I am glad that you posted this under mental illness.

I'll be honest with you. When this story broke out, the first thought that came to my mind was this. Perhaps this guy has given money to the church, and now that he needed their help, they probably turned their back on him. I am not excusing what he did, not at all.

I have known people that have had this happen to them. The difference is that they went and got professional help.

This would also be a factor when you are dealing with "cult like" behavior.

Definitely mental illness.

Cathi