BBC
·Jul 2026
‘I was so brainwashed’: The 1980s doomsday cult that ensnared the young and beautiful
Former supermodel Hoyt Richards recounts his years inside Eternal Values, a 1980s doomsday cult led by Manhattan socialite Frederick von Mierers, who claimed to be an alien and manipulated followers through flattery, spiritual claims, and psychological control. The HBO documentary Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult explores the cult’s rise and decline, Richards’ eventual escape, and the long-term impact of his indoctrination. The story highlights Von Mierers’ use of charisma, dependency, and shifting rules to maintain power, while Richards now seeks to raise awareness around the dynamics of exploitative relationships.