The Cult of NatureBoy' examined in new docuseries

[0:00] Well, it was promised to be a black utopia, but survivors say it turned into something [0:04] far more sinister. Back in 2016, a rising social media star named Leggio Bishop, also known as [0:11] Nature Boy, recruited followers into a group called Carbon Nation. Well, he encouraged them [0:17] to abandon their families and join his alternative lifestyle community. But it devolved into an [0:23] environment marked by manipulation and escalating violence. And it's all documented in the latest [0:28] ABC News Studios docu-series, The Cult of Nature Boy. [0:33] I've been doing it for the last four years. I was in a cult, man. [0:37] Who am I? Nature Boy. Nature Boy. Nature Boy. [0:40] You know this is not how life's supposed to be. Where Nature Boy is, that's where I'll find my truth. [0:44] I am your messiah. Bow to me. What in the world is going on here? [0:48] Something was screaming at me, no, but I ignored it. [0:51] There was brainwashing. Mind manipulation. He was caged. He was gone. [0:55] Well, joining me now, Chantel Coleman, the internet detective who actually documented Nature Boy's [1:03] abuse for years and played a key role in taking him down. And we also have Janae Newell, a former [1:09] member of Carbon Nation. Great to have you both. Janae, I want to start with you because you have [1:14] been outspoken about surviving this cult. What do you think, and I don't mean to be so direct, [1:20] but we are very curious, the worst part of your journey, you know, the part when you had a wake [1:26] up call that something wasn't right? I would say the worst part of my journey is not only seeing [1:34] myself lose myself, but seeing others lose themselves as well. Is it coming in clear? [1:41] Oh, yes. We've got you coming in very clear. Go ahead. Continue. Tell us about what you experienced. [1:47] Thank you. I've experienced multiple signs of abuse. I've experienced mass manipulation around [1:58] not just my own mind. I've seen other minds being taken over as well. I have experienced emotional [2:05] abuse. I've also experienced physical abuse, not just, not by him, but by the members. I've seen a lot [2:12] of things and experienced a lot of things that not only tarnish my soul, but just helped me to understand [2:18] that this wasn't the right path for me. And it made me feel like I had to stand up and fight and be a [2:23] voice for what the right path is instead of what is not. Well, it sounds like, yeah, it sounds like [2:29] I like the abuse at all. Well, you turned a horrible situation clearly into something very positive, [2:35] clearly a lot stronger now because of it. And I want to ask you more about what you experienced, [2:40] but Chantel, I'm just curious how, how did you originally come across Nature Boy Online and then, [2:46] you know, notice and document the abuse that you were seeing? [2:52] Completely by accident. I stumbled across a debate video on YouTube. He was in a jungle setting with a [2:59] bunch of followers behind him. And something about that dynamic immediately caught my attention. I have [3:06] a degree in psychology that I never used, but something absolutely quick clicked. My mother is a [3:12] social worker. She has always instilled values within her children of empathy and compassion. And I knew [3:20] something was off just due to the control and beyond anything I'd ever imagined. Just what I saw, [3:30] I knew that something was wrong, just the way that he controlled them. Did you find it odd that you were [3:36] able to watch this? Yes, absolutely. And that is why I took that opportunity to start archiving this cult. [3:45] I figured that at some point in the future, they might end up being studied in college classrooms. I [3:51] never recalled us really going over cults in college. It was always, you know, serial killers and [3:56] things of that nature. But I knew that at some point, the fact that he was documenting all of his live [4:01] streams on a daily basis, sometimes 24 hours a day, that this was an opportunity that I needed to take [4:07] to archive this just in case. And I never expected that it would culminate to what it eventually did. [4:14] Wow. So, Janae, explain to us, you know, the recruitment process and tactics. How were you [4:21] drawn in? What made you believe in this cult in the first place? Well, prior to joining the cult, [4:32] you have to go through an initiation process. Like 30 to 90 days, you're supposed to isolate yourself [4:37] from your family, from your friends, from society in the whole entirety, and just basically watch his [4:44] videos. You're watching his videos. You're listening to the music that the cult produced. You're listening [4:48] to everything that he says and doing everything that he do. You're supposed to be doing like things [4:55] like going out into nature and also taking your things out into nature, living out in nature, [5:01] you know, sleeping out in nature. But not only that, proclaiming the kingdom of God, [5:05] basically taking yourself on video and taping yourself, talking exactly what he's saying. [5:11] So that was basically the initiation process. You had to separate yourself from everything and [5:16] every one that you loved. [5:18] Sounds like that's the first sign. [5:20] That's what you're on. [5:22] Yeah, that someone knows that, well, that someone should realize this isn't right. [5:25] You know, anything that is healthy, you don't cut yourself off from everybody that you love. [5:32] Did you think that you were going to find some, were you looking for something? Was it, [5:38] what were you searching for? Was it meaning? Was it community? What was it you were struggling [5:42] with where you felt this could be the answer for you? [5:48] It was purpose. It was calling. It was wanting to something to believe in. Of course, [5:53] I wanted to believe in myself more and be, feel more empowered. And with this group, [5:59] it was basically promoting empowerment, you know, and not just empowerment for all people, [6:05] but especially for the Melody people, you know, people of color. Around that time, [6:10] we were definitely being killed left and right, you know, and I just wanted to be a part of something [6:15] that was positive and showing that the world can be a wonderful place if we just live properly and [6:21] naturally, you know, a part of nature. So I was searching for communion, but also being in purpose. [6:28] Chantel, what's the latest on Nature Boy? Have you heard from him or his followers recently? [6:35] I have. They've been active. I've been engaging them as of yesterday. So they are still active. Nature [6:42] Boy is finding ways to still communicate with followers. He's still finding ways to get his followers [6:47] to recruit from prison. We've had to contact the Georgia prison multiple times to get him off of [6:55] live streams that he's been doing from his prison cell. So we know where he lives. We know the entire [7:02] setup, but we are keeping tabs on him because his recruitment process is very damaging and it's very [7:08] dangerous. And I just really hope that people take away from this, that they need to know what their [7:14] young adults, their young kids, their, you know, whatever age range, because he's able to capture, [7:21] you know, to Janae's point, the minds of people of all diverse, diverse age range. But he's still [7:27] active. He's just not as active as he once was and he never will be. Well, Chantel, we know you will [7:32] stay on the story out. It's just incredible work exposing this. And Janae, you are a true survivor and [7:39] such a good spokesperson for what it means to go through something like this and come out [7:43] stronger than ever. I appreciate both of you ladies very, very much. Thank you. Of course.