Hell to Pay

Deep in the jungles of Bougainville, a man crowned himself king, founded a bank with no money, and promised salvation through spreadsheets. Meet Noah Musingku: prophet, monarch, financial engineer and architect of the most absurd sovereign state you’ve never heard of. Is it a nation, a church or just the world’s most committed pyramid scheme?This week, we’re joined by writer and podcaster extraordinaire Sean Williams to talk us through his remarkable investigation.Find Sean on X: @swilliamsjourno and check out his podcast: https://www.underworldpod.com/His original Harpers story is here: https://harpers.org/archive/2024/11/the-island-king-sean-williams-bougainville/Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

When Joshua Boyle and Caitlan Coleman set out on a backpacking trip through Afghanistan, they told friends it was a spiritual journey. What followed was one of the strangest hostage sagas of the 21st century — a tale of love, captivity, delusion and coercion — which has offered up more questions than answers.Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

In this episode, we dig into the bizarre saga of American evangelicals, stolen artifacts from Iraq, and a DIY biblical empire-building project gone very, very wrong. Then, some riffing on current events and a few past episodes. Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

We’re joined by Nathan Apffel, filmmaker of the upcoming Amazon docuseries The Religion Business. In exposing the dark underbelly of America’s wealthiest preachers, he’s faced arrest, a shattered elbow, and more than a few powerful enemies — yet each setback only fuelled his determination to follow the money in this trillion-dollar grift.You can watch the film at: https://www.thereligionbusiness.com/ and follow Nathan’s exploits and forthcoming podcast series on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/religionbusinessSupport us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

In this episode of Hell to Pay, Sipho and Elle explore the fascinating world where football and spirituality collide. From Paul Pogba’s alleged consultation with a marabout, to Egypt’s sacrificial rituals before the Africa Cup of Nations, to stories of witchdoctors on the sidelines, we trace how magic continues to shape the beautiful game across Africa. Along the way, we unpack the deep roots of African Traditional Religion, share personal stories of sangomas, and examine why chants, rituals, and spells are not mere superstition but part of a larger cultural tapestry. At stake is more than just winning matches — it’s about empowerment, identity, and how African players reclaim space in a global sport that often sidelines them.Sources: Huffington Post: I was taught not to remember my grandfather. This is why I do. ESPN: Witchcraft central to Paul Pogba blackmail saga, but it's nothing new in French footballAfrica is a Country: the ‘magic’ of the beautiful gameYoutube: Players are forced to use magic in South African football 

In the north of Rio de Janeiro, a drug lord and evangelical pastor has dominion over a series of favelas known as the ‘Israel Complex’. The streets are clean and building walls are painted with verses from Psalms… while religious minorities are persecuted and rival gang members are sent back to their homes in gift wrapped boxes. From Brazil to Texas to Romania and South Africa, the phenomenon of religiously-inspired gang leaders is becoming more and more common — and we explain why.Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

We’re joined by our friend Conner from the Propagandos podcast to talk about how the famously hardcore evangelical, anti-LGBT Chick-Fil-A empire has invested in an original content app and Trilith Studios, the second largest production lot in all of North America — home base for nearly every Marvel movie made since 2017. The Cathy family, owners of the fast food chain, the aren’t the kind of people you’d usually associate with Hollywood — so what are they really up to?Check out Propagandos at https://rss.com/podcasts/propagandos/ and on Instagram: @PropagandospodSupport us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies

On July 7, 2005, at 8:49 AM, three bombs detonated in three separate trains in the London Underground. How did Samantha Lewthwaite, the British wife of one of the suspects known as the White Widow, go on to become one of the world’s most wanted individuals for her roles in multiple terrorist attacks across several continents?Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From 19th-century mentalists to multi-millionaires, we trace how a fringe theology promising health and wealth became a global juggernaut among evangelical Christians. Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aamer takes us inside the Saudi social media phenomenon of 'free masked men' — anonymous videos complaining about declining living standards and calling for the head of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.But like everything in the Kingdom, it may not be all that seems...Check out the videos here: https://www.middleeasteye.net/trending/masked-saudi-youths-spark-online-movement-calling-end-crown-princes-ruleSupport us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recorded prior to the United States bombing Iran, in this episode Elle and Aamer discuss the history behind why American Christians have become so obsessed with defending the state of Israel — no matter the cost.Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aamer and Elle are joined by journalist Gareth Gore, author of Opus, an expose on Opus Dei — a secretive, ultra-conservative Catholic sect — and its long history of cosying up to dictators, human trafficking, and siphoning billions of dollars from one of the world’s largest banks.Buy Gareth’s book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Opus/Gareth-Gore/9781668016145Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Reactionary nihilism, ideological world building, and kitty litters in classrooms: in this episode, journalist and author Katherine Stewart takes us inside the power center of American conservatives. Katherine's substack: https://substack.com/@katherinestewartbooksKatherine's latest book: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/money-lies-and-god-9781635578546/Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why did Apollo Quiboloy, a charismatic preacher who claimed he could stop earthquakes by yelling at them, and with close ties to the former president and his daughter, the current vice president — stage a dramatic and violent siege at his compound? And why did the Filipino government finally decide to arrest him after almost four decades of crimes?Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode Description: In this episode of Hell to Pay, Sipho Hlongwane and Elle Hardy are joined by journalist and author Pontsho Pilane to unravel the rise — and flight — of Shepherd Bushiri, the self-proclaimed prophet turned fugitive. From prosperity preaching and financial fraud to allegations of sexual abuse, we explore how faith, wealth, and impunity collide in the megachurch era. Plus: how Bushiri fits into a broader African religious landscape shaped by power, inequality, and spiritual manipulation.Sources: Bushiris: How the couple fled South Africa for Malawi" – BBC News"Bushiri faces additional charges after he fled SA – Minister Kubayi" – SABC News"Bushiri's return to Malawi threatens relations with South Africa" – Al Jazeera"Shepherd Bushiri: Prophet or pretender?" – BBC NewsThe prosperity gospel excuses poverty and its true causes in Africa" – Mail & Guardian"When crime is cloaked as religion" – Mail & Guardian (Thought Leader)"Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso released from custody pending appeal against prohibited person decision" – Daily MaverickWhere to buy Pontsho’ book: https://www.nb.co.za/en/view-book?id=9780624093084  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Suppose you are a fan of Cairo’s Al-Ahly football club. Your team, the most successful club in the world in terms of trophies won, but currently sits second in the league table, one point behind surprise contenders Haras El Hodood (“Border Guards”) Football Club. Next up is an away trip to Port Said to face Masry Football Club.Unlike other away matches, however, 72 Ahly fans will not make the return journey home. The utter carnage that happened at that match on Feb 1, 2012 was so horrifying it led to the suspension of the Egyptian Premier League for two years and raised many questions about the interim transitional government following Egypt’s Arab Spring in 2011, and the level of collusion between the state and the so called Masry ultras who ran riot during and after the match.Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Suggestions? Questions? Comments? You can find us at [email protected] music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In May 1986, two of President Ronald Reagan’s National Security Council advisors, Oliver North and Robert “Bud” McFarlane touched down in Tehran on a secret diplomatic mission. The event blew open what became known as the Iran-Contra affair, one of the greatest scandals in modern American history. Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Roe v Wade legalized abortion in the United States in 1973, evangelicals have made it one of the most important conservative issues.At first, however, evangelicals supported the decision for a woman's right to chose — until a machiavellian conservative Catholic activist engineered the shift by making it about another issue entirely. Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Teenagers, rock music, pentagrams... and a country on the brink of collapse. In this episode, we dig into one of the strangest moral panics in South African history — when fears of Satanism swept through churches, schools, and headlines during the final days of apartheid. But this wasn’t just about devil worship. It was about white fear, gender violence, and a society terrified of change. From American conspiracy theories to remote town exorcisms, we unpack how a global panic took on a very South African shape — and why its legacy still haunts us today.Sources:Nicky Falkof (2012) ‘Satan has come to Rietfontein’: Race in South Africa's Satanic Panic, Journal of Southern African Studies, 38:4, 753-767, DOI:10.1080/03057070.2012.732290Nicky Falkof (2017) “The devil destroyed us”: Satanism and gender violence in South Africa, Feminist Media Studies, 17:3, 426-439, DOI: 10.1080/14680777.2016.1235597Danielle Dunbar & Sandra Swart (2012) ‘No less a foe than Satan himself’: The Devil, Transition and Moral Panic in White South Africa, 1989–1993, Journal of Southern African Studies, 38:3, 601-621, DOI: 10.1080/03057070.2012.719688Collins, L. (2024, January 11). The strange origins of the Satanic Panic: How one Canadian book started a worldwide witch hunt. CBC. https://www.cbc.ca/arts/satan-wants-you-filmmakers-q-a-sean-horlor-steve-j-adams-1.6822213Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

United States Army Biological Warfare Laboratories chemist Frank Olson was found dead in suspicious circumstances after being covertly dosed with LSD. Just how deep does knowledge of his death go? Will his family able to find justice? And why the hell did the CIA send him to see a magician? Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After WWII, Australia took in a lot of refugees from Europe. Unfortunately, some of them had ties to Croatia’s Ustaše — the fascist government that even the Nazis thought went too far. They got the band back together in two remarkably conspicuous places: football clubs, and the conservative Liberal Party. Come for the football banter, stay for lesson in Australian slurs.Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frank Olson was a chemist working for the United States Army Biological Warfare Laboratories when he was covertly dosed with LSD. Shortly afterwards, he was found dead in highly suspicious circumstances. Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In June 2019, Brazilian preacher Anderson do Carmo was murdered in cold blood in a flashy suburb of Rio de Janeiro. Along with his wife Flordelis, the couple had become famous for adopting over 50 street children after emerging from poverty to start a series of successful churches with a heavy emphasis on the prosperity gospel.But was it really a robbery gone wrong — or were there more sinister forces at play?Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On June 18 2023, a Sikh plumbing business owner called Hardeep Singh Nijjar was executed in a carpark in British Columbia. The Canadian government accused the Indian version of the CIA of doing the hit — and that’s only the beginning of a fallout that continues to reverberate around the world. Support us by signing up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sipho talks Elon Musk, Donald Trump and how apartheid South Africa found its way into the United States in 2025.Musk grew up in a country where every government leader was a member of the Afrikaner Broederbond, an exclusively male, Afrikaner Calvinist secret society that dominated political, cultural and social life.Sign up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies. Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aamer, Elle and Sipho discuss how a daring midnight heist inside the Vatican exposed dark networks of fraud, money laundering and sexual abuse, taking down one Pope and threatening the Catholic Church with bankruptcy.Sign up for our Substack at https://helltopaypodcast.substack.com/ Theme music: War Machine (The Purpose of a System Is What It Does) by Sister Ray Davies . Check them out: https://www.instagram.com/sisterraydavies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.