Lighthouse, also known as Lighthouse International Group, was a British business and coaching organisation, founded in 2012 by Paul Waugh, that has been reported by numerous experts to be a cult.[1][2]
Lighthouse International Group's business operations were wound up in the UK High Court following intervention by the Secretary of State on 28 March 2023.[3] Section 124A of the Insolvency Act 1986 permits the Secretary of State, where he believes it is expedient in the public interest that a company should be wound up, to present a petition for it to be wound up if the court thinks it just and equitable for it to be so.[4]
The Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service stated this was on the grounds of lack of cooperation with authorities and Waugh's deliberate obstruction. The Insolvency Service released a statement naming Waugh, Christopher Nash, Shaun Cooper and Warren Vaughan as the members of the Limited liability partnership that was wound up.[5]
The group was the subject of a BBC Three documentary in 2023, titled A Very British Cult,[6] as well as a BBC podcast of the same name.[7] The documentary revealed how member Tom Hasker would loiter outside the bedroom of a member charged with harassing ex-members on social-media, leading to their increased anxiety such that they had to flee and seek assistance from the Police.[8]
References
- ↑ Nye, Catrin; Truswell, Natalie; Bartlett, Jamie (4 April 2023). "Inside the life coaching cult that takes over lives". BBC News.
- ↑ Wace, Charlotte (5 April 2023). "Inside Lighthouse, the 'business cult' that cost members thousands". The Times.
- ↑ "LIGHTHOUSE INTERNATIONAL GROUP HOLDINGS TRADING LLP | Petitions to Wind Up (Companies) | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ↑ "Insolvency Act 1986". Legislation.gov. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
- ↑ "Mentoring and coaching company shut down for financial irregularities". Government of the United Kingdom. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
- ↑ Mangan, Lucy (5 April 2023). "A Very British Cult review – an unrelenting investigation into the worst of humanity". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- ↑ Cunliffe, Rachel (19 April 2023). "The BBC podcast series A Very British Cult is dark and gripping". New Statesman. Retrieved 15 September 2023.
- ↑ Paul Waugh,Warren Vaughan,Chris Nash,Shaun Cooper,Tom Hasker (5 April 2023). A Very British Cult. BBC. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
External links