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Seven Deadly Sinners

Rachael O'Brien

Sinners are often people who believe they deserve every little thing they desire, and hurting others along the way…well that’s just road kill.  On a small scale it’s scary, but on the scale these people have done it it’s down right evil.

Preachers, church, your faith are your most trusted source of comfort…but what happens when that world is shattered…

Season 1 of Seven Deadly Sinners took on the world of Televangelists and cultish child sexual predator, Warren Jeffs. 

Seasons 2 and 3 of Seven Deadly Sinners, we’re traveling to the depths of hell, expanding our realm and covering Preachers, Cult Leaders and Religious Organizations linked to horrific crimes...and some of these cases involve leaders who kidnap, rape and murder the ones who trust them the most.   

What if, after leading you in prayer, he lures to the bedroom. 

What it the same preacher who captures your heart, kidnaps your child.

What if, the priest serving you communion used those same hands to dispose of a corpse.

These Preachers committed heinous crimes - right under …your…. nose.. - with a bible next to their bed - and a cross around their neck. 

Rachael O’Brien is the host of Seven Deadly Sinners, and she guides you on this hellish journey of deception all under the guise of Faith. Subscribe and listen on @applepodcasts  Now Let’s close our eyes, bow our heads and buckle up.


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  • 21 episodes
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  • Avg 36 min
  • English

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  • #290
    Yesterday · 44 min

    290: The Curse Behind the Camera - The Exorcist Film Set

    When The Exorcist hit theaters in 1973, audiences were terrified by what they saw on screen—but the stories surrounding the making of the film were almost as disturbing. From unexplained accidents and injuries to fires, deaths, strange occurrences, and claims of paranormal activity, the production of The Exorcist developed a reputation for being cursed. Several people connected to the film reported unsettling experiences, while others wondered whether the movie’s subject matter had somehow followed the cast and crew off the set. In this episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we step behind the scenes of one of the most controversial horror films ever made and explore the bizarre, frightening, and sometimes downright inexplicable events surrounding its production. Was the set truly haunted? Was something darker at work? Or did a troubled production, coincidence, and the power of suggestion create a legend that has lasted for decades? Either way, the story behind The Exorcist may be almost as terrifying as the movie itself.

  • #289
    August 14 · 37 min

    289: The Barefoot Bandit - The Teen Who Vanished

    Colton Harris-Moore became one of America’s most unlikely outlaws. A troubled teenager from a tiny island in Washington State, he began with petty theft and burglary before escalating to stealing cars, boats—and eventually airplanes. Often barefoot, Harris-Moore became an internet sensation as he seemingly outsmarted authorities across multiple states and countries. From a lonely childhood to a worldwide manhunt, this is the strange, chaotic story of the Barefoot Bandit—and the crimes that turned a troubled kid into a modern folk hero.

  • #288
    July 15 · 45 min

    288: Fire Tornadoes! - The Bootleg Wild Fire

    In the summer of 2021, southern Oregon became the battleground for one of the largest and most terrifying wildfires in American history. What began with a lightning strike near Beatty exploded into the infamous Bootleg Fire—a relentless inferno that devoured more than 413,000 acres, destroyed hundreds of structures, forced widespread evacuations, and generated its own weather as towering pyrocumulus clouds churned above the flames. In this episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, Rachael dives into the science, the heroism, and the heartbreak behind the wildfire that firefighters described as a "monster." Hear firsthand accounts of crews battling impossible conditions, the families forced to flee everything they owned, and the growing questions surrounding drought, climate change, and the future of wildfire in the American West. As the flames raged across Oregon, the Bootleg Fire became more than a natural disaster—it became a warning of what may lie ahead. When nature becomes unstoppable, who survives... and what is left behind?

  • #287
    June 30 · 38 min

    287: The King of Hell's Kitchen - Owney Madden

    Long before Las Vegas, one man built an empire on violence, bootlegging, and bribery. This week, Rachael dives into the extraordinary life of Owney Madden—the Hell's Kitchen street thug who survived multiple assassination attempts, became one of the most powerful figures in organized crime during Prohibition, and quietly transformed himself into a respected businessman. From brutal gang wars in New York to controlling a vast liquor empire, Madden's fingerprints were all over some of the most infamous chapters in American crime history. But despite his reputation, he managed to evade the fate that claimed so many of his rivals, living out his final years far from the streets that made him a legend. How did one of the deadliest gangsters of the 20th century escape prison, outlive his enemies, and rewrite his own story? Pour yourself a stiff drink—this is the unbelievable rise of the man they called "The Killer".

  • #286
    May 26 · 44 min

    286: BLOOD ON THE PRAIRIE - A Conversation With Paranormal Investigator Greg Feinman

    For decades, ranchers across southern Colorado have awakened to a nightmare: cattle found dead under impossible circumstances — surgically precise incisions, organs removed, and almost no blood left behind. Rumors spread from lonely highways to isolated ranchlands: UFOs, cults, government experiments, predators… or something even stranger. In this episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, retired police officer Greg Feinman comes to our ranch in Southern Colorado to tell us what he witnessed firsthand while investigating one of the West’s most chilling mysteries. From bizarre crime scenes to frightened ranchers and unexplained evidence, Feinman shares a case that still haunts him. Were these mutilations elaborate hoaxes, covert operations, or phenomena beyond explanation? The deeper we dig into southern Colorado’s dark open plains, the stranger the story becomes.

  • #285
    May 16 · 33 min

    285: The Most Infamous American Museum Heist

    In the early hours of March 18, 1990, two men dressed as Boston police officers walked into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and disappeared into history carrying over $500 million worth of stolen art. Paintings by Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, and Edgar Degas vanished without a trace in what remains the largest unsolved art heist in modern history. This week on Seven Deadly Sinners, we dive into the suspects, mafia connections, bungled investigations, and chilling theories surrounding the infamous Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft. Who pulled it off? Where is the missing artwork now? And how does a crime this massive stay unsolved for decades? Some masterpieces are priceless. Some secrets are deadly. SHOW NOTES: https://www.gardnermuseum.org/ https://www.fbi.gov/history/cases-and-criminals/isabella-stewart-gardner-museum-heist https://www.bostonglobe.com/

  • #283
    April 13 · 25 min

    283: BREAKING LISK UPDATE - REX HEUERMANN PLEADS GUILTY

    The case that haunted Long Island for over a decade has taken a chilling turn. After years of dead ends, speculation, and fear, the man accused of being the Long Island Serial Killer—Rex Heuermann—has now pleaded guilty, bringing a grim sense of closure to one of America’s most disturbing unsolved cases. In this update episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we revisit the Gilgo Beach murders and unpack what this plea really means. Who were the victims behind the headlines? What led investigators to Heuermann after so many years? And perhaps most haunting of all—why did it take so long? With new details emerging from the courtroom, we examine the evidence, the timeline, and the lingering questions that refuse to stay buried. Justice may finally be within reach—but for the families, the scars of this case will never fully heal. This is the conclusion we’ve been waiting for… but it’s far from the end of the story.

  • #282
    March 27 · 30 min

    282: Comrade Bala & The AI "JACKIE" Slavery Machine Part 2

    In Part 2 of Seven Deadly Sinners, we follow Aravindan Balakrishnan, once known to his followers as “Comrade Bala,” as decades of control finally begin to unravel. After years of secrecy inside a South London commune, the walls begin to close in. Survivors step forward, authorities take notice, and the carefully constructed mythology— complete with fear tactics like “Jackie”— starts to crumble under scrutiny. What was once dismissed as radical politics is exposed for what it truly was: sustained psychological abuse, coercion, and modern-day slavery. This episode traces the investigation, the bravery of those who escaped, and the courtroom reckoning that followed. As the truth comes to light, we examine how the authorities built their case—and how a man who claimed absolute power was ultimately stripped of it. From arrest to conviction, Part 2 reveals the long-overdue collapse of a decades-long nightmare—and the fight for justice that brought it to an end.

  • #281
    February 24 · 49 min

    281: Comrade Bala & The Lambeth Slavery Cult

    In this disturbing episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we unravel the psychological grip behind the Lambeth Slavery Case and the cult built by Aravindan Balakrishnan, known to his followers as "Comrade Bala" Operating from a Maoist commune in Lambeth, England - Balakrishnan fashioned himself as a revolutionary visionary. But behind the rhetoric of class struggle and liberation lay decades of coercion, isolation, and absolute control over vulnerable women who believed he held the key to their survival. At the center of his manipulation was a bizarre invention he called “Jackie” — a supposed high-tech monitoring system he claimed could track thoughts, movements, and even disloyalty. In reality, Jackie wasn’t a machine at all, but a psychological weapon. By convincing his followers that he possessed near-omnipotent surveillance powers, Balakrishnan reinforced paranoia, obedience, and fear, turning imagination into shackles. How does a man weaponize belief itself? How can captivity last nearly 30 years in plain sight? This episode explores the dangerous alchemy of ideology, narcissism, and manufactured omniscience — and how one man’s delusion became a prison without bars.

  • #280
    February 10 · 47 min

    280: Wrath - The Killdozer

    Have you heard of the Killdozer? A Komatsu Bulldozer outfitted with 12 inches of reinforced concrete that it's creator, Marvin Heemeryer dubbed his Komatsu Tank.. Why would Marv need a tank in the little town of Granby, Colorado? Find out on this episode of Seven Deadly Sinners

  • #279
    January 24 · 34 min

    279: Wrath - The Dead Man’s Switch

    In 1977, inside a quiet mortgage office in Indianapolis, Tony Kiritsis strapped a shotgun to his mortgage broker's neck, rigged it to a dead-man’s switch, and turned a personal grievance into one of the most disturbing standoffs in American history. For hours, police, negotiators, and a stunned public watched as Kiritsis dared anyone to make the wrong move. This week on Seven Deadly Sinners, we dissect the anatomy of obsession, grievance, and pride — how a financial dispute metastasized into a public spectacle fueled by paranoia and control. When a bank takes advantage of a customer, they never expect to end up on the other end of the barrel. From the psychological unraveling to the media circus that amplified every second, this episode explores wrath at its most theatrical—and most tragic.

  • #278
    January 15 · 41 min

    278: The Great Pueblo Flood

    One of the worst floods in Colorado history, struck on June 3–5, 1921. Between 150 and 250 people died in the deluge along the Arkansas River. The flood caused more than $25 million in damage, leading to the entire town being reshaped forever in its wake.

  • #277
    Dec 15, 2025 · 29 min

    277: The Soldier Who Would Not Surrender — Hiroo Onoda’s 30-Year War Part 3

    On this chilling episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we plunge into one of the most astonishing tales of obedience, delusion, and the deadly consequences of unshakable belief. Hiroo Onoda, an elite Japanese intelligence officer trained to never surrender, vanished into the jungles of Lubang Island during World War II… and kept fighting for three more decades after the war had ended. As the world rebuilt, Onoda waged a private war in the shadows — stealing food, attacking villagers, and evading countless rescue attempts. Was he a loyal soldier? A brainwashed zealot? Or something far darker? We peel back the layers of an extraordinary human tragedy shaped by pride, violence, and a nation unwilling to face defeat. Join us as we explore the psychological grip of military indoctrination, the lives lost in Onoda’s long refusal to accept reality, and the bizarre, heartbreaking moment his former commander had to travel into the jungle to tell him — finally — to stand down. This is the story of devotion pushed to deadly extremes. And it may just be one of the most haunting stories of pride we’ve ever covered.

  • #276
    Dec 12, 2025 · 28 min

    276: The Soldier Who Would Not Surrender — Hiroo Onoda’s 30-Year War Part 2

    On this chilling episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we plunge into one of the most astonishing tales of obedience, delusion, and the deadly consequences of unshakable belief. Hiroo Onoda, an elite Japanese intelligence officer trained to never surrender, vanished into the jungles of Lubang Island during World War II… and kept fighting for three more decades after the war had ended. As the world rebuilt, Onoda waged a private war in the shadows — stealing food, attacking villagers, and evading countless rescue attempts. Was he a loyal soldier? A brainwashed zealot? Or something far darker? We peel back the layers of an extraordinary human tragedy shaped by pride, violence, and a nation unwilling to face defeat. Join us as we explore the psychological grip of military indoctrination, the lives lost in Onoda’s long refusal to accept reality, and the bizarre, heartbreaking moment his former commander had to travel into the jungle to tell him — finally — to stand down. This is the story of devotion pushed to deadly extremes. And it may just be one of the most haunting stories of pride we’ve ever covered.

  • #275
    Nov 24, 2025 · 30 min

    275: The Soldier Who Would Not Surrender — Hiroo Onoda’s 30-Year War

    On this chilling episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we plunge into one of the most astonishing tales of obedience, delusion, and the deadly consequences of unshakable belief. Hiroo Onoda, an elite Japanese intelligence officer trained to never surrender, vanished into the jungles of Lubang Island during World War II… and kept fighting for three more decades after the war had ended. As the world rebuilt, Onoda waged a private war in the shadows — stealing food, attacking villagers, and evading countless rescue attempts. Was he a loyal soldier? A brainwashed zealot? Or something far darker? We peel back the layers of an extraordinary human tragedy shaped by pride, violence, and a nation unwilling to face defeat. Join us as we explore the psychological grip of military indoctrination, the lives lost in Onoda’s long refusal to accept reality, and the bizarre, heartbreaking moment his former commander had to travel into the jungle to tell him — finally — to stand down. This is the story of devotion pushed to deadly extremes. And it may just be one of the most haunting “sins” we’ve ever covered.

  • #274
    Nov 21, 2025 · 23 min

    274: Moonshadows - The Tascam

    The Ranch Hand is presented with a Tascam recorder found on one of the missing girls from Moonshadows and after carefully investigating each recording found on the device - decides to bring it to air. This is another exclusive preview of the new scripted paranormal anthology podcast series known as Moonshadows produced by Rachael & Greg - for more episodes check out the Deadly patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DeadlyPodcast

  • #273
    Nov 6, 2025 · 1 hr 11 min

    273: The Untold True Story of Bristlewolf with Special Guest Nathan Morley

    Most people go to the Black Rock Desert to party under neon skies. Nathan Morley went there to dig up a murder. Long before Burning Man, this same stretch of Nevada wasteland was home to something darker - a drifter named Ronald John Gress, known only by his nickname: Bristlewolf. He built a life in the middle of nowhere a hole in the ground, a shovel, and silence. And when the peace broke, three people ended up dead. Their bodies lay in the desert for ten days before anyone found them. For seven years, Nathan chased this story. He walked the same cracked earth, lived inside his dugout, pored over six thousand court files, police reports, and forgotten letters. He interviewed forty-two people, survivors, witnesses, lawmen, even the families of the dead. What he uncovered isn’t legend. It’s real. Bristlewolf isn’t fiction. It’s a true story about pride, madness, and the way the desert remembers what men try to bury.

  • #272
    Oct 28, 2025 · 41 min

    272: Chavez Ravine

    In this episode of Seven Deadly Sinners, we dig into the dark history buried beneath Dodger Stadium — Chavez Ravine. Before the cheers and bright lights, it was a thriving Mexican-American community. Then came the promises of progress, eminent domain, and bulldozers. What followed was betrayal, broken families, and one of Los Angeles’ most haunting sins: a story where the American Dream was stolen in the name of it.

Showing 1–20 of 21 episodes