DANNY : DE HEKWelcome to “The Crypto Ponzi Scheme Avenger” channel, where I, Danny de Hek, expose scammers and Ponzi schemes to protect everyday investors.

Today, I’m taking a different path as part of the DECULT Conference, organized by Anke Richter in Christchurch, New Zealand. This event features international speakers dedicated to exposing the dangers of cult-like organizations. In this special episode, I interview Craig Hoyle, Chief News Director at the Sunday Star-Times and author of the gripping memoir Excommunicated.

Craig Hoyle’s story is one of immense courage. Raised in Invercargill, New Zealand, within the Exclusive Brethren—a secretive Christian sect that isolated its members—Craig was excommunicated at the age of 18 after confessing his sexuality to church leaders. This life-altering moment saw him subjected to interrogations and conversion therapy, eventually forcing him to say goodbye to his family and community forever.

In this interview, Craig opens up about the emotional trauma of leaving the only life he knew, the heartbreak of losing his family, and the long-term scars left by his excommunication. We also discuss his powerful 2023 memoir, Excommunicated, which intertwines his personal story with his family’s seven-generation history within the Brethren. His journey is a profound testament to the strength it takes to break free from a controlling religious group.

Craig’s career as a journalist has spanned print, radio, digital, and television. His work ranges from going undercover to expose international fraudsters to covering high-stakes political events. Today, as Chief News Director for the Sunday Star-Times, Craig continues to challenge power, fight injustice, and tell stories that make a difference.

Tune in to hear Craig’s incredible story, his insights into cult-like control, and how his experience connects to the wider issue of manipulation, control, and deception—whether in religious sects or Ponzi schemes.

For more interviews and to stay updated on exposing scams, subscribe to “The Crypto Ponzi Scheme Avenger.”

QUESTIONS

  1. So, Craig, being raised in the Exclusive Brethren and me in the Jehovah’s Witnesses, what’s the weirdest rule you grew up with? I’ve got a few myself!
  2. How did it feel to go from a life with no TV to being featured in a 60 Minutes documentary? That’s quite a leap!
  3. What was it like having to say goodbye to your family, knowing that the next day they’d disappear in the middle of the night? That must have been surreal.
  4. When you first started journalism, did you find yourself investigating things like cults right away, or was that something that came naturally from your own experience?
  5. You mention meeting your grandfather after discovering he’d also left the church—did it feel like you were meeting an older version of yourself?
  6. You’ve traveled the world as a journalist, from Hong Kong protests to reporting on the Kardashians. What’s the craziest story you’ve ever covered?
  7. Ex-Exclusive Brethren and Ex-Jehovah’s Witness—sounds like the start of a support group! How has being out of that bubble shaped how you see the world now?
  8. In your memoir Excommunicated, you compare yourself to a plant growing around rocks. Can you explain that metaphor and how it still affects your life today?
  9. What’s one thing about the Exclusive Brethren that would surprise someone who’s never heard of them? I’m sure there are a few jaw-droppers!
  10. You’ve reconnected with one sibling—do you ever think more of your family might come around and reach out to you in the future?
  11. What was it like transitioning from a community where everything was controlled to the freedom of public life? Was there anything that shocked you?
  12. Do you ever catch yourself still thinking in that ‘Brethren’ mindset, and if so, how do you break free from it?
  13. What role has humor played in helping you cope with the challenges of leaving the Brethren and starting a new life?
  14. If you could sit down with your younger self, just before you were excommunicated, what advice would you give him?
  15. You’ve been vocal about the oppressive nature of the Brethren—do you think they’ll ever change, or are they too rooted in their ways?
  16. How did you manage to start over after leaving the Brethren, especially with so much of your life tied to that community? What was the first step for you?

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