ABSTRACT
Minority religions often operate on the fringes of society, and are seen as exotic. On the one hand, they can propel positive new innovations, practices and lifestyles, yet on the other hand their beliefs and cultures can provide credible frames for deceptive or even fraudulent practices. They are often referred to as ‘cults’. Of course groups that are already stigmatised due to their often marginal status are more likely to be seen as problematic (Bromley 2014). However it cannot be denied that there have been significant cases of malfeasance in new and minority religions (van Eck Duymaer van Twist 2014). This follows a well-established history of malfeasance in traditional and established religions, as the criminologist Anson Shupe has already established (1995, 1998).
