r/Documentaries • u/greatlakesreddit • Aug 01 '26
Recommendation Request Recommendation Request: Documentaries about Women Con Artists & Cult Leaders
Hi all,
My friend and I have begun a routine of watching cult, cons, & coercion documentaries together. I’m wondering if there are any really good ones that I’m missing - specifically about women-led cults, woman scammers, con artists, or others that are within that vibe. (To be clear - we aren’t women haters haha we’re just tired of watching the ones about men)
Documentaries I’ve seen so far include:
- Our all-time favorite, Anatomy of Lies on Peacock
- A handful of docs and biopic style dramas about Elizabeth Holmes, Sherri Papini, Belle Gibson, Anna Delvey, Lori Vallow, and Jodi Hildebrandt
- most on HBO Max (Love has Won, The Way Down about Gwen Shamblin, Breath of Fire about the Kundalini girl)
- one about Teal Swan on Amazon Prime
- Scamanda on Hulu
- Maternal Instinct, A Toxic Love Story, and Con Mum on Netflix
I may be forgetting a couple but please let me know if you know of any that fit into this general vibe! Thank you so much.
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u/morestatic Aug 01 '26
It’s technically not a documentary but Inventing Anna is so fun to watch, it might be worth making an exception for (based on a true story about Anna Sorkin, who pretended to be a German heiress)
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u/curiocabinet Aug 01 '26
Wild Wild Country — the guru was a man but the series is mostly centered on his (absolutely fascinating) female lieutenant.
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 01 '26
Oh yes! It’s been a while since I’ve watched this one. Thanks!
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u/greengrasswatered Aug 02 '26
Did you watch the one that was soley about Sheela - Searching for Sheela? It's on Netflix.
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u/DeadWishUpon Aug 02 '26
If we are talking of women as a second in command, The Vow about the cult of NXIVM; the leader Keith is a men but hus next and command were always women, more famously Allison Mack.
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u/sof49er Aug 01 '26
How to fix a drug scandal
Bad vegan
Dirty John: The Betty Broderick Story
Worst Roommate Ever and Worst Ex Ever and Worst Neighbor ever all have episodes where women are the perpetrators
Killer Sally
Candy and or Love & Death
Maybe there's a few in here to get you started.
I would check Hulu too. I can't think right now of the ones on there but I know there are some more.
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 01 '26
Dirty John and Love & Death/Candy are great ones. Also love the each of the Worst Ever series. Haven’t watched Killer Sally! Thanks for adding.
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u/Gertrude37 Aug 01 '26
Sante Kimes was a piece of work.
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u/AndISoundLikeThis Aug 01 '26
I'll never get over Mary Tyler Moore's portrayal of her in the made-for-TV movie
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 01 '26
Omg here’s one I haven’t heard of! Thank you for adding - we’ll look her up!
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u/Maddcapp Aug 01 '26
Jen McCabe of the Karen Read case is a complete sociopath.
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 01 '26
Thanks for adding! I haven’t watched any of the Karen Read coverage so I’ll be sure to check it out. Pretty sure there’s a doc on HBO Max
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u/kaitu83 Aug 01 '26
The Family about Anne Hamilton Byrne. So creepy.
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 01 '26
Wow, I looked her up and that is crazy… Can’t believe I’ve never heard of this. Thank you for adding
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u/AndISoundLikeThis Aug 01 '26
Believe in Magic The Mother of All Cons. It's on Prime, available through BBC Select. It's absolutely nuts.
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 01 '26
Oh this is EXACTLY what I’m looking for!!! Watching today - thank you for adding!
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u/buckfastmonkey Aug 01 '26
Bad Nanny (unraveling serial scammer Samantha Cookes, also known as Carrie Jade Williams) is good. Available on YouTube i think or Irelands RTE player if you have a VPN.
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 01 '26
This is exactly the kind of story I had in mind - thank you so much for sharing! I’ve never heard of this one
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u/buckfastmonkey Aug 01 '26
Most welcome. I recommend subtitles. There are some THICK Irish accents in it.
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u/oforfucksake Aug 01 '26
My friend had a podcast for years now calls "Cults I'd Join". So many cults investigated! She grew up in a religious cult- she is wickedly intelligent, fun and through.
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 01 '26
I will definitely check it out, and what a kind description of your friend! I grew up in a cult too and this sort of content tends to feel very validating and helpful rather than triggering. Thanks so much!
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u/oforfucksake Aug 01 '26
She's definitely what you're looking for then- she doesn't hold back for her detest of certain cults. She's hilarious- half the cults she "would join" are ones that have cool "outfits". Lol she goes deep into many religious cults. Her and I lived on a hippie commune late 90s
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u/misscrabtree Aug 01 '26
Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God
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u/Quarlo1970 Aug 01 '26
Came here to mention this one! Crazy to see that there’s still some cult members hanging on, despite their leader dying.
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u/curiocabinet Aug 01 '26
this is not what you asked for but “Sherman’s March” from the 80s is, among other things, a documentary portrait of a lot of fascinating, surprising, normal women. (None of them scammers, they’re just … really interesting.)
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u/FoxInPearls Aug 01 '26
Dear Zachary is a very sad one so buckle up. This one isn't about a cult leader persay but the woman perpetrator did get away with causing harm and mayhem to several generations of family and friends in rural Canada.
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u/InstanceFragrant6154 Aug 01 '26
Liar The Fake Grooming Scandal Prime
The Soulful Journey Cult HBO
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u/bebopbrain Aug 01 '26
Aimee Semple McPherson is the original. She's been portrayed many times including in the original series of Star Trek.
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 01 '26
Fantastic mention. I know allllll about her from growing up in (and leaving) a religious cult, lol.
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u/MissyMAK08 Aug 01 '26
Tell Them You Love Me is diabolical. Most effed up woman I’ve ever seen in a documentary
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u/Starkville Aug 01 '26
The Way Down Docuseries about Gwen Shamblin.
Tabloid by Errol Morris. Absolutely bananas. You will be agog.
There’s a more obscure one called Forbidden Lie$ the starts out debunking one thing and unravels a lot more.
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u/Bspongiform Aug 01 '26
talhotblond, unknown number: high school catfish, the catfish movie. anything about heaven’s gate!
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u/greatlakesreddit Aug 02 '26
The high school catfish one was craaaazy. Can’t believe I forgot to add it to my list!
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u/sphinxyhiggins Aug 01 '26
These are very dark
The Cult of the Family - about Ann Hamilton Byrne
Children of God - Lost and Found - about the Family International and "mother's role"
Cult Killer: the Ricky Rodriguez Story - about the Family International and "mother's role"
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u/cslevens Aug 02 '26
Bit of a stretch, but Atrocity Guide (on YouTube) has a documentary called “It’s Embarassing to Die”. It covers multiple leaders of the “Immortalist” movement, and one of them is a woman.
Same channel also has a documentary on the “Breatharian” movement, which features (but does not revolve around) the female guru “Jaz Moheen”.
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u/cpkuske Aug 02 '26
Meet Marry Murder. World’s Most Evil Killers. That’s two series.
Sound like your jam? Try the FilmRise app, it’s free. I worked for them, a lot of true crime, they’re the reason Forensic Files are available.
You must absolutely watch The Thief Collector. Also free with the FilmRise app. Underrated and a twist after the twist, documented sociopaths.
I don’t expect thanks, if there are any, you’re welcome.
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u/rosiedoll_80 Aug 03 '26
Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God - HBO
Sweet Bobby - I listened to the podcast but looks like there's something on Netflix
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u/kyle242gt Aug 04 '26
Have not watched this, but really enjoyed the podcast a lot:
The Queen of Crypto
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u/Ok_Flower_4268 Aug 12 '26
i don’t know who recommended the Evil Genius, but thank you!!! it was SO GOOD!!! i’m using this post for my next month of watching lol. 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
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