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<v Speaker 1>Hello and welcome to the Insta Scammer. Before this series begins,

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<v Speaker 1>I want to take a few minutes to tell you

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<v Speaker 1>how the podcast was made and how I've tried to

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<v Speaker 1>be fair. My name is Casey and I am the

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<v Speaker 1>host of the Cult Vault podcast. And this is the

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<v Speaker 1>Insta Scammer, an 11-part investigation into the online wellness figure

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<v Speaker 1>known as Liana Shanti, the community that formed around her,

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<v Speaker 1>and what former members and their families say it has

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<v Speaker 1>cost them. This series is built on first-hand interviews, recordings, documents,

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<v Speaker 1>and public records, including court files. Throughout the series, I've

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<v Speaker 1>tried to keep three things clearly separate. What people personally experienced,

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<v Speaker 1>what experts offer as their professional opinion, and what can

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<v Speaker 1>be shown on the public record. Where a matter is

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<v Speaker 1>contested or unproven, and some of what you'll hear is

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<v Speaker 1>deeply contested, the series makes no finding, and I'll tell

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<v Speaker 1>you so when we get there. Fairness matters to me,

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<v Speaker 1>and a big part of that is the right of reply.

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<v Speaker 1>Before publishing the series, I approached Liana Shanti directly and

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<v Speaker 1>offered her a full opportunity to respond to matters this

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<v Speaker 1>series covers, by recorded interview or by written statement, with

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<v Speaker 1>a clear deadline ahead of release. Liana Shanti initially agreed

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<v Speaker 1>to a video interview, but did not respond to arrange

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<v Speaker 1>it by the time the right of reply deadline came around.

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<v Speaker 1>Her perspective is not represented here in her own words,

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<v Speaker 1>but the invitation remains open. If Liana Shanti responds, I

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<v Speaker 1>will include those responses through additional content. Others named in

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<v Speaker 1>the series were also offered the chance to respond. A

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<v Speaker 1>Word of Care Before You Listen This series includes discussion

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<v Speaker 1>of coercive control, recovered memory and childhood abuse allegations, family estrangement,

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<v Speaker 1>significant financial loss and, in some places, suicidal ideation. Please

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<v Speaker 1>look after yourself as you listen and take a look

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<v Speaker 1>at the support resources in the show notes of every

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<v Speaker 1>episode if you are impacted by the themes in this series.

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<v Speaker 1>I also want to say thank you. To the former

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<v Speaker 1>members and the families who sat down with me and

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<v Speaker 1>trusted me with some of the hardest chapters of their lives,

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<v Speaker 1>thank you for your courage. This series exists because you

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<v Speaker 1>were willing to tell your truth of what happened to you,

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<v Speaker 1>and I've tried to honour that in every episode. And

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<v Speaker 1>to the small group of people who helped me bring

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<v Speaker 1>this series together, those who guided, supported, checked and believed

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<v Speaker 1>in this work, I could not have done this without you.

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<v Speaker 1>If you're a journalist, a researcher or someone personally affected

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<v Speaker 1>by the series and you'd like to understand how something

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<v Speaker 1>was sourced, you can reach me at cultvaultpodcast at gmail.com.

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<v Speaker 1>All 11 episodes are out on Monday the 31st of

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<v Speaker 1>August 2026 and you should start with episode 1. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>your host Casey and thank you for listening.