Madison Meeks 

Editor-in-Chief

mvm7037@psu.edu

LOUIS, MISSOURI – The internet can be reached by millions, and we live in a world where anyone can reach anyone through social media. This is how six people went missing in Missouri. Investigators believe that these people were sucked into a spiritual cult on social media called the University of Cosmic Intelligence. According to police officials, the group is run by convicted child molester Rashad Jamal. 

The six missing people include Ma’Kayla Wickerson, 25, and her 3-year-old daughter Malaiyah; 24-year-old Mikayla Thompson; 27-year-old Gerielle German; and 3-year-old Ashton Mitchell; and 29-year-old Naaman Williams. According to police, all six people were last seen at a Quality Inn near St. Louis in August 2023.

According to USA Today, the suspected cult leader Jamal is currently in prison on charges of child molestation and cruelty to children. Investigators have stated that he had built up a following of somewhere between a hundred thousand people through platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. According to USA Today, police have claimed that he would use those platforms to share his theories about black and Latino people being gods and goddesses while everyone from other races was not from Earth. Police claim that he has also shared conspiracy theories about the government controlling the weather and politicians being reptilian shapeshifters who drink blood.

Family members have stated to police that before going missing, the six individuals became increasingly isolated, quit their jobs, and were seen doing nude meditations outside. Experts in the field of social media have stated that people have easier access to cults due to the fact that they are able to recruit people through the internet.

USA Today stated that what makes a cult is that it operates only for the benefit of the leader, unlike other organized groups. Experts have said that cult leaders have rules that only benefit themselves through finances or narcissistic beliefs. These experts also believe that social media algorithms might have something to do with cult leaders being able to have access to people. Social media algorithms allow the site to determine which videos and content are put in the users feeds. This algorithm might allow people to be exposed to cult leaders.

While the six people are still missing to this day, Jamal has denied to the police knowing about the missing six. Investigators have said that the people who went missing were all following Jamal on social media platforms and sharing his content. While police have stated that it could be possible that the missing six have never had any in-person contact with Jamal because of his imprisonment and that he was living in a different state before, they could still be one of his followers.

The police are hoping to find these missing individuals as soon as possible.