him and that power that he had was gone. The whole persona everything. You know I see him with his big giant palm again and this time it's like six, seven inches from the top of his head and then my fear was really replaced with a giggling smirk. Today, as he headed into federal court,

he seemed just a mere mortal. Students and instructors at the schools Kim operated a claim they took advantage of vulnerable people using mind control techniques that began with martial arts training. One of those students, Russ Johnson, lost $15,000 and eight years of his life following Kim. I see him as a cult leader, another phony Messiah. I was definitely brainwashed. The first day of the trial, he cried during the trial. And to me it reminded me like the

Wizard of Oz. So he was the most powerful, most feared, the greatest martial arts master that ever lived. If you cross him, you die, right? And he's crying there. And then during the sentencing, he was crying in asking for the court for forgiveness. And he said that he meant to do no harm. This man that older attacks that destroyed the lives of many people, meant to do no harm. This man that older attacks that destroyed the lives of many people meant to do no harm. Now after a two-month trial the jury is deliberating the verdict.

All centers on John C. Kim, who ran martial arts schools and allegedly used mind control to influence students and skim cash. And so Russell sat in the courthouse and awaited the sentencing to be handed down. He dedicated years of his life to exposing the cult to bringing down the people that had misled him for so long. And when the sentence was delivered... 14 instructors from across the country, mostly from Chicago, went to prison. Two of them from Minnesota. They all got five years.

And as for Kim, well, he had supernatural powers. So he used his big, bad belly to knock down all the guards who were all standing in a row, and he escaped. Never to be seen again. It's been told he lives at the top of Runyon Canyon. And he's turned into an eagle, and he pulls buses with his teeth for amusement. No, and... No, he didn't.

No, he didn't. Well, actually... He was incarcerated immediately. The mother of our death. At that point, I went on with my life. I actually wrote my last post on rec martial arts and I was living a happy, enjoyable life in Bill Callarounder. That was my best revenge, was living in good life.

But I tell you, one of the greatest satisfactions that I had was the school, it was the head school, it was the flagship school. And then after it closed, it became like an adult gift shop. Once again, I had entered the school that almost caused my death. But this time, instructors, there was dildo is all over the place. It was like this satisfaction and laughter that I had taken their flagship school, their temple, and then turn it into an adult gift shop. And I think that's how all cult should end up, you know, as shops selling dildoes and

buttplugs. Hmm, finally, cult's bringing something necessary and needed. What a story. Thank you for sharing it, Russell. Yes, Russell, thank you so much for everything. You spoke out against your cult while it was still active and threatening your life. That's true bravery right there and hopefully is an inspiration to others. Mm-hmm. And now the epilogue. John C. Kim died on Valentine's Day 2016. And there was no abitur. He died of coronary heart disease,

and this was the man who claimed that he was the second coming to Jesus, that he looked to, I'll live all of us. 2005, I had a reconstructive surgery on my arms and that time they were able to close the fascia tissue. Once the pain went away and it never was going up to the head anymore. I'm an executive at a security company. I design protection systems, fire alarms, access control. I've been in security for over 25 years. A life spent protecting people. How very interesting.

And Russell, does the Hulk come out anymore? I think as I'm getting older it's actually coming out a little bit more. I have less patience for bullshit. I kind of call it out as I see it. Of course, unfortunately we can include all the incredible details of Russell's story on our show. Despite the seven-plus-hour interview that Liz did with him. It was that long. It was seven-plus hours you interviewed him and dump truck onto me to edit. You karate topped that moffo up like the true back felt you are. I sure did. But you can hear more of his own stories and details of his the the the the the the of of his thiiiiiii of of his th of his thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi th. I th. I th of th of th of th of th of th of th of th of th of th of th of thi. I thi. I thi. I thi thi thi thi thi thi thin thi thi thin thi thi the. I thin the. I thin the. I thi thi. I thi. I thi thfow up like the true back felt you are. I sure did. But you can hear more of his own stories and

details of his entire experience in Chungmu Kwan and after on his podcast. It's called Deceived Podcast. Go to Deceived Podcast. For more information and to see picks of Russell at various stages in and out of the cult. Thank you for listening everyone. Please help support us on Patreon like our dear supporter Erica Fritz. And tell a friend, all about the roller coaster ride that is Wasayana Cult. Wasa In a Cult is written, produced and hosted by the Permed Wonder, Tyler Miesim. And the track suit sporting LL-L-Coozee. LL-Coozy. L-L-Coozy! That's what my new name is, guys.

Maybe L-L-A-Cool J J won't want to like team up and do some joint merch. Yeah I would think that's something he desperately needs right now. Call me just fine LL. Call me I'm around. Yeah give me a call. Number one fan. Audio editing, sound design and mix by the devoted student Rob Parra. Thank you, Rob. Sand the floor, Rob. Paint the fence, wax on, wax off. Just edit and make this show good. Millions of people have been affected by cult,

and experts say all of us are vulnerable at some point in our lives. Almost all cult victims need some form of long-term counseling to help them readjust. They often feel overwhelmed by decisions they must now make in the real world. Some adjust quickly. Others need time disheal. All need support from family and friend so they don't fall back into the clutches of cult and cons. For the Channel 2 investigative team, I'm Pam Zekman. Don't spare my life. Crucify me.

Thank you everyone for listening. And here's the last word. Word.