Sexual Misconduct in Spiritual Communities

Hear Carol Merchasin discuss the legal challenges victims of cults face and how the law can provide protection on the Trust Me podcast.

Pamela Takefman, Of Counsel at McAllister Olivarius, joins the host to discuss the Diddy verdict, trafficking laws, and how men can be allies in the fight against abuse.

Carol Merchasin featured in Defector’s investigation into McO lawsuit concerning abuse allegations against Swami Satchidananda and the legacy of Yogaville.

Carol Merchasin is interviewed by Canadian Justice host Christine Van Geyn on the challenges of fighting cults, from how to identify them, to the psychological toll on members, and what legal protections are available.

Carol Merchasin, Head of Sexual Misconduct in Spiritual Communities at McAllister Olivarius, appears on the Surviving Satchidananda podcast to discuss civil litigation against Yogaville and her legal work holding spiritual organisations accountable for sexual misconduct.

Two former Shen Yun dancers detail their forced child labour lawsuit in a recent NPR article. They are represented by McAllister Olivarius’s Sexual Misconduct in Spiritual Communities Team, led by Carol Merchasin.

Featured in The New York Times, the lawsuit details allegations of forced child labor, coercion, and human trafficking within Shen Yun and its affiliated institutions. McAllister Olivarius is representing two of the plaintiffs.

Cults aren’t just a spiritual phenomenon – certain workplace cultures may share similar warning signs. In Employee Benefit News, Carol Merchasin discusses how unchecked power and fear-based leadership can create toxic, even abusive, environments.

Carol Merchasin, Head of the Sexual Misconduct in Spiritual Communities practice at McAllister Olivarius, joins the “Sounds Like a Cult” podcast to discuss the legal complexities surrounding Kundalini Yoga and why accountability remains elusive in spiritual communities.