Escaping the religious ‘cult’ tied to big business | Four Corners Documentary
ABC News In-depth
376,282 views
In the streets of suburban Sydney lies the spiritual headquarters of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church — a secretive, ultra-wealthy organisation whose $22 billion business empire stretches around the globe.
Former members and even the Australian Prime Minister have accused the religious group, once known as the Exclusive Brethren, of operating like a cult, while its leader Bruce Hales and his family live in luxury, at the centre of a network of thousands of companies worldwide.
This week on Four Corners, former members tell reporter Louise Milligan about the psychological manipulation, surveillance, and threats the church allegedly uses against them, as well as attempts to intimidate them and buy their silence.
Big Brethren charts how some companies that support the church have amassed billions and are now under scrutiny from the Australian Taxation Office.
Whistleblowers also reveal the group’s attempts at political penetration, including covert election campaigning, despite members traditionally being discouraged from voting.
Full responses from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and Greg Hunt can be found here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-1...
CHAPTERS
00:00 – The Brethren
01:55 – The unlikely home of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church
04:22 – Bruce Hales
10:00 – The corporate structure
11:20 – COVID tenders
13:07 – ATO raid
15:38 – Escaping the church
20:30 – 'It felt like an assault on democracy’
27:50 – Family estrangement
33:45 – Influence in the United States
39:10 – A man on the run
Note: In most cases, our captions are auto-generated.
#ABCNewsIndepth #ABCNewsAustralia
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Escaping the religious ‘cult’ tied to big business | Four Corners Documentary
ABC News In-depth
376,282 views
In the streets of suburban Sydney lies the spiritual headquarters of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church — a secretive, ultra-wealthy organisation whose $22 billion business empire stretches around the globe.
Former members and even the Australian Prime Minister have accused the religious group, once known as the Exclusive Brethren, of operating like a cult, while its leader Bruce Hales and his family live in luxury, at the centre of a network of thousands of companies worldwide.
This week on Four Corners, former members tell reporter Louise Milligan about the psychological manipulation, surveillance, and threats the church allegedly uses against them, as well as attempts to intimidate them and buy their silence.
Big Brethren charts how some companies that support the church have amassed billions and are now under scrutiny from the Australian Taxation Office.
Whistleblowers also reveal the group’s attempts at political penetration, including covert election campaigning, despite members traditionally being discouraged from voting.
Full responses from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church and Greg Hunt can be found here: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-1...
CHAPTERS
00:00 – The Brethren
01:55 – The unlikely home of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church
04:22 – Bruce Hales
10:00 – The corporate structure
11:20 – COVID tenders
13:07 – ATO raid
15:38 – Escaping the church
20:30 – 'It felt like an assault on democracy’
27:50 – Family estrangement
33:45 – Influence in the United States
39:10 – A man on the run
Note: In most cases, our captions are auto-generated.
#ABCNewsIndepth #ABCNewsAustralia