Terrifying: Dutch influencer is leader of an American cult

Okay, first this because you immediately see a triple disclaimer before the very first episode has even started. So that starts off well. This new bizarre docuseries The Influencer Guru is on HBO Max and is about the Dutchman Bentinho Massaro (yes, his real name). He is a Dutch spiritual influencer who grew into a kind of guru in America with more than a million followers.

Okay, are you sitting down:

Because before the series begins, you first get three warnings. The documentary is based on personal experiences of former followers. But, Bentinho Massaro has never been convicted of any crimes. And it has not been proven that he is responsible for the death of one of his followers (more on that below).

Okay. But then you are at least warned.

From Amsterdam-Zuidoost to American guru

Bentinho Massaro was born in 1988 in Amsterdam-Zuidoost. At 22, he starts making YouTube videos in which he talks about spirituality, consciousness, and ‘bliss’. JoeJoe. He was said to have been quite the party animal as a teenager, according to former classmates. But at the same time, he also had an interest in spirituality.

After high school, he follows a yoga training and then leaves for India for half a year. There, as he later tells himself, he finds the enlightenment he was looking for.

He then moves to the United States. His English-language videos take off and Massaro builds a huge following through social media. He organizes retreats and creates a community of people who seek answers, depth, and enlightenment with him.

Sounds pretty innocent so far, right? Until you hear what some former followers say about that community.

A mother loses her daughter

Carla is a Dutch mother who tells how she slowly lost her daughter to the world of Massaro.

Her daughter joined Bentinho's group nine years ago and became increasingly involved with him and his inner circle. Carla sees her daughter change and drift further away from her family.

According to the documentary, her daughter, under Massaro's influence, increasingly believes in conspiracy theories and talks about extraordinary experiences, including traveling with spaceships. Crazy. For her mother, it becomes increasingly difficult to connect with the daughter she once knew.

Carla tries to make her daughter understand how much sadness the separation causes her. But her daughter responds with a sentence that perhaps hits harder than all the bizarre stories about Massaro combined:

“That's your problem, mom.”

And suddenly the documentary becomes so much more tangible than a story about an eccentric internet guru. It concretely addresses family members who see someone disappear further and further.

When does a spiritual leader become a cult leader?

That is actually the central question of this documentary.

Because when you follow someone because they inspire you, that's one thing. But what happens when that person increasingly influences how you think, live, and view the world?

According to various ex-followers, Massaro goes much further than a spiritual teaching. They accuse him of financial, psychological, and sexual misconduct. Manipulation and abuse of power.

But Massaro denies the accusations.

Journalist Ivo van Woerden has been following Massaro for years and spoke with more than sixty involved parties for his research. He also wrote the book In the Grip of the Guru about his research into this rather controversial influencer.

A guru with a six-pack

Bentinho Massaro does not exactly look like the stereotype of a spiritual leader.

At least, not an old man with a long gray beard sitting silently meditating on a mountain.

Massaro is young (1988) and fit. But, he mainly finds himself incredibly attractive. Confident and full of self-love, he appears smiling and self-satisfied in his videos, shows off his six-pack, and surrounds himself (according to former followers) with attractive young women.

Stine Jensen (philosopher and guru expert) calls him in the documentary the ‘sexification of spirituality’. Because, Massaro does not sell dusty religion, but a modern version of enlightenment. Through YouTube, social media, and retreats.

And apparently that appeals to a huge group of people. Unbelievable really. I don't understand any of this.

A young follower says in the docuseries that she watches his videos as a kind of moment of reflection. She finds him inspiring and says that he meets people's need to find more depth in their lives.

Is that perhaps exactly the power of someone like Massaro?

You no longer have to move to a commune to be influenced by a guru. You can just visit him every morning on Instagram or YouTube.

And then it gets really bizarre

According to former followers, Massaro made quite extreme statements about his own spiritual powers.

For example, the documentary claims that he told women that his penis could heal their chakras.

Disturbing. Because when does spirituality stop and abuse of power begin?

But why? Why do people go along with this?

A follower jumps off a cliff

The story takes an even stranger turn when in 2017 one of Massaro's followers, Brent Wilkins, jumps off a cliff during a retreat in Sedona, Arizona, and dies.

The question that has since hung over the story: what influence did Massaro have on his follower?

According to accusations, Massaro allegedly encouraged him to his death. Massaro emphatically denies this. He has never been criminally convicted for Wilkins' death.

That is exactly why that triple disclaimer at the beginning of the documentary is so important.

The series does not present a legally proven story in which Massaro has been found guilty. What you see are mainly the experiences and accusations of former followers, family members, journalists, and experts.

Why do people continue to believe him?

What The Influencer Guru Ultimately, what you are trying to understand is not just Bentinho Massaro. It is also about the people who follow him.

How can you ever go along with this?

Okay: you are searching. That can happen too. You start searching online. You watch a video because you are curious. But then? You feel addressed by someone who seems to understand exactly what you are struggling with. You watch another video. You might buy a course. You also go to a retreat. But then the penny must have dropped, right?.

Because somewhere in America, there is a Dutch man who calls himself spiritually enlightened.

Scary, right? Because a guru in 2026 doesn't need a temple at all anymore.

The Influencer Guru is available on HBO Max.

I am so curious what you think about it.