EPISODE · May 10, 2025 · 24 MIN
Finding Satan
from A Paranoid's History of the United States · host Joseph L. Flatley
In this week’s episode, Joseph L. Flatley investigates the infamous Finders case—a 1987 incident where two well-dressed men and six disheveled children in a Tallahassee park sparked nationwide panic about satanic cults and child trafficking. What began as a routine police call transformed into one of the internet's most persistent conspiracy theories, fueled by leaked government documents claiming evidence of “satanic ceremonies” and an international child trafficking operation.Through exclusive interviews with those directly involved, including two of the children (now adults) who were at the center of the controversy, this episode reveals the shocking truth: the Finders were neither CIA operatives nor satanic cultists, but an unconventional community with an alternative approach to child-rearing that clashed with mainstream values during the height of the Satanic Panic.GUESTS INCLUDE Mary and Max, two of the Finders children, who reflect on their experience growing up in this controversial community.FURTHER INFORMATIONMichael Howell interview: https://archive.org/details/unreleased-interview-with-finders-memberSOCIAL MEDIAhttps://www.instagram.com/paranoidhistory/https://twitter.com/paranoidhistoryHOSTED BY JOSEPH L. FLATLEY. For bonus content and to sign up for my newsletter, check out: http://lennyflatley.substack.com/
What this episode covers
In this week’s episode, Joseph L. Flatley investigates the infamous Finders case—a 1987 incident where two well-dressed men and six disheveled children in a Tallahassee park sparked nationwide panic about satanic cults and child trafficking. What began as a routine police call transformed into one of the internet's most persistent conspiracy theories, fueled by leaked government documents claiming evidence of “satanic ceremonies” and an international child trafficking operation.Through exclusive interviews with those directly involved, including two of the children (now adults) who were at the center of the controversy, this episode reveals the shocking truth: the Finders were neither CIA operatives nor satanic cultists, but an unconventional community with an alternative approach to child-rearing that clashed with mainstream values during the height of the Satanic Panic.GUESTS INCLUDE Mary and Max, two of the Finders children, who reflect on their experience growing up in this controversial community.FURTHER INFORMATIONMichael Howell interview: https://archive.org/details/unreleased-interview-with-finders-memberSOCIAL MEDIAhttps://www.instagram.com/paranoidhistory/https://twitter.com/paranoidhistoryHOSTED BY JOSEPH L. FLATLEY. For bonus content and to sign up for my newsletter, check out: http://lennyflatley.substack.com/
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Finding Satan
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