A former actor turned alleged cult leader accused of exploiting his status to commit sexual abuse and trafficking.
Nathan Chasing Horse, born in April 1976 on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, is a former actor best known for his role in the 1990 film Dances with Wolves. Beyond his acting career, Chasing Horse gained notoriety for his activities off-screen, particularly his involvement in criminal activities spanning several years prior to 2015. He portrayed himself as a traditional Lakota healer, conducting sweat and dance ceremonies across the United States and Canada, including the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana. Chasing Horse offered these ceremonies in exchange for payment and accommodation, using his influence to place individuals in trances, gaining their admiration and compliance.
Chasing Horse’s actions caught the attention of authorities when allegations surfaced that he used his status as a “Medicine Man” to sexually exploit vulnerable young Native American girls. He convinced these girls that engaging in sexual activities with him was a form of induction into a cult known as The Circle. This exploitation was further facilitated by his fame from Dances with Wolves, leveraging his charisma to lure victims. His criminal behavior included the sexual assault of minors, grooming girls for abuse, and possibly providing them to other men for sexual purposes. Chasing Horse faced banishment from the Fort Peck Reservation in 2015 due to ongoing investigations into his alleged crimes, including sexual assault, human trafficking, drug dealing, and intimidation.
In early 2023, a police SWAT team arrested Chasing Horse in North Las Vegas, where he lived with up to six wives. The arrest followed tips about his decades-long involvement in trafficking and sexual abuse of young girls, some as young as 13. The raid on his home uncovered evidence of sexual assaults, firearms, drugs, and plans for a violent response or mass suicide pact in case of an attempt to break apart his family. Chasing Horse’s activities have sparked a significant legal and social uproar, highlighting the abuse of spiritual and cultural traditions for criminal purposes​​.
image via New York Post
