Martina Castro, Part 2 - Allegations, Disappearances, and the Crumbling Cult of John of God

This week we're back with Martina Castro, creator of new Exactly Right podcast Two Faced: John of God, a series about John of God, the famous Brazilian "healer" and "psychic surgeon." Last week she explained John of God's so-called healings and doctor spirits that attracted celebrities and visitors from all over the world, and this week Martina walks Lola & Meagan through some of the darker allegations that began to come out. She shares about how the sexual abuse survivors began to come forward with their stories, the deep political influence John of God had in the town that allowed him to get away with it in plain sight for literally decades, and the mysterious disappearances of people in the town. They discuss the dynamics of devotion and denial, and what it takes to finally break the spell. SOURCES Two-Faced: John of God Dos Caras: Juan de Dios

You can listen to Martina Castro, Part 2 - Allegations, Disappearances, and the Crumbling Cult of John of God online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Martina Castro, Part 2 - Allegations, Disappearances, and the Crumbling Cult of John of God is an episode from Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and the Abuse of Power by iHeartPodcasts.

This episode is 52:21 long.

This episode was published on Feb 25, 2026.

Yes. Use the heart button on the episode page to add it to your favorite episodes list.

Yes. This page shows related episodes from Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and the Abuse of Power when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.