Episode

508 - John of God: Ghosts, Grift, and Psychic Surgery

Podcast: Timesuck with Dan Cummins
Published: May 25, 2026
Duration seconds: 8923
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Canonical source: https://www.badmagicproductions.com/pages/timesuck-podcast-2024
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Summary

For decades, hundreds of thousands of desperate people (maybe even millions) traveled to rural Brazil seeking miracles from João Teixeira de Faria — better known as “John of God” — a self-proclaimed psychic surgeon who claimed spirits healed others through his body. But behind the stories of supernatural cures, celebrity endorsements, and spiritual enlightenment lurked allegations of fraud, manipulation, and horrific abuse.