A controversial blend of Christianity, hypnotism, and New Age mysticism led by a figure with a checkered past.
The Spiritual Rights Foundation (SRF), based in Berkeley, California, presents a complex and controversial history marked by allegations of abuse, manipulation, and cult-like control under the leadership of Rev. Bill Drury, also known as the self-professed “spiritual pimp.” Initially attracting followers through promises of spiritual enlightenment and psychic studies, the foundation intertwined hardcore Christianity with New Age mysticism and hypnotism, a formula that has kept it operating under various aliases including the Academy for Psychic Studies, the International Spiritual Hypnosis Institute, and Health and Wealth Incorporated.
Founded in the early 1980s by William Duby, a figure with a background in poker and association with famed local psychic and convicted con man Marc Reymont, SRF quickly grew, establishing itself in a Victorian house at 2432 Ellsworth Street. The organization expanded, acquiring more properties and launching several businesses like Liberty Construction, Freedom Estates, Sterling Rose Press, and a psychic helpline. Members were expected to donate up to thirty percent of their gross income, with some reports suggesting demands as high as eighty percent.
SRF’s revenue-generating activities and Rev. Bill Drury’s leadership practices have been subjects of intense scrutiny and criticism. Former members describe a regime of psychological abuse, financial exploitation, and manipulative control techniques designed to maintain loyalty and suppress dissent. Allegations against Drury include statutory rape and the exploitation of SRF members for personal gain. The organization’s financial operations, particularly through businesses like Liberty Construction and associations with car dealerships, ostensibly funneled profits directly to the church and by extension to Drury, without clear disclosure to clients or the broader community.
The foundation’s impact extends beyond its spiritual teachings, affecting families and personal relationships deeply. Numerous ex-members have recounted painful separations from their families, with SRF allegedly encouraging a disconnect between departing members and their children who remained within the organization. Legal battles over custody and visitation rights highlight the personal toll exacted on individuals and their families, casting a long shadow over the legacy of the Spiritual Rights Foundation.
