In the 1970’s, a recent convert to Christianity named Rama Behera moved to the town of Shawano after a “vision” had told him to spread the word of the Lord. Like many grifters and opportunists before him, this mission would require the control over the lives of others. Behera’s targets had been primed with the idea of God, and the belief that to fill their spiritual angst, total submission to “the word”, generously interpreted by him, was required. To gain legitimacy, he needed only to give himself a new name and an impressive title. He chose Dr. Rama Chandra Samanta Roy, and his congregation was called “The Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ”. In a 1970’s disillusioned with the spiritual messaging of the free love generation, which had failed to deliver on it’s promises of spiritual fulfillment, the rigid discipline of an “old fashioned religion” might have appealed to hippies looking for something new.

The world evolved and changed, and Roy was not about to let a chance to rebrand slip by. As the 21st century dawned, the excitement of the future, and the promises of new technology represented a deep well of credibility and gravitas that was ripe for exploitation. Enter the Samantha Roy Institute of Science and Technology. Not content with only changing the name of his organization, Rama eventually followed suit with a brand new moniker, this time to Avraham Cohen. Not only does such a change allow for a brand new start, it also tends to help mask ones activities. The name change also reflected the constant flux of his religious doctrine. Followers have described his theology as “confusing” [2] It also signifies his changing ideology, from a mutated form of Christianity to an unrecognizable Judaism.
Their acronym, which is pronounced “cyst”, has much in common with the medical condition. Like a cancerous growth, when left to its own devices, it can become malignant and dangerous, two words that perfectly describes Mr. Cohen.  There is much about the man that is a mystery, but what is known of him, and his actions, indicate the classic signs of a malignant narcissist.

His grueling prayer meetings, which last sometimes up to 8 hours, are exercises in bladder control. He forbids his members from leaving to go to the bathroom, with some people actually soiling themselves as a result. He frequently enforces long fasts, only to break them with inedible or often spoiled food that he forces his members to eat. It is unclear if this type of torture is meant simply for continued control or for his sick pleasure. Neither answer would surprise me.

Before you think that everyone enraptured by this man is a victim, keep in mind that the man in the video was sentenced to prison for sexually abusing his daughter. He claims that he had long lost control of his actions due to Cohen’s domination, with others testifying on his behalf. He pleaded guilty, but maintained his innocence, blaming group pressure for the abuse. No charges, however, involved anyone but him.

“One of the problems we ran into was the statute of limitations,” said Sheriff’s Department Investigator Randall Giese, who was part of that investigation. “And people involved in the group during the time frame that would put it in the statute of limitations won’t talk to us.”

You’ll find there’s a common thread when hearing the stories of victims of cults; usually they are searching for answers. This vulnerability is something very few of them are aware until they meet with someone charismatic that offers a set of beliefs and behaviors that appear, at first, to fulfill their desires. This is the mechanism these predators employ in order to exert their will upon others.

In Roy’s business dealings, he takes over the businesses of his followers, and withholds the funds they receive, presumably to himself alone. His finances are a mystery, but he’s become the most powerful figure in Shawano.

People do not have ideas. Ideas have people. This is the inherent danger of ideology. It seems that certain ideas have a way of overriding our common sense or even our notions of right and wrong. This is what makes religion so dangerous; it claims divine authority over every aspect of life, and its invented ideology often directly conflict with the needs of the individual, and the proper functioning of society. The tragedy is that people still think that religion is essential for the survival of society. And yet by every available metric, societies that have rejected faith have a higher standard of living. The evidence seems clear.

List of abuses and lawsuits against the group
[1] https://culteducation.com/group/1111-rama-behera.html

Woman being tortured with cattle prod for “not listening” to leader
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItLKMxnCHZ8

The business dealings of the cult
[3] https://archive.jsonline.com/business/followers-put-their-faith-in-his-hands-8k2b55o-133308973.html/